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0/ tVAnSTOM 

ILLINOl-5 




HISTORY 



OF 



Northwestern 
University 



AND 



EVANSTON 



EDITED BY 



Robert D. Shei'pard, D.D. Harvey B. Hurd, LL.D. 



CHICAGO: 

M U N S E L L PUBLISHING C O M P A N V 

PUBLISHERS 

19 6. 



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£^'^ 



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Kntei'ed accordin^r to act of Cnntrre«s, 
(n the year 1906 by 

\V I L L I A iM W . M U N S K I. L . 

in the r>ffipenf the Librarian of Coriirress 

at 

Washington 



^71;?z^ 



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■fc. 



PREFACE 



An analysis of the motives which have induced Evanstonians to join in the fur- 
nishing of material for this record of local history would afford evidence, not only of a 
feeling of obligation to the past and present, but also to future generations; and this, it 
is but just to say, has been the impelling force in the conception and preparation of this 
volume. 

Book-making is an expensive undertaking, and the limited sale v^hich a work treat- 
ing of a small community would obtain, would inevitably involve heavy financial re- 
sponsibilities. The publishers of that excellent work, "The Historical Encyclopedia of 
Illinois," have deemed it practicable to produce a special Evanston edition of that 
work embracing, as a feature of added interest and value, a supplemental volume 
largely devoted to Evanston history, prepared and edited by Evanstonians. The busi- 
ness management of the enterprise rests with the publishers who have had a long and 
successful experience in the publication of works of this character, and to whom 
great credit is due for successfully financing the cost of production and carrying to 
a faithful completion this important work. 

This history has been written in the belief that it is needed ; that man's immor- 
tal instincts revolt at the thought of the good of the past being buried in oblivion — 
that the fruitage of lives which have accomplished results, epitomized in the word "his- 
tory," should be forgotten — that lessons of faithful doing, accompanied by self-sacri- 
fice, zealous faith and daring courage little short of the heroic, should fail of their 
highest accomplishment by inspiration and example, because no one has recorded them 
— that present and future generations should be deprived of these teachings, examples 
and educational forces, simply for the want of a proper and available published record 
of many facts now having an existence only in the memory of individuals who cannot 
long remain, and whose passing away will place the foundation facts of our history 
beyond the reach of those who come after them. 

Hence this history, with the imperfections and shortcomings always incident to 
human authorship, yet the results of the best thought and intelligent efforts of many 
accomplished writers and contributors who have produced, in concise but comprehen- 

1 



sive form, a carefully prepared and faithful record of facts and events relating to the 
various topics assigned to them. Without attempting to enumerate all of them by name, 
I here wish to express my personal obligation to Robert D. Sheppard, D. D., as my 
Editorial Associate, and to each author for the faithful and intelligent service ren- 
dered in the preparation of this work, as well as the lasting debt of gratitude due 
to them from the home-loving and Evanston-loving people of to-day and the future. 

The conception that our city's history, together with the memoirs of its founders 
and builders, was deserving of record, received its first practical suggestion in the 
organization, about seven years ago, of the Evanston Historical Society, which is do- 
ing such noble work in its chosen field of research and collection of historical material. 
To the influence and labors of this association is due, not only the conception of the 
need of an authoritative published History of Evanston, but, in a large degree 
through the labors and co-operation of its members, the success which has attended 
the preparation of such a work. Believing that it will have a permanent value, not 
only to citizens of Evanston and Cook County, but to many others interested in State 
history, I herewith bring my labors in connection with the volume to a close, with 
thanks to my associates and co-laborers and hope that it will meet the expectation of its 
patrons and have for them an interest corresponding with the labor required in its 
preparation. 

^ Tn ^^ \ 



FOREWORD 



The preface to this work, written by the late Hon. Harvey B. Hard, after the vari- 
ous manuscripts furnished by the many contributors were well in hand, quite fully 
sets forth the inception of this inidertaking and the potent influences leading thereto. 
It is self-evident that the preparation of so extended a history of Evanston was a more 
formidable task than originally contemplated, and unavoidable delays were experi- 
enced incident to receiving the completed manuscripts from some of our friends con- 
tributing the same, and still further delays were occasioned by the sending to each 
author a copy of the printer's proof of his or her portion of the work. To do this was 
thought important in order, first, that each writer might thus have a last opportunity 
to correct and make more complete his or her department ; and, second, that each chap- 
ter might, by this means, receive any necessary additions extending its scope to a more 
recent period. 

Credit is due to the publishers for the pecuniary outlay which they necessarily 
have borne, and for the great care evidently taken by them in the preparation of the 
whole work and in placing it in completed form before its readers. 

I have every reason to believe that the various chapters, furnished by about forty 
special contributors to the city's history, have been prepared with great care; that 
the completed work will constitute a valued addition to the library of all Evanstonians, 
and will be accorded a prominent place in the historical collections of Illinois. 






I N DEX 



CHAPTER I. 
INTRODUCTORY. 
The Evanston of 1905 — Seat of Learning and Gem Suburb of a Great Me- 
tropolis—Results Accomplished by Fifty Years of Development — 
Contrast Between Past and Present — First Township Organization 
Under Name of Ridgeville — Evanston Township Organized in 1857 
— The Village Platted in 1854 — Later Changes in Township and 
Municipal Organization — Old Xaine of Ridgeville Township Re- 
sumed in 1903, with Boundaries Identical with City of Evanston — 
Garrett Biblical Institute Precedes the University — City Govern- 
ment Organized in 1892 — Early Evanston Homes and Their Occu- 
pants — Advent of the First Railroad — Career of Dr. John Evans 15-20 

* 

CHAPTER II. 

OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS. 
The First Evanstonians — Indian Relics — Stone Implements and What 
They Indicate — Early Explorers — Joliet, Marquette, La Salle and 
Tonty — Early Indian Tribes — The Iroquois, Illinois, and Pottawat- 
omies — Ouilmette Reservation and Family — The Fort Dearborn 
Massacre — Home of the Ouihnettes — Treaty of Prairie du Chien 
— Indian Trails and Trees on the North Shore — Aboriginal Camps 
and Milages — Indian Mounds and Graves — Reminiscences of Ear- 
ly Settlers — Important Treaties — An Englishman's Story of 
the Treaty of Chicago in 1833 21-52 

CHAPTER in. 
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY. 
The Beginning — First Meeting of the Founders of the University — Prime 
Movers in the Enterprise — Resolutions and Draft of Charter Adopt- 
ed— The Legislature Acts — First Board of Trustees — Organization 
Effected — Search for a Site for the New Institution — The Present 
Location at Evanston Finally Selected — Acquisition of Lands — Val- 
uable Real Estate in Chicago Retained as Part of the Endowment — 
Election of a President is Decided L'pon 53-59 



CHAPTER IV. 
INSTITUTION IN DEVELOPMENT. 
Dr. Clark T. Hinman Chosen First President — Sale of Scholarships Begins 
— Career of the New President Cut Short by His Early Death — 
Town Site Platted and Named in Honor of Dr. John Evans — Gar- 
rett Biblical Institute Established — First Corps of College Profes- 
sors Elected — University Assets in 1854 — Four-Mile Anti-Liquor 
District Established by Act of the Legislature — Teaching Force of 
the University Increased — Dr. Evans' Land Policy — The Institution 
is Opened for Pupils — Some of the First Students 61-66 

CHAPTER V. 
CONDITIONS IN 1856-1860. 
Trustees Meet in First University Building — Dr. R. S. Foster Elected the 
Second President — The Faculty Enlarged — Absorption of Rush 
Medical College Projected — Competitors Enter the Field — Professor 
Jones' "Fern. Sem." — President Foster Visits the University, but 
Obtains a Year's Leave of Absence — He Joins the Faculty in 1857 
—The Assets of the Institution Increased to Nearly $316,000 — Re- 
inforcement of the Faculty — First Graduated Class in 1859 — ^Dr. 
Foster Resigns the Presidency and is succeeded by Dr. E. 0. 
Haven 67-72 

CHAPTER VI. , 
PERIODS OF DEPRESSION AND GROWTH. 
Changes of Faculty — Charter Amendments Adopted — Effect of the Civil 
War on Number of Students — Accessions to the Faculty — Univer- 
sity Land Debt is Liquidated — Orrington Lunt Land Donation for 
Benefit of Library — University Hall Projected — Accession of Stu- 
dents and Teaching Force Following the War Period — New Prizes 
Serve as a Stimulus to the Students — First Honorary Degrees Con- 
ferred — Corporate Name is Changed — Professors' Salaries Increased 
and Erection of University Hall Prosecuted — A "Gold Brick" Dona- 
tion — Encouraging Financial Development — Death of Acting Pres- 
ident Noyes 73-7^ 

CHAPTER VII. 

A DECADE OF CHANGE. 

Chicago Medical College Merged in the University — A "Town and Gown" 

Contest — Dr. Erastus O. Haven Enters L'pon the Presidency — 

Women Admitted to College Classes — Addition to the Faculty — 

Greenleaf Library — Advent of College Journa'.ism — .Another 



Change in the Presidency — Dr. Haven Succeeded by Dr. C. H. 
Fowler — Increase of Students and Growth of College Catalogue — 
Co-Education Established and Miss Frances E. Willard Joins the 
Faculty — Gymnasium Erected — Financial Embarrassment — Presi- 
dent Fowler Retires and Dr. Oliver H. Marcy Becomes Acting 
President — The University Wins on the Taxation Issue — Life-Sav- 
ing Station Established "9-85 

CHAPTER VIII. 
AN ERA OF PROGRESS. 
Dr. Joseph Cummings, the Nestor of Eastern Educators, Succeeds to the 
Presidency — Indebtedness Wiped Out and the Institution Enters 
Upon a More Prosperous Era — Munificent Gifts and Improvements 
— Changes in Faculty and Trustees — Illinois School of Pharmacy 
and School of Dentistry Added — Celebration of University Day 
Inaugurated — President Cummings' Successful Career and His 
Taking Away — Dr. Marcy Temporarily Assumes the Position of 
Acting President — Dr. Henry Wade Rogers Succeeds to the Pres- 
idency in 1890 — Other Changes and Improvements — Department 
Schools and Colleges — Real Estate Investments 87-91 

\ CHAPTER IX. 

SOME SIDE ISSUES. 
Athletics and College Societies — Women's Educational Associations — 
"The Settlement" and the University Guild — Dr. Rogers Resigns 
the Presidency in 1899, and is Succeeded by Dr. Bonbright as Act- 
ing President — Long List of Notable Friends of the University 
Who Have Passed Away — Tribute to Their Memory — Dr. Edmund 
J. James' Two Years' Administration — - He is Succeeded by Dr. 
Abram W. Harris 93-98 

CHAPTER X. 
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL. 
Object of its Organization — Early Conditions and Methods of Medical 
Education — Dr. N. S. Davis Begins the Agitation for Graded In- 
struction and Longer Courses — Lind University Established in 1859 
— Institution Affiliated with Northwestern University in 1869 — 
Changes of Name and Location — Growth, Present Conditions and 
Methods of Instruction — South Side Free Dispensary — Hospitals: 
Mercy, Wesley, St. Luke's and Provident — Clinical and other Ad- 
vantages — Influence of the Founders of the School Shown in its 
Growth and Character of its Graduates — Positions Won by its 
Alumni 99-I03 



CHAPTER XI. 
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL. 
Historical Sketch — Law School Founded in 1859 — Hon. Thomas Hoj'ne 
Leads in Endowment of First Chair — Only Three Law Schools then 
West of the Alleghenies — First Faculty — Notable Faculty Members 
of Later Date — Union College of Law Result of Combination of 
Northwestern and University of Chicago — First Board of Mana- 
gers and First Faculty Under New Arrangement — University of 
Chicago Suspended in 1866 — Northwestern Assumes Control of 
Law School in 1891 — Subsequent History — Changes in Require- 
ments of Supreme Court as to Law Course — Present Home and 
Conditions — Acquisition of Gary Collection — Present Outlook 105-108 

CHAPTER XII. 
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY DENTAL SCHOOL. 
Dental Education as a Distinct Branch of Professional Training — First 
Dental School Established in 1839 — Development Due to State Leg- 
islation — Dental Schools in Eastern Cities — Chicago College of Den- 
tal Surgery Graduates its First Class in 1885 — Dr. Thomas L. Gil- 
mer Leads Movement for Establishment of Northwestern Univer- 
sity Dental School — Consolidation with American College of Dental 
Surgery — Dr. Theodore Menges Chief Promoter — First Faculty of 
the Consolidated School — Present Condition — Finds a Permanent 
Home in Historic Tremont House Building 109-115 

CHAPTER XIII. 
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PHARMACY. 
Founding of School of Pharmacy in Connection with Northwestern Uni- 
versity — Promoters of the Movement — School Opened in 1886 — Its 
Extensive Equipment — Instruction Rooms and Laboratories — Num- 
ber of Students in Eighteen Years — They are Drawn from Practi- 
cally All the States and Territories — Present Location of the Institu- 
tion — Library and Value of Equipment — Annual E.xpenditures — 
Faculty of 1905 117-118 

CHAPTER XIV. 
THE WOMAN'S MEDICAL SCHOOL. 
Demand for Higher Education for Women — First Steps in Founding 
Woman's Medical College — Promoters of Movement in Chicago — 
"Woman's Hospital Medical College" Founded in 1870 — First Fac- 
ulty — Story of "The Little Barn" — Career of Dr. Mary H. Thomp- 
son, Drs. Byford, Dyas and Others — Some Notable Graduates — A , 



Period of Struggle — Institution Reorganized in 1877 as Woman's 
Medical College — President Byford Dies in 1890 — Institution Affil- 
iated with Northwestern University — Is Discontinued in 1902 — 
Graduates in Foreign Missionary and Other Fields — Alumnae Or- 
ganization 1 19-129 

CHAPTER XV. 
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC. 
Sphere of Music in Higher Institutions — Its Influence or; Character and as 
the Hand-Maid of Religion— Higher Aspects of the Art — Its 
Growth in the Universities — History of its Connection with Ev- 
anston Educational Institutions — Northwestern Female College 
Merged into Evanston College for Ladies in 1871 — The Latter Be- 
comes a Part of Northwestern University in 1873 — Struggles, 
Changes and Growth of Later Years — Some Notable Teachers — In- 
crease in Roll of Pupils — Need of Ampler Buildings — Music Fes- 
tivals 131-148 

CHAPTER XVI. 
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ORATORY. 
Professor Cumnock as Founder — Growth and Standing Due to his Labors 
— First Class Graduated in 1881 — Its Aim and Branches Taught — 
Building Erected — Is Dedicated in 1895— Location and Description 
— Advantage over Private Institutions of Like Character — Training 
in English Composition and Rhetoric — Enrollment According to 
Last Catalogue — Promising Outlook for the Future 149-150 

CHAPTER XVIL 
UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS. 

Evanston Life-Saving Crew — Tragic Fate of the Steamer "Lady Elgin" 
Leads to Its Organization — Its First Members — List of Notable 
Rescues — Service Rewarded by Issue of Medals to the Crew by Act 
of Congress — Baseball History — The Old Gymnasium — Tug of War 
Teams — Football Records— Athletic Field and Grand Stand — Track 
Athletics and Tennis Games 151-162 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
GARRETT BIBLICAL INSTITUTE. 
Historical Sketch — Origin of the Institute Due to the Munificence of Mrs. 
Augustus Garrett — Building Erected in 1855 and Institute Opened 
in 1856 — Additional Buildings Erected in 1867 and 1887 — The Re- 






publican "Wigwam" of i860 Becomes the Property of the Institute 
— Reverse Caused by Fire of 1871 — Disaster Averted in 1897 — 
Growth of the Institute — Personal History — Large Number of the 
Alumni in Missionary and Other Fields — Members of the Faculty 
and Board of Trustees 163-167 

CHAPTER XIX. 

EARLY DRAINAGE. 
First Steps in Organization of a Drainage System for Evanston — Natural 
Conditions — Early Legislation of 1855 — The Late Harvey B. Hurd 
Member and Secretary of First Board of Commissioners^Construc- 
tion of Ditches Begun — Drainage Amendment of the Present Con- 
stitution Adopted in 1878 — Extension of the System — Local Opposi- 
tion — A Tax Collector's Experience — A Flood Converts the Oppo- 
nents of the System 169-172 

CHAPTER XX. 

PUBLIC UTILITIES. 
Area and Topography of the City of Evanston — The Drainage Problem — 
A Period of Evolution — Municipal Development — Electric Light 
System Installed — Street Improvements — Parks and Boulevards — 
The Transportation Problem — Steam and Inter-urban Railway 
Connections — Heating System — Telephone Service — Evanston as a 
Residence City 173-180 

CHAPTER XXI. 
WATER SUPPLY— LIGHTING SYSTEM. 
Conditions Prior to 1874 — First Movement to Secure an Adequate Water 
Supply — Charles J. Gilbert Its Leader — Holly Engines Installed in 
1874 and 1886 — Annexation of South Evanston — The Consolidated 
City Incorporated in 1892 — Increase in the Water Supply in 1897 — 
Source of Supply — Revenue — Extent of System — Street Lighting 
by Gas Introduced in 1871 — Introduction of Electric Lighting in 
1890 — Installation of the Evanston- Yaryan Light and Heating Sys- 
tem 181-185 

CHAPTER XXII. 

EDUCATION. 
The Public Schools of Evanston — Day of the Log School House — Early 
Schools and their Teachers — Sacrifice of School Lands -r- Present 
School Buildings — Township High School — Preliminary History — • 



School Opened in September, 1883 — Prof. Boltwood its First Princi- 
pal — Present School Building — ^lanual Training — A Moot Presi- 
dential Election — Drawing Department — List of Trustees 187-200 

,, CHAPTER XXIII. 

EVANSTON AUTHORS. 

Establishment of Northwestern University the Beginning of Evanston Lit- 
erary Life — Effect of the Gathering of Professors, Instructors and 
Students — Growth of Literary Activity — Some Notable Authors — 
Edward Eggleston and Frances E. Willard Begin their Careers in 
Evanston — Miss Willard's "A Classic Town" — Miss Simpson's Cata- 
logue of Evanston Authors for 1900 — Growth of Nine Years — Al- 
phabetical List of Authors with Bibliography and Biographical Rec- 
ords 201 -2 1 5 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
LIBRARIES— PUBLIC AND PRIVATE. 
Evanston's First Library — Major Mulford the "Gentleman Pioneer of 
Evanston" — Some Specimens of His Librarj' — First Sunday School 
Library — Private Libraries of Today — Unique Collection of Curios 
— History of Evanston Free Public Library — Edward Eggleston 
Prime Mover in Its Founding — First Step in Organization — Later 
• History and Growth — Roll of Librarians and Other Officers — Cata- 
loguing and Library Extension — Internal Management and Condi- 
tions — Site for a Library Building Secured in 1904 — Carnegie Gift 
of $50,000 — Erection of New Building Commenced in June, 1906. . . 217-231 

CHAPTER XXV. 
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. 
First Step in the Organization of a University Library — President Foster's 
Gift — Advance of Fifty Years — The Greenleaf Library — University 
Library is Made a Depository for Government Publications — Re- 
cent Notable Donation's — Orrington Lunt Library Building is Dedi- 
cated in 1894 — The Orrington Lunt Library Fund — Internal Ad- 
ministration — List of Those Who Have Served as Librarians — 
Libraries of Garrett Biblical Institute and Professional Schools.... 233-236 

CHAPTER XXVI. 
EVANSTON NEWSPAPERS. 
The Newspaper as a Necessity — Introduction and Growth of Local Jour- 
nals — The "Suburban Idea," The "Evanston Index" and Other 



Early Papers — Story of the "Evanston Press" — Advent of the 
Daily — Effect of the Chicago Printer's Strike of 1898 — Tem-ier- 
ance Organ — College Journals — A "Frat." and "Barb." Advertising 
Contest — Quarterly and Monthly Publications — High Standard of 
Evanston Journalism 237-243 

CHAPTER XXVn. 

MEDICAL HISTORY. 
(regular.) 
Primitive Sanitary Conditions — Freedom from Malarial Diseases — Some 
Old-Time Physicians — Sketch of Dr. John Evans — Drs. Lud- 
- lam, Weller and Blaney — ■ Dr. N. S. Davis the Nestor of Medical 
Education — An Early Drug Store — Sketches of Later Day Phy- 
sicians — Drs. Webster, Bannister, Burchmore, Brayton, Bond, 
Phillips, Haven, Hemenway, Kaufman, and others — Evanston 
Physicians' Club 245-254 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

MEDICAL HISTORY. 
(homoeopathic.) 
First Case of Homoeopathic Treatment in Evanston — Successful Results 
— Early Homoeopathic Physicians — Dr. Hawkes First Local Prac- 
titioner — He is Followed by Dr. C. D. Fairbanks — Sketch of 
Dr. Oscar H. Mann — His Prominence in Local Educational, Of- 
ficial and Social Relations — Founding of the Evanston Hospital — 
Doctors ]\Iarcy, Clapp and Fuller — Roll of the Later Physicians and 
Surgeons 255-260 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

EVANSTON HOSPITAL. 
The Evanston Benevolent Society — First Steps in Founding a Hospital 
— Organization is Effected in 189 1 — First Board of Officers — 
Medical Stafif — Fund and Building Campaign — Enlargement of 
the Institution Projected — Munificent Gift of Mrs. Cable — Other 
Donations — The Endowment Reaches $50,000 — Hospital of the 
Present and the Future — Internal Arrangement and Official Ad- 
ministration — List of Principal Donors — - Present Officers 261-274 

CHAPTER XXX. 
LOCAL MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS. 
Evanston as it Existed in 1856 — Primitive Church Music — War Songs 
— A Commencement Concert — The Hutchinson Family — Jules 



Lumbard — O. H. Merwin Becomes a Choir Leader — Other 
Notable Musicians — Evanston's First Musical Club — Some Fa- 
mous Teachers and Performers — Thomas Concert Class Organized 
— Mrs. Edward Wyman — Musical Department of Evanston Wo- 
man's Club — Women's Clubs as a Factor in Musical Training — 
Evanston Musical Club — Msennerchor Organized — Programs — 
Officers ■ 275-287 



CHAPTER XXXI. 
EVANSTON BANKS. 

History of Evanston Banking Enterprises — Effect of the Chicago Fire — 
First Private Bank Established in 1874 — Incorporated as a State 
Bank in 1892 — First Officers of the New Institution — Growth of 
Deposits — It Successfully Withstands the Panic of 1893 — Pres- 
ent Officers ( 1906) — A First National Bank \'enture — ■ The Panic 
of 1893 Results in Disaster — ■ The City National Bank of Evanston 
Established in 1900 — First Officers and Leading Stockholders — 
Its Prosperous Career — Condition in 1906 289-293 



CHAPTER XXXII. 
EVANSTON REAL ESTATE. 

Primary Geological Conditions — Early Roads — The Indian Trail — A 
Period of Growth — "The Path the Calf Made" — Influence of 
the University — Evanston Over-boomed — Effect of the Chicago 
Fire — Local Real Estate Rivalries — Notable Residences — The . 
Transportation Problem — The Park System — Taxation — Ev- 
anston Homes — Real Estate Values 295-302 



CHAPTER XXXIIL 
EVANSTON ARCHITECTURE. 

Historic Progress — Influence of the Architect on the City's Growth — 
The "Georgian" Style Follows the Log and Grout Houses — 
Churches and Private Residences — -Advent of the Victorian Gothic 
Style — University Hall and Union Park Congregational Church 
— Architect G. P. Randall the Designer — Asa Lyons Evanston's 
First Resident Architect — Others who followed him — Descrip- 
tion of Some Notable Buildings and their Designers — Public Li- 
brary — Enumeration of Principal Private and Public Buildings.. 303-309 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 
STREET NOMENCLATURE. 
Origin of Street and Avenue Names in Evanston — Village Platted in 
1853 and Named for Dr. John Evans — Postoffice Previous- 
ly Known as Ridgeville, and Still Earlier as Gross Point — Ev- 
anston Postoffice Established in 1855 — Street Names Derived 
from Prominent Methodists, Early Residents or Noted Statesmen 
— History and Biography thus Incorporated in Street Nomencla- 
ture — System of Street and Avenue Numbering — List of Princi- 
pal Streets and Persons for \\niom Named 311-316 

CHAPTER XXXV. 
THE FOUR-MILE LIMIT. 
Act Incorporating Northwestern L^niversity Amended — Prohibition Dis- 
trict Established — Sale of Spirituous Liquors Within Four Miles 
of the University Prohibited — Local Sentiment in Favor of the 
Law — Violations and Anti-Saloon Litigation — Citizens' League 
Organized — Supreme Court Decisions 317-321 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 
HOMES AND HOME-MAKERS— 1846-1870. 
Some of the Early Homes of Evanston — IMen and Women Who Have 
Left Their Impress on the City's History — ■ What Evanston 
Owes to Its Early Home Builders — Historic Names on the City 
Map — • Abraham Lincoln and other Distinguished Visitors — • The 
Willard and Eggleston Families — Notable Workers in the Field 
of Religion, Education, Literature and the Arts 323-339 

CHAPTER XXXVII. 
EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY. 
Early Methodist Services in Grosse Point District — First Methodist Epis- 
copal Church Organized — • Some of the Pioneer Preachers — ■ Influ- 
ence of the Coming of Garrett Biblical Institute and Northwestern 
University — Notable Ministers of a Later Date — Central M. E. 
Church — List of Pastors — Norwegian-Danish and Swedish M. E. 
Churches — Hemenway, Wheadon and Emmanuel Churches — 
First Baptist Church — Its Founders and List of Pastors — • History 
of Presbyterianism — First and Second Presbyterian Churches — 
Pastors and Auxiliary Societies — St. Mark's Episcopal Church 
— List of Pastors — St. Matthews Alission — St. Mary's Catholic 
Church, Schools and Related Associations — Congregational Church 



and Auxiliary Organizations — Bethlehem German Evangelical, 
Norwegian-Danish and Swedish Lutheran Churches — Evanston 
Christian Church and Its History — Church of Christ (Scientist).. 341-389 

CHAPTER XXXVni. 
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION. 
Evanston Young Men's Christian Association — Organization Effected in 
1885 — First Board of Officers — General History — ■ Association 
Building Erected and Dedicated in 1898 — Gymnasium and Nata- 
torium Constructed — List of Former and Present Officers 391-393 

CHAPTER XXXIX. 
WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNIONS. 
Women's Temperance Alliance — Evanston Woman's Christian Temper- 
ance LTnion Organized in 1875 — Working Departments — Enforce- 
ment of Four-Mile Limit Law — Industrial School — Children's 
Organization — Loyal Temperance Legion and Gospel Temper- 
ance Meetings — Miss Frances E. Willard and Other Noted 
Leaders — Manual Training School — The Evanston W. C. T. \J. — • 
Reiley and South Evanston Unions — Young Woman's Organiza- 
tion 395-404 

CHAPTER XL. 
CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS. 
Evanston Benevolent Society Organized — Names of Its Founders and 
First Officers — Hospital Projected — ■ New Society Takes the 
Name "Associated Charities" — Auxiliary Organizations — Moth- 
ers' Sewing School — • St. Vincent de Paul Society — Needle Work 
Guild — Mothers' Club — Visiting Nurse Association — King's 
Daughters — Camp Good Will — Its Service in Behalf of Poor 
Mothers and Children — Receipts and E.xpenditures 405-423 

CHAPTER XLI. 
SOCIAL LIFE IN A UNR'ERSITY TOWN. 
Transitions of a Half Century — Social Life as It Existed in Early Days 
— The Building up of a Great Christian Institution as Its 
Dominant Motive — Reminiscences of Some of Its Early Factors 
— Influence of Hospitality on Student Life and Character — Some of 
Those Who Were Influential in Establishing E\anston's Reputa- 
tion as a Hospitable Center 425-431 



CHAPTER XLII. 
SOCIAL AND LITERARY CLUBS. 
A Reminiscence of Noah's Ark — Social Instincts of Evanstonians — 
Philosophical Association — Its Founders and Their Favorite Top- 
ics — The "O. R. Circle" Blossoms Out as the "Legensia" — - Bry- 
ant Circle — Pierian Club — Woman's Clubs — The Fortnightly 
Succeeds the "Woman's Reading Circle" — ■ Its Service in the Field 
of Charity and Philanthropy — The Coterie — Twentieth Century 
and Present Day Clubs 433-442 

CHAPTER XLIII. 
THE EVANSTON WOMAN'S CLUB. 
Origin of Evanston Woman's Club — Julia Ward Howe's Advice — Or- 
ganization and First Officers — Chib Programs — Auxiliary Or- 
ganizations — Work of the Traveling Library Committee — Field 
Day at Lake Geneva — Object of tlie Club Defined in Its Constitu- 
tion — Club Motto 1 13-1 17 

CHAPTER XLIV. 
THE EVANSTON CLUB. 
Promoters and Organizers of "The Greenwood Club" — First Members 
and Officers — Name Changed to "The Evanston Club" — Club 
Building Erected — First Reception — Changes in By-Laws and 
Membership — Value of Club Property — List of Officers 449-452 

CHAPTER XLV. 
EVANSTON COUNTRY CLUB. 
First Steps and ^lotives Prompting Organization — Names of Projectors 
— ■ Organization Effected in May, 1888 — The New Club Finds a 
Home — Memories of the "Old Shelter" and Its First Occupants 
■ — The Club Formally Incorporated — First Board of Directors — 
New Quarters Dedicated in October, 1902 — New Year's Recep- 
tions and Children's Day Chief Functions — Lady Directors — Pro- 
motion of Branch Associations — Dramatic, Cycling, Musical, 
Equestrian and Polo Branches — Banjo and Mandolin Association 
— Former and Present Officers — Present Membership 800 — ■ 
- List of Life Members 453-4^11 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



Ahlberg, August 630 

Anderson, Frank Herbert 579 

Andrews, Wilbur J 643 

Anthony, Elliott 500 

Balderston, Stephen V 621 

Banks, Alexander F 620 

Barker, John T 635 

Barlow, Charles W 590 

Barnes, James Milton 580 

Bass, Myron H 584 

Bassett, Asahel 592 

Bassett, Jared 497 

Bates, Thomas 615 

Beebe, Thomas H 623 

Black, Carl Ellsworth 595 

Blake Edgar Ovet 599 

Boltwood, Henry Leonidas 540 

Boring, Ezra March 641 

Borton, Frank Lynn 608 

Boutelle, Joshua P 517 

Bragdon, Charles C 606 

Bragdon, Merritt C 510 

Brainard, William Newell 596 

Brayton, Sarah H 580 

Bristol, Lewis Tabor 632 

Brown, Andrew J 565 

Brown, Walter Lee 640 

Brown William Liston 543 

Browne, Vernelle Freeland 633 

Buntain, Cassius M. C 611 

Burns, Peter Thomas 613 

Butler, Henry 634 

Byrne, John G 624 

Calligan, John Brenton 610 

Camden, William J 614 



Canfield, William J 51!) 

Carney, John 609 

Carpenter, William Montelle 585 

Carson, Oliver M 519 

Catlin, Franklin Sexton 606 

Cermak, Jerome J 645 

Clark, Alexander 495 

Coe, George Albert 576 

Coe, Sadie Knowland 576 

Comstock, Charles 484 

Condict, Wallace Reynolds 518 

Grain, Charles 528 

Cummings, Joseph 489 

Cumnock, Robert McLean 530 

Currey, Josiah Seymour 530 

Damsel, William Hudson 627 

Davis, Nathan Smith, Jr 603 

Dawes, Charles Gates 509 

Deering, William 483 

Dixon, George William 617 

Dodds, Robert 611 

Dyche, David R 608 

Elliot, Frank M 563 

Elting, Philip E 646 

Eversz, Ernest Hammond 643 

Farwell, Simeon 507 

Filer, Alanson 583 

Flinn, John J 625 

Follansbee, Mitchell Davis 627 

Forrey, Frank Myer 626 

Foster, John J 537 

Foster, Volney W 503 

Fox, George Thomas 645 



Gallup, Walter L 5S9 

Garland, James A 618 

Gerould, Frank Wlieelock 629 

Gibson, John W 636 

Goocli, George E C36 

Greene, Benjamin Allen 5G3 

Griswold, William Morse 585 

Grover, Aldin J 525 

Grover, Frank Reed 526 

Hall, Winfield Scott 591 

Hamline, John H 553 

Hamline, Leonidas P 553 

Harbert, Elizabeth Boynton 559 

Harbert, William S 558 

Helm, Walter B 647 

Hemenway, Henry B 564 

Hempstead, Edward 616 

Herben, Stephen Joseph 546 

Herdien, Elmer Forrest 633 

Herdien, Walter Lanrance 633 

Hinsdale, Henry W 623 

Hitt, Isaac R., Jr 594 

Hoag, Thomas C 555 

Hoag, William Gale 556 

Hoffman, John Raymond 650 

Holmes, Raynor Elmore 015 

Hoover, Judson Wilkes -. 617 

Hotch, Louis Grant 646 

Hungate, John H 58S 

Hnrd, Harvey B 474 

Ide, George Osman 628 

Isbester, Tunis 537 

Jcnks, Chancellor -Livingston 486 

Johnson, Richard R 618 

Tones, Albert R 550 

Jnnes, William Hugh 508 

Kedzie, John Hume 488 

Kimball, Dorr Augustine 573 

Kingsley, Homer Hitchcock 540 

Kirk, John B 506 

Kirkbride, Charles Xeville 617 

Kline, Charles Gaffield 536 



Kline, George Roniyne .^ . . . . 535 

Kline, Simon Veder 535 

Knight, Newell Clark 549 

Lake, Richard Conover 570 

Learned, Edward W 571 

Leonhardt, Susan 631 

Lindsay, Wary Boyd 599 

Little, Arthur W 544 

Loba, Jean Frederic 557 

Logan, Charles Lyford 645 

Loomis, Mason B 588 

Lorimer. Joseph M 582 

Limt, Orrington 463 

Lutkin, Peter Christian 566 

Lyons, Joseph McGee 539 

Mann, Oscar H 573 

Marcy, Elizabeth Eunice 604 

Mark, Anson 543 

Ma.vo, Charles H 614 

Maxson, Orrin T 629 

McCallin, Sidney G 646 

McCleary, Wilbur Wallace 587 

Merrick, George Peck 547 

Meyer, Sidney Bachrach 535 

Miller, Humphrys H. C 521 

Moore, George Henry 638 

Murphy, Edward J 638 

Murphy, John C 637 

Nesbitt, George W 648 

Nichols, Roscoe Townley 613 

Oldberg, Prof. Oscar 596 ■ 

Parkes, William Beckley 030 

Persons, Albert D 647 

Piper, Charles Edward 644 

Pitner, Levi Carroll 511 

Plummer, Samuel Craig 646 

Poole, Charles Clarence 639 

Poppenhusen, Conrad Herman 534 

Raddin, Charles S 639 

Raymond, Frederick D 516 



Rayniond, James Henry 601 

Raymond, Miner 513 

Remy, Curtis H 554 

Richards, Charles L 614 

Ridgaway, Henry Bascom 498 

Sargent, George Myrick 49S 

Schwall, Andrew 538 

Sheppard, Robert Dickinson 477 

Shutterly, Eugene E 601 

Shutterly, John Jay 600 

Smith, Amos A. L 618 

Smyth, Hugh P 004 

Solenberger, Amos R 049 

Spencer, Claudius B 555 

Stevens, William Leon 648 

Stockton, William Eichbaun 527 

StowT Nelson Lloyd 550 

Stringfield, C. Pruyn 619 

Sweet, Alanson 577 

Synnestvedt, Paul 048 

Tallmadge, Lewis Cass 574 

Terrv, Milton S 545 



Townsend, Adam Fries 520 

Trowbridge, Lucius A 572 

Tuttle, Ole Hansen 649 

Van Arsdale, John R 572 

Voje, John H 590 

Volz, George P. K 641 

Walcott, Chester P 568 

Waldberg, Benjamin 649 

Walworth, Nathan H 568 

Watson, Thomas H 593 

Way, Charles Lyman 581 

Webster, Edward H 641 

White, Hugh Alexander 485 

Whitefield, George W 607 

Willard, Frances E 478 

Williams, John Marshall 522 

Winslow, Rollin Curtis 627 

Woodbridge, John R 598 

Work, Joseph Waters 631 

Young, Aaron Nelson 548 

Zipperman, Solomon W 613 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



City Hall 174 

Evanston Hospital 262 

First Methodist Episcopal Cluirch 342 

Gross Point Lighthouse 182 

Hurd, Harvey B 15 

Map — City of Evanston Facing Title Page. 

Map— Ridgeville Township, 1851 178 

Northwestern Female College 80 

Orrington Lunt Library 234 

Orrington Lunt Library ( Floor Plans) 234 

Pool on the Campus 68 

President Roosevelt's Visit 94 

South End of the Campus 62 

The Old Oak 74 

University Hall 54 

Willard, Frances E 394 

Y. M. C. A. Building 392 



CHAPTKR I. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



INTRODUCTORY. 



The Evanston of igo5 — Gem Suburb of a 
Great Metropolis and Seat of Learning — 
Results Accomplished by Fifty Years 
of Development — Contrast Betzveen Past 
and Present — First Tozvnship Organiza- 
tion Under Name of Ridgeville — Evans- 
ton Township Organised in 185/ — The 
Village Platted in 1854 — Later Changes 
in Tozvnship and Municipal Organisation 
— Old Name of Ridgeville Tozvnship Re- 
sumed in 190J, zvith Boundaries Identical 
zvith City of Evanston — Garrett Biblical 
Institute Precedes the University — City 
Government Organized in i8g2 — Early 
Evanston Homes and Their Occupants — 
Advent of the First Railroad — The Ca- 
reer of Dr. John Evans. 

The Evanston of 1905 is justification of 
an effort to unfold the story of its planting 
and its development. Gem of suburbs as it 
is, lying contiguous to the greatest of west- 
ern cities and the home of many of its 
most active men of affairs, it also occupies 
a commanding position as a seat of intel- 
ligence and learning. It has crowded into 
its short career so much of human interest, 
it has been the source of so many wide 
spreading and helpful influences, it is so 



endeared to the people who have found in it 
a home, that the narration of its fifty years 
of progress must be told. Like many an- 
other American city closely associated with 
a metropolis, it has attained its present 
proud position within the memory of men 
now living, among whom is included the 
general editor of the present work. It pos- 
sesses no ruins and no ivy-covered walls. 
Its oldest buildings bear the marks of re- 
cent construction, and its well paved streets 
have but lately passed from the hands of 
the contractor. Unlike some of the his- 
toric towns of the United States, whose 
history has been written covering two cen- 
turies or more, and which reflect the growth 
and history of the American people, this 
tidy suburban town has developed quickly 
within itself all the forces that make up our 
active, advanced American life, of schools 
and churches, of clubs and cabals ; in re- 
ligion, society, politics, philanthropy and 
pleasure it is an epitome of distinctly mod- 
ern progress. Numerous helpful hands have 
been employed to draw the composite pic- 
ture that is meant to convey a lasting im- 
pression of the facts and forces that make 
up the idea of Evanston, and placing them 
side by side, or mingling them in one's 



i6 



INTRODUCTORY 



thought, we have the resultant of as wide- 
awake, up-to-date, eager, intelligent, inter- 
esting and hopeful a community of men, 
women and youth as the world can furnish. 

Perhaps you have at some time paused 
to listen to the mingled din of a great city 
and, with a quick ear, analyzed the indi- 
vidual sounds that make up the hum of the 
city's life. That task has been ours. The 
hum is well nigh deafening to the ear, 
sensitized by attention even in a town which 
boasts few noises of factories or traffic. 
But its hum is not less real, of activities 
which employ the finer faculties of men and 
women. It will be told otherwheres how 
the particular region that now bears the 
name of Evanston came to be selected as 
the site of a college town. Delving into 
the political conditions that antedate the 
modern city, we find that Cook County, 111., 
in which Evanston is located, was, previous 
to 1849, under what is known in this State 
as County Government ; that is, the county 
affairs were managed by a Board of Com- 
missioners, who supervised the community 
business of the neighborhoods that had not 
yet emerged into local government. Many 
of these were designated by a name which 
might later attach to a township, but there 
was no township government, though there 
were townships indicated in the United 
States Survey, and designated by numbers, 
which were used before 1849, and have 
been since used in connection with school 
purposes, as illustrating this condition. 

It is interesting to note that the records 
of Township 41 — in which Evanston is 
located — now in possession of the Evanston 
Historical Society, were begun in 1846, 
and that they record the election of Town- 
ship Trustees for school purposes four 
years before the first election of officers of 
the town of Ridgeville, which included 
Evanston ; and, as throwing a little light 
upon the onerous duties of these early 



Trustees, we read from the minutes of their 
third meeting, held May 20, 1846, at the 
Ridge Road House: "It was ordered that 
wc proceed to hire Miss Cornelia Wheadon 
to teach our school the present season, at 
one dollar and twenty-five cents a week. 
Also, it was ordered that the school house 
should be repaired as soon as possible, and 
furnished with a water-pail and dipper." 

Evidently Township 41 had enjoyed the 
blessing of a school house long enough for 
it to get out of repair, probably under the 
regime of County Commissioners. In the 
Code of By-Laws of the School Trustees, 
it was provided that, in case a patron of 
the school refused, or was not in position 
at the appointed time, to receive the teacher 
the required number of days, the teacher 
should select his or her own boarding place, 
and the board bill should be taxed with 
such patron's tuition bill. From such germs 
has Evanston's splendid school system de- 
veloped. 

Township Organization. — By the Con- 
stitution of 1848 the Legislature was re- 
quired to provide by general law for town- 
ship organization, which it did by Act of 
February 12, 1849. By this act the people 
were permitted to divide their counties into 
towns or townships, which were to conform 
as nearly as might be with the congressional 
townships. Commissioners were appointed 
for the purpose of dividing the covmty, and 
the people were permitted to select the 
names of the townships. When they could 
not agree, the Commissioners were author- 
ized to select the names for them. The 
people of fractional Town 41 North, Range 
14 East, chose the name of Ridgeville. This 
continued to be the name of the town until 
by act of the Legislature of February 15, 
1857, it was changed to Evanston, and the 
township was enlarged by the addition of 
a tier of sections taken from Niles Town- 
ship on the west and the Archange Reser- 



HISTORY OF BVANSTON 



17 



vation and several sections in Township 42, 
taken from New Trier on the north. The 
language of the act reads: "The name of 
Ridgeville shall be changed to Evanston, 
and the Town of Evanston shall comprise 
all of fractional Township 41 North, Range 
14 East, Sections 12, 13, 24, 25 and 36, 
Township 41 North, Range 13 East, the 
Archange Reservation and fractional Sec- 
tions 22, 26 and 2"}, Township 42 North, 
Range 14 East, and the same shall form and 
constitute a township for school purposes 
and be known as Town 41 North, Range 
14 East." 

Dreary reading — perhaps, dry as dust — 
but thrilling none the less, because it is the 
record of a creative act of great importance. 
Under an enabling act, approved May 23, 
1877, and amended May 15, 1903, the ter- 
ritory embraced within the present limits 
of the city of Evanston has been formed 
into a township under the old name of 
Ridgeville, which makes the boundaries of 
the city and the new township identical and 
in effect consolidates the township and city 
governments. The new township as now 
constituted embraces what previously 
formed the southern part of New Trier 
Township and a small section from the 
northeast corner of Niles Township. The 
remainder of the former Township of 
Evanston now constitutes the northern por- 
tion of the City of Chicago, with a small 
section south of the Chicago city limits and 
west of the southern portion of Evanston, 
these two sections remaining under the old 
name of Evanston Township, though not 
embracing any part of the city of that 
name. 

Village and City Organization. — Such 
are Evanston's present geographical and 
political relations to the county and the 
State. Under the loose system of county 
and township government it subsisted till 
1863. It had been platted as a town in 



1854, and outstripping all other sections 
of the township, and taking on exclusive- 
ness and individuality, it demanded a nar- 
rower and more intensive government of 
its platted territory. The agitation cul- 
minated in a meeting of voters on De- 
cember 29, 1863, when it was decided, in 
accordance with the law on the subject, to 
organize an incorporated town, and the 
decision was consummated by the election 
of five Trustees, January 6, 1864. The new 
town was bounded by Lake Michigan on 
the east, Wesley Avenue on the west, Crain 
and Hamilton Streets on the south, and 
Foster Street on the north. In 1869 a 
special act of the Legislature permitted the 
incorporation of the City of Evanston, but 
content with their simple form of gov- 
ernment, the citizens decided against its 
adoption by a vote of 197 to 82. Yet with- 
in three years they organized under the 
Act of 1872 for Cities and Villages, but 
continued their village form of government 
by Trustees selected from the village at 
large instead of by Aldermen from wards, 
with a Village President instead of Mayor. 
In 1872 new territory was annexed to the 
town on petition of property owners of 
the district lying north of Foster Street 
and east of Wesley and Asbury Avenues, 
and extending to the present limits of the 
city. On October 19, 1872, village or- 
ganization was adopted under the general 
City and Village Incorporation Act of 
April 10, 1872, and the first village election 
took place April 15, 1873. Further in- 
crease of territory was made January 7, 
1873, by the annexation, on petition, of the 
region bounded on the north by Grant 
Street, on the south by Church and Foster 
Streets, on the east by Wesley and Asbury 
Avenues, and on the west by Dodge Street. 
Then followed, during the same month, 
the accession of the region bounded on 
the north by Grant and Simpson Streets, 



i8 



INTRODUCTORY 



on the south by Church Street, on the east 
by Dodge Street, and on the west by Hart- 
rey .and McDaniel Avenues. April 21, 
1874, the Village of North Evanston suc- 
cumbed to the acquisitive mood of its larger 
neighbor, and, in September of the same 
year, the territory lying between Hamilton 
and Greenleaf Streets, with the lake on 
the east and Chicago Avenue on the west, 
was included by petition. In April, 1886, 
the territory bounded by Church Street, 
Wesley Avenue, Grain Street and McDaniel 
Avenue, was likewise annexed on petition. 
Finally, on February 20, 1892, the important 
question of the annexation of South Evan- 
ston was submitted to the vote of both vil- 
lages and approved by a small majority. 

Thus the chapter of territorial expansion 
for EvansTon was closed for the time be- 
ing. It had now outgrown the swaddling 
clothes of village government and de- 
manded the habiliments of a city. The 
question of the adoption of city organiza- 
tion was submitted to the people on March 
29, 1892, and was adopted by a vote of 784 
to 26. The first city election took place 
April 19, 1892, when Dr. Oscar H. Mann 
became the first Mayor of the city. 

Physical Characteristics. — The physical 
characteristics of Evanston have changed 
but little in the progress of the years. Its 
main features, north and south, were the 
Lake Shore on the east, more wooded than 
now, with two ridges, one called the East 
Ridge, comprising the land purchased by 
the University, and the other the West 
Ridge, comprising the lands of Brown and 
Hurd, which were a part of the first town- 
plat. The latter ridge was some forty-five 
feet above the lake level. Between the 
ridges was a level valley, receptacle of the 
drainage of the ridges, often giving the 
impression of a swamp, but easily suscept- 
ible of being drained to the north or by 
ditches to the Lake. The trend of these 



ridges constrained the surveyors in the 
platting of the town, so that the streets 
running north and south paralleled the 
ridge roads, and the east and west bound 
streets crossed the former at right angles. 
The original plat comprised three hundred 
and fifty acres, purchased by the Trustees 
of the University from John H. Foster, in 
1853, and nearly two hundred and fifty 
acres, purchased about the same time, by 
Andrew J. Brown and Harvey B. Hurd, 
from James Carney. The tract was well 
wooded, especially along the shore of the 
Lake, chiefly with oaks, some few of which 
remain to give a hint of the noble forest of 
which they formed a part. The plat, which 
perished in the Chicago fire, bore the names 
of streets that kept fresh in memory some 
of the active spirits vi^ho were associated 
with the early days of the enterprise, such 
as Dempster, Hinman, Judson, Benson, 
Sherman, Davis, Orrington and Clark ; 
while to the west, such names of streets as 
Oak, Maple Grove and Ridge were a 
tribute to the conditions that then pre- 
vailed, and help the late-comers to picture 
the leafy shade, overlooked by the old-time 
thoroughfare that crowned the ridge ; and 
still farther west, Wesley and Asbury 
Avenues flanked the town, testifying to 
the loyal Methodism of the settlers who 
dwelt within it. 

The Town Platted. — The purchases of 
the land were made in 1853, and, during 
that year, the town was staked out and 
streets thrown up, but the plat was not 
acknowledged till 1854, in which year a 
number of lots were sold, houses built and 
families settled. The plat made by the 
Northwestern University provided gener- 
ously, in its portion of the town, for public 
parks such as now beautify the town. The 
streets were spacious, and a constituency 
was appealed to such as might be attracted 
to an educational center. This was the 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



19 



chief magnet. The idea of the suburban 
residence had not yet emerged. The fam- 
ilies who came were chiefly those that 
were attracted by the idea of residence in a 
college town. Garrett Biblical Institute 
preceded the University on university 
ground, and John Dempster, at Old Demp- 
ster Hall, realized to the early students of 
the Institute, as Mark Hopkins did to the 
students of Williams College, how a very 
few facilities in the hands of such a master 
will serve to develop the minds and hearts 
of men eager for an education. Obadiah 
Huse early ministered to the physical wants 
of students at Dempster Hall in such man- 
ner that their slender purses might provide 
for a not too luxurious existence. Philo 
Judson was the advance guard of the Uni- 
versity, selling lots, vending scholarships, 
drumming up settlers and promoting the 
town. Hurd, Brown, Beveridge, Pearsons, 
Judson, Evans, Clifford and Ludlam were 
among the people who picked their way 
over the newly made thoroughfares of the 
new town to their new homes, with wet and 
muddy feet ofttimes, during the years 1854 
and 1855. And, until the summer of 1855, 
if they went to Chicago, they must do so 
by their own private conveyance. They 
were sturdy people ; practical, religious, 
neighborly, genuine pioneers who could 
curry a horse, build a house, lead a class- 
meeting and finance a town and two in- 
stitutions of learning. On the West Ridge 
Road lived the Huntoons, the Grains and 
the McDaniels and Carneys, the Pratts and 
the Garfields, antedating the town. The 
home of John L. Beveridge was on Chicago 
Avenue, near Clark Street; of John A. 
Pearsons on Grove Street, near Chicago 
Avenue ; of Philo Judson at Ridge Avenue 
and Davis Street; of Judge H. B. Hurd 
in the same vicinity ; of G. W. Reynolds 
where the Avenue House now stands ; and 
Dempster Hall and the home of Dr. John 



Dempster on the Lake Shore Siorth of 
Simpson Street. The Snyders home was 
on Chicago Avenue, near Dempster Street. 

These were the scattered centers of life 
in the ambitious hamlet. They were soon 
reinforced by the families of the Professors 
of the University and Institute, and such 
families as the Willards, from which was 
destined to proceed that bright and shining 
light in philanthropy and temperance re- 
form, Frances E. Willard, probably the best 
known product of Evanston life, its his- 
torian in "A Classic Town," an orator and 
writer of rare power. George F. Foster soon 
took up his home on Chicago Avenue near 
Church Street — a shouting Methodist and 
social to his finger tips, whose house was 
a seat of hospitality and elegance. George 
W. Reynolds was on Davis Street, near to 
the corner of Chicago Avenue, on which 
corner the Reynolds House, still a part of 
the Avenue House, was built. We take ex- 
ception to him as a builder, for on one occa- 
sion at a caucus, or neighborhood meeting, 
the floor of his house suddenly collapsed, 
precipitating the company into the cellar, 
and the same performance was re-enacted 
at the house of George F. Foster, also built 
by Mr. Reynolds. There was no "Index" 
or "Press" in those days to note these 
happenings, but the survivors tell the tale 
with more laughter than they then ex- 
perienced. 

Church Street took its name from the 
donated site of what was to be the Cathedral 
Church of the town, the center of the relig- 
ious and social life of this God-fearing com- 
munity, chiefly of the Methodist persuasion, 
but broad-minded enough to welcome those 
of other communions in their worship, and 
disposed, when the time of separation 
should come, to give them a site on which to 
raise their own roof-tree, as the title deeds 
from the University to Trustees of the older 
churches of Evanston will testify — consid- 



20 



INTRODUCTORY 



eration one dollar and other valuable bene- 
fits, such as good will and gladness at their 
coming, their loyalty and their prosperity. 

Advent of the First Railroad. — The 
Chicago and Milwaukee Railroad was be- 
ing located in 1853, and the Trustees of the 
University, by resolution of October 26, 
1853, requested the company to locate their 
road through the land of the University so 
as to strike the center, or within thirty-five 
rods south of the center of Section 19 of 
Township 41 North, Range 18, and ofifer- 
ing to donate the right of way and one acre 
of land for a depot, providing the railroad 
company would make such location and 
agree not to allow any establishment for 
the sale of liquor or gambling houses, or 
other nuisance, to be placed on such right 
of way or depot ground. March 28, 1854, 
the Trustees passed another resolution re- 
questing the railroad company to locate its 
station on a line west of Davis Street — 
which terminated at Sherman Avenue — on 
a small ridge on the Carney farm, or as 
near as may be expedient in the judgment 
of the agent, providing the owner of the 
Carney farm lay oflf suitable streets for the 
same. Mr. A. J. Brown, who held the title 
of the Carney tract for himself and others, 
conveyed the right of way and depot ground 
to the railroad company about the date of 
the resolution referred to, and it appears on 
the plat of the town. It was not, however, 
till the summer of 1855 that trains began 
running through the town. Two through 
trains and one accommodation train were 
all the facilities that were offered. Evan- 
ston seldom filled the single passenger car 
of the accommodation (or "Waukegan") 
train, as it was most familiarly known, 
and the grumbling railroad authorities 
threatened to take oflf the train, declaring 
that it did not pay and gave no promise 



of ever paying. But they took it out in 
grumbling. It did pay, and was destined to 
be their best paying piece of road through 
its suburban traffic, as a prosperous com- 
munity grew around the cheerful, hos- 
pitable nucleus that had grouped itself near 
to the Northwestern University and Garrett 
Biblical Institute. 

Such, are some of Evanston's beginnings 
with which we introduce the reader to the 
more elaborate story, as told in detail by 
those familiar with it. One word more we 
cannot refrain from saying concerning Dr. 
John Evans, the man whose chief monument 
(though he has many others) is the 
Classic Town ; in whose brain was chiefly 
conceived the thought of this educational 
and home center, and by whose skill and 
suggestions and influence the plans were 
chiefly made to compass the acquisition of 
the land that should be the Northwestern 
University's chief source of endowment, 
and by whom the enterprise was financed 
for all the coming years. Close to him 
wrought Orrington Lunt, imbibing his zeal 
and supplementing his labors by his unsel- 
fish devotion and tireless energy. John 
Evans was as far-seeing a man as ever 
wrought in the formative days of cities or 
States ; a plain man who dreamed of large 
things, and whose heart kept pace with 
his swift moving intellect. The sphere of 
his activity was changed all too soon from 
the region that bears his name to a distant 
State, where he built railroads, planned 
Titanic enterprises, supervised the beginning 
of a great commonwealth and helped to 
found another University in the Far West. 
Evanston is honored in her name, as she 
honors the name of her founder. 

Kind reader, if you have read thus far, 
read on. 



CHAPTER II'. 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS. 

(By FRANK R. GROVER. VlcePreBident Evanston Historical Society.) 



The First Evanstoniaus — Indian Relics — 
Stone Implements and What They Indi- 
cate — Early Explorers — J diet, Mar- 
quette. La Salic and Tonty — First White 
Visitors — Indian Tribes — The Iroquois, 
Illinois and Pottazvatomies — Ouilmette 
Reservation and Family — The Fort Dear- 
born Massacre — Home of the Ouil- 
mettes — Treaty of Prairie du Chien — In- 
dian Trails and Trees on North Shore — 
Aboriginal Camps and Villages — Indian 
Mounds and Graves — Reminiscenses of 
Early Settlers — Important Treaties — An 
Englishman's Story of the Treaty of Chi- 
cago in j8jj. 

Since the discovery of this continent the 
North American Indian has ever been the 
subject of constant study, discussion and 
contention. His origin, his traditions, his 
character, his manners and customs, his 
superstitions, his eloquence, the wars in 
which he has engaged, his tribal relations, 
his certain destiny, the wrongs he has done 
and those that he has suffered have, for four 
centuries, been favorite themes for the his- 
torian, the poet, the philanthropist, the eth- 
nologist. And yet, with all the countless 
books that have been written upon the sub- 



iCompiled from two papers; (1). "Our Tiulip.n 
Predecessors — The First Evanstonians," read before the 
Evanston Historical Society, November 2, 1901 : and (2) 
"Some Indian Land Marks of the North Shore," read be- 
fore the Chicago Historical Society. February 21, 10115, 
with some supplemental notations by the writer. 



ject, there is still room for inquiry, fof 
speculation, for historical research. 

Every political division of this country, 
from state to hamlet, has a mine of untold 
facts, which must ever remain undisclosed. 
Still, the diligent and the curious can, with 
all due regard to the limitations to truth 
put upon the honest historian, gather old 
facts that will in the aggregate be of inter- 
est as local history. With that end in view 
I wish to tell you what I have been able 
to learn of our Indian predecessors — the 
first Evanstonians. 

Stone Implements Found in This Vi- 
cinity and What They Indicate. — There 
is no more interesting field for historical re- 
search than that of the implements and 
weapons of the prehistoric Indian. There is, 
too, a later time of which there is no writ- 
ten history, before the coming of the Jesuit 
Missionary and his early successor, the In- 
dian Trader, who was the first vendor of 
steel hatchets and arrow points, that is of 
no less interest. 

Much of the Indian history of those times 
must of necessity remain forever undis- 
closed. Some of it has been gathered from 
credible traditions, some of it distorted by 
the frailty of human recollection and by the 
fragile partition that oft divides memory 
from imagination, and truthfulness from 
the inclination to boast of the prowess of 
Indian ancestry. All of these factors, of 



21 



22 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



course, result in endless confusion, and 
what the exact truth is must be left, for the 
most part, to uncertainty and speculation. 
But a portion of that history, as applied to 
the North Shore, is told as simply and 
plainly by the stone implements and weap- 
ons as though written in words on monu- 
ment or obelisk. The entrance to this field 
of inquiry opens, of course, more easily 
and widely to the man of science — the 
archaeologist — but the merest novice, if 
he be curious and diligent, will there find a 
mine of historic facts that are both interest- 
ing and reliable. 

One of the greatest orators of modern 
times has entertained thousands of his 
hearers and readers with the topic, "The 
man of imagination — what does he see?" 
And so the student, whether he has great 
learning or that next best substitute — in- 
dustry — when he finds the chippings of 
fhnt, chert or cobble-stone left in the work- 
shop of the ancient artisan of the North 
Shore, or when he sees the many finish- 
ing wares that have been worn and used 
and lost by the ancient customers of this 
ancient artisan, and then found again, can 
reproduce a resfsonably accurate picture of 
the red man, who sat ages ago on the West 
Shore of old Lake Michigan, and, with un- 
told labor and deftness, prepared the ar- 
rows and spear-heads that his red brothers, 
in due time, hurled at deer, or buflfalo or 
dusky foe ; and this student can, in fair 
and truthful speculation, follow these red 
brothers in all they saw and did through 
the forest and across the broad prairies, in 
the hunt and in the chase, to the wigwam 
and to the camp fire, on the war path and in 
their idle roamings from place to place. 

These implements may, for convenience 
in this discussion, be divided into two 
classes : first, those found along the lake 
shore near the beach, which are often im- 
perfect in form, consisting of "rejects" 



and chippings, and found in the aboriginal 
quarries and shops; and, second, the per- 
fect forms found farther from the lake, 
where they were in use. I will refer to them 
in the order named. 

It must be borne in mind that, from Wil- 
mette to Waukegan, there are high bluffs, 
reaching to the beach, so that in that locali- 
ty the remains of these shops or chipping 
stations have, to some extent at least, been 
obliterated by the waves. But, both north 
and south of these high bluffs, many of 
these shops have been located and clearly in- 
dicate that the Lake Shore, with its ready 
material among the gravel constantly 
thrown up by the waves, not only furnished 
an inexhaustible supply of material ready 
for use and easily accessible, but that it 
was resorted to in preference to the more 
laborious method of seeking and mining 
materials to the West. Indeed, it is quite 
probable, and a plausible theory, that the 
Indian population, for many miles to the 
west and for untold centuries, used the 
Lake Shore almost exclusively for the 
manufacture of stone implements and weap- 
ons. These shops, or chipping stations, 
have generally been found in the sand 
dunes or ridges immediately adjacent to 
the beach, where there was shelter from 
the wind and waves. Many, of course, have 
long since disappeared by the action of the 
lake : but at least four of them were located 
along the shore at Edgewater and Rogers 
Park, one immediately south of the Indian 
boundary line at the city limits. In the early 
days of Evanston and, to my personal 
knowledge, even as late as 1870, the chip- 
pings, rejects and broken arrow-heads, in- 
dicating one of the largest of these shops, 
could easily be found in Evanston extend- 
ing from what is now Main Street to 
Greenleaf Street, and about on a line from 
the Industrial School to the present Evans- 
ton residences of Messrs. John C. Spry, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



23 



Charles E. Graves and Milton H. Wilson. 
This particular shop was not only the re- 
sort of the idle school boy in his quest for 
arrow points, but was, in the year 1884, the 
subject of scientific investigation by Dr. 
William A. Phillips, a member of the Ev- 
anston Historical Society (Science, Vol. 3, 
page 273. 1884), who made a collection at 
that time of the chert refuse, "illustrating 
the successive stages of the chipping or 
flaking work, beginning with the water- 
worn pebble from the beach and ending 
with the nearly completed, but broken, im- 
plement," which collection is now in the 
Museum of the Northwestern University at 
Evanston (Rep. Curator N. W. University 
Museum, 1884, Smithsonian Report, 1897 
— 1 161, pp. 587-600). 

At the present site of the Dearborn Ob- 
servatory, on the campus of the North- 
western University, was another of these 
shops, although a smaller one, which was 
partially obliterated in the construction of 
that building, and several others have been 
located at different times along the lake 
front of Rogers Park and Evanston. 

Indeed, the various collections of these 
implements, chippings and also of broken 
pottery would indicate not only an unusual 
Indian population, but that this industry 
was general along the lake shore, and much 
nearer the Chicago river than the sites just 
described. This situation can easily be dem- 
onstrated by the merest glance at the collec- 
tion of the late Karl A. Dilg, in possession 
of the Chicago Historical Society. 

Immediately north of Waukegan. east of 
the Northwestern Railway, and e.xtending 
nearly to the Kenosha city limits, and be- 
tween the bluff that was formerly the shore 
line and the present lake front, are some 
1,200 to 1,300 acres of low sand dunes, all 
of which have, from time to time, consti- 
tuted the shore of the receding lake. This 
district is replete with shops and stations of 



this character, especially so at what was for- 
merly Benton, and now Beach Station, and 
extending from there north, a distance of 
about five miles, through Doctor Dowie's 
"City of Zion" to the state line. As early 
as 1853 this locality was also the subject of 
scientific investigation on this subject. 
(Prof. I. A. Lapham, Antiquities of Wis- 
consin, Smithsonian Contributions to 
Knowledge, \"ol. 7, page 6, 1885). 

These investigations have been further 
pursued by Dr. Phillips, assisted by Messrs. 
W. C. Wyman and E. F. Wyman, of Ev- 
anston, and by Mr. F. H. Lyman, of Ke- 
nosha. In the district between Beach Sta- 
tion and the State line no less than thirty- 
two sites were located, and a new group or 
variety of implements found, viz. : weapons 
and utensils in endless variety, made of 
trap rock or cob"ble-stone, and which are 
now designated, "The Trap Flake Series." 
A very entertaining and instructive des- 
cription of this locality and these imple- 
ments, their uses and the method employed 
in flaking them, with plates and pictures, 
will be found in the Smithsonian Report 
for 1897, pages 587-600. in an able paper by 
Dr. Phillips, under the title, "A New Group 
of Stone Implements from the Southern 
Shores of Lake Michigan." 

The implements and weapons, made in 
these localities along the shore from the 
Chicago River to Kenosha, represent almost 
unlimited varieties, from the ordinary ar- 
rowhead and the net weight or stone 
sinker used by the Pottawatomie fisher- 
man, or his ancient predecessor, to the 
finest of polished hatchets, spear-heads 
and drills. 

It is not within the scope of this discus- 
sion to go further into the details of this 
lost art, in showing how these implements 
were made and for what they were used — ■ 
that inquiry should be left to more able 
hands ; but the field for exploration is as 



24 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



boundless and unlimited as the enthusiasm 
of the archseologist. and is full of interest 
even to the layman. 

The second class, in this subdivision of 
these implements, are the finished weapons 
and utensils that, in the long ago, left the 
work-shop of the artisan, on the beach and 
elsewhere, were placed in the hands of his 
warrior customer and have been scattered, 
used and lost on the land which we have 
designated the North Shore. Generally 
speaking, these implements are found in 
about the same variety and number as in 
any ordinary Indian country, with one or 
two remarkable exceptions that will re- 
ceive special attention. The materials used 
in their manufacture indicate the presence 
of Indians from remote parts of the con- 
tinent, or barter and exchange with remote 
tribes. They also indicate that the North' 
Shore — especially for from three to six 
miles from the lake — was not only a great 
hunting ground, but that the western shore 
of the lake has been the scene of many 
a bloody battle between these red warriors 
of the olden time. They also further indi- 
cate, in one or two localities that will be 
mentioned, an extended Indian population 
during a long period of time. I am told by 
members of the Academy of Sciences and 
others, who have the best means of infor- 
mation, that it is hard to distinguish the 
particular peoples by these relics, as there is 
great similarity in manufacture among re- 
spective tribes — the distinguishing marks 
being more especially in the wooden handles 
or hafts, which, of course, cannot be found 
— and that some of these implements are of 
prehistoric origin. 

The nearest locality where these imple- 
ments are found in the greatest variety and 
number is what was formerly known as 
Bowmanville — being the vicinity of Rose 
Hill Cemetery and extending from there to 
the North Branch of the Chicago River and 



throughout the territory north of there, ex- 
tending to Forest Glen, Niles Center and 
High Ridge, where they have been found 
in such abundance that a great ancient vil- 
lage — and probably several such villages in 
that district, is a certainty — all of which will 
receive later mention when we consider the 
sites of the Indian villages. The locality 
west of Evanston, in the town of Niles, 
which is now a gardening district, has sup- 
plied many excellent specimens ploughed 
up by the farm hands, and it has been an 
easy matter, with a little patience and at- 
tention, to secure a good collection in these 
localities ; and there are many of them — 
notably the collection of William A. Peter- 
son, of the Peterson Nursery Company, 
gathered largely from the lands of that 
company at Rose Hill, the collection of Dr. 
A. S. Alexander, formerly of Evanston, 
gathered very largely in Evanston and the 
township of Niles ; also the interesting col- 
lection of Karl A. Dilg, already referred 
to, and that of Adolph Miller at Bowman- 
ville. Still another locality is the neighbor- 
hood of the Indian Village at Waukegan, 
and from there north to the State line, in 
the locality investigated and described by 
Dr. Phillips in his paper. 

These land marks — these bits of clay, 
and flint and cobble-stone — to which has 
been made but very scant and imperfect ref- 
erence, tell, as they have ever told, a per- 
fect, and yet an imperfect, stqry ; perfect, 
because we know from that, in some far 
off day, the North Shore was, as it is now, 
a favorite abiding place ; perfect, too, be- 
cause the man of science can tell us in 
some measure of how these people lived 
and what they did ; imperfect, because we 
must rely to some extent upon theory and 
speculation and cannot open wide the door 
with what is understood by the term writ- 
ten history. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



25 



The Early Explorers. — All the writers 
upon the early history of the Northwest, 
of necessity describe, in more or less de- 
tail, the expeditions, exploits and adven- 
tures of the explorers and Jesuit mission- 
aries, who first saw the Indians, who were 
the first white men in Illinois, and who 
have been the greatest contributors to the 
history of the Indians of the Northern 
States. Among these the names of James 
Marquette, Louis Joliet, La Salle, Henry 
de Tonty, Hennepin and Claude Allouez 
are so prominent that the youngest student, 
who has read even the average school his- 
tory of the day, can give, with reasonable 
accuracy, an outline of where they went, 
what they saw and what they did. 

In most of their travels they were ac- 
companied by friendly Indians as guides 
and assistants, to whose fidelity and atten- 
tion we owe quite as much as to the ex- 
plorers themselves. Reference to the ex- 
tended travels of these daring and hardy 
men would be useless repetition, but it cer- 
tainly is of interest to know that such 
famous voyagers as Father Marquette, 
Joliet, La Salle, Tonty, and Fathers Hen- 
nepin and Allouez, with their Indian 
friends, all in their day and in their turn, 
visited the site of Evanston or coasted its 
shores in their canoes. To the circum- 
stances of some of these early visits to this 
locality, I briefly direct your attention. 

It was the month of June, 1673, over 
two hundred years ago, when Louis Joliet 
— educated as a priest, but with more love 
for exploration and adventure — and James 
Marquette — who longed to see and trace 
the course of the great river that De Soto 
had discovered over one hundred years be- 
fore, and who, godly man that he was, loved 
still more to carry the tidings of the Christ 
to the red man of the prairies — with five 
French companions in two canoes, started 
upon that long and toilsome journey through 



Green Bay, up the Fox River of Wiscon- 
sin, from thence into and down the Wis- 
consin and the Mississippi, and up the then 
nameless river to the Indian village of the 
Illinois, where they arrived late in the sum- 
mer and tarried until September. 

The first visit of a white man to Evans- 
ton, in September, 1673, is thus described 
by Francis Parkman in his life of La Salle 
and the "Discovery of the Great West": 
"An Illinois chief, with a band of young 
warriors, offered to guide them to the Lake 
of the Illinois, that is to say, Lake Michi- 
gan ; thither they repaired," via the Illi- 
nois, Desplaines and Chicago rivers, "and, 
coasting the shores of the lake, reached 
Green Bay at the end of September." 

The month of November the following 
year (1674) found Marquette again coast- 
ing the western shores of Lake Michigan, 
accompanied by two white men, "Pierre 

Porteret and Jacques " (Marquette's 

diary), a band of Pottawatomies and another 
band of Illinois — ten canoes in all — on his 
way from Green Bay to his beloved mission 
of the Illinois, to which he had promised 
the Indians surely to return. Frail and 
sick in body, but strong and rich in energy 
and religious fervor, he made this, his last 
voyage, from which there proved to be no 
return for him. Parkman (La Salle, pp. 67, 
68) describes the journey: "November had 
come ; the bright hues of the autumn foliage 
was changed to rusty brown. The shore 
wa;s desolate and the lake was stormy. 
They were more than a month in coasting 
its western border." 

Marquette's diary (brought to light 
nearly two centuries later) gives an inter- 
esting account of this journey, describing 
the land, the forest, the prairie, the buffalo, 
the deer and other game, the Indians they 
met, their camp fires at night on shore and 
their battles with the waves by dav, and 
tells the story of their arrival at the Chicago 



26 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



River on December 4, 1674, and finding it 
frozen over ; but what is of special interest 
to us, his diary shows almost conclusively 
that, on December 3, the day before, the 
party landed somewhere near the light- 
house within our present city limits. His 
notation is as follows : 

"December 3, having said holy mass and 
embarked, we were compelled to make a 
point and land on account of floating 
masses of ice." 

The only point of land within the day's 
journey shown upon our present maps, and 
even the maps of those days, including 
that of Marquette, is what is known to-day 
by the sailors as "Gross Point," where the 
Evanston light-house stands. 

Father Allouez made the same journey 
in the winter of 1676 and 1677, on his way 
with two companions to the Illinois coun- 
try, to take the place of Father Marquette 
in the Illinois mission. They encountered 
untold hardships, dragging their canoes for 
many weary miles over the ice-floes of the 
lake and the snow along its shores. 

Two years later is the date when white 
men were next here (November, 1679), 
when La Salle, Father Hennepin (the his- 
torian of the expedition), a Mohegan In- 
dian (La Salle's faithful servant and hunt- 
er), and fourteen Frenchmen in four large 
canoes deeply laden with merchandise, 
tools and guns, made the same voyage 
from Green Bay and to St. Joseph, Mich., 
then called Miami, on their way to the Illi- 
nois country, to build a fort and to further 
establish the trade and colonies of New 
France. They skirted the entire western 
and southern shores of the lake, while Ton- 
ty proceeded by the eastern shore. 

An interesting account of their adven- 
tures, hardships and meetings with both 
hostile and friendly Indians, can be found 
in Parkman's Life of La Salle (pp. 142- 
150). As the author says : 



"This was no journey of pleasure. The 
lake was ruffled with almost ceaseless 
storms ; clouds big with rain above, a tur- 
moil of gray and gloomy waves beneath. 
Every night the canoes must be shouldered 
through the breakers and dragged up the 
steep banks. . . . 

"The men paddled all day with no other 
food than a handful of Indian corn. They 
were spent with toil and sick with the wild 
berries which they ravenously devoured and 
dejected at the prospects before them." 

That they, too, may have camped at night 
or rested by noonday within the limits of 
our present city is entirely probable. 

"As they approached the head of the lake 
game grew abundant." Marquette verifies 
this latter statement, for in his diary (entry 
of December 4, 1674), he says: "Deer 
hunting is pretty good as you get away 
from the Pottawatomies." And his next 
entry (December 12), made after arriving 
at Chicago, is further verification. He says : 

"Pierre and Jacques killed three cattle 
(buffalo) and four deer, one of which ran 
quite a distance with his heart cut in two. 
They contented themselves with killing 
three or four turkeys of the many that were 
around our cabin. Jacques brought in a 
partridge he had killed, in every way re- 
sembling those of France." 

It was winter time a year later — 1680. 
La Salle had not returned from his memo- 
rable and heroic tramp from the Illinois back 
to Canada. His men had deserted ; his goods 
had been destroyed by mutineers and In- 
dians ; Hennepin was on the Mississippi. 
The Iroquois had dispersed and all but de- 
stroyed the Illinois, and all that remained of 
La Salle's party was his faithful lieutenant 
and friend, Henry de Tonty, and two fol- 
lowers — Membre and Boissondet. Tonty 
had failed to pacify the Iroquois, had been 
seriously wounded in battle by them, and 
he and his two surviving companions, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



27 



without food or shelter, fled for their lives. 
Sick, wounded and maimed, he reached the 
shores of Lake Michigan at Chicago, and he 
and his companions began their long 
northward journey on foot, along the dreary 
and ice-bound shores of the lake to old 
Michilimackinac. Parkman ("Life of La 
Salle," p. 220) thus describes their journey: 
"The cold was intense and it was no easy 
task to grub up wild onions from the frozen 
ground, to save themselves from starving. 
Tonty fell ill of a fever and swelling of the 
limbs, which disabled him from traveling, 
and hence ensued a long delay. At length 
they reached Green Bay, where they would 
have starved had they not gleaned a few 
ears of corn and frozen squashes in the 
fields of an empty Indian town." 

A volume could easily be written describ- 
ing the exploits of the later but still early 
white and Indian visitors to these shores. 
The western shore of the lake was the 
great highway between the Chicago port- 
age and Green Bay and Mackinac. We need 
not depend upon imagination to paint the 
picture of the white voyageur and his In- 
dian companion plying the paddle with 
steady stroke, keeping time to the notes of 
his boat song, while their birch bark ca- 
noes skimmed the surface of the lake, for 
the "Jesuit Relations" of those early days 
will supply the facts. 

[These travels along the shore of the 
lake call to mind the early maps, tracing 
the shore lines made by these explorers, 
and a fact of local interest is, that in all 
probability the shore line here at Evanston, 
in the seventeenth century, extended much 
farther into the lake — how much cannot be 
told from the maps, as they were not drawn 
to scale. This fact appears from a large 
bay shown on the maps immediately north 
of the site of our city, indicating that the 
shore to the south has since been washed 
away. The maps referred to are (i) one 



called Marquette's map. Hist, of Ills., by 
Sidney Breese, p. 78; (2) map copied by 
Parkman found in the "Archives of the Ma- 
rine" at Paris, dated 1683 — "may, in fact, 
have been one drawn by Joliet from recol- 
lection" ; (3) Joliet's earliest map (1673- 
74), "Windsor's Geographical Discoveries 
in the Interior of North America"; (4) 
Haines' "American Indian," p. 344. 

On the map first mentioned Marquette 
locates a copper mine near Evanston. This 
was probably done from tales of the In- 
dians describing such mines as being to the 
north, and Marquette misunderstanding the 
distance.] 

Indian Tribes. — For two hundred 
years preceding the advent of the white 
man to Illinois — and for how much longer 
we do not know — the territory lying be- 
tween the Mississippi and the Atlantic, and 
from the Carolinas to Hudson Bay, was oc- 
cupied by two great families of Indian 
tribes, distinguished by their languages. All 
this vast wilderness, with the exception of 
New York, a part of Ohio and part of 
Canada, was the country of the tribes 
speaking the Algonquin language and dia- 
lects. "Like a great island in the midst of 
the Algonquins lay the country of the Iro- 
quois." The true Iroquois, or Five Nations, 
often called the Six Nations, occupied Cen- 
tral and Western New York, and the re- 
mainder of this linguistic group contiguous 
territory to the west, in Ohio and Lower 
Canada. (The only exception to this gen- 
eral statement is the Winnebagoes of Dah- 
cotah stock, who were at Green Bay and 
in Southern Wisconsin, and a few scatter- 
ing bands of the Dahcotahs, who were at 
times on the eastern banks of the Missis- 
sippi.) 

All the Indians who have held and occu- 
pied this part of Illinois as their homes, so 
far back as history tells us, or can be ascer- 
tained during the past four hundred years, 



28 



OUR IXDIAX PREDECESSORS 



were of the Algonquin family ; and while 
scattering bands of the Sacs and Foxes 
(Outagamies), Miamis, Ottawas and other 
Algonquin tribes, and also the Kickapoos, 
Shavvaneese. Sioux and Winnebagoes, have 
at times, roamed over and, perhaps, for very 
brief periods, in roving bands occupied the 
lands lying along the western shores of 
Lake Michigan in this locality, the Indian 
ownership, as indicated by extended occu- 
pancy, was confined almost, if not entirely, 
to the tribes of the Illinois and the Potta- 
watomies. Therefore, to those two tribes 
and their eastern enemies, the Iroquois, 
who at times paid unwelcome visits to their 
western neighbors, I direct your attention. 

It must be borne in mind that Chicago 
was as important a point to the Indian as 
it has since been to the white man, partlv 
on account of the portage leading to the 
Desplaines River, and, as the lake was the 
great water highway, so also was its west- 
ern shore an important highway for these 
Indian tribes when they traveled by land. 

[The early explorers and missionaries 
often mention a tribe called by them the 
"Mascoutins," and on some of the very 
early maps of this locality appears the name 
of such a tribe as occupying parts of north- 
ern Illinois. The better opinion is, there 
never was in fact such a tribe of Indians. 
This word — "Mascoutins" — in the Algon- 
quin language means people of the prairie 
or meadow country, and it was applied, it 
seems, indiscriminately to indicate the lo- 
cality from which the Indians it was ap- 
plied to had emigrated or were located. 
Haines' "American Indian," p. 151.] 

It is claimed by several reliable writers 
that, from 1700 or 1702 to 1 770, the coun- 
try about Chicago had no fixed Indian pop- 
ulation, but that the only Indian residents 
were roving bands of Iroquois and "North- 
ern Indians." (See Andreas' "Hist, of Chi- 
cago," Mason's "Illinois.") 



The Iroquois. — The Iroquois have re- 
ceived the enthusiastic admiration of 
many writers ; the best, and some of the 
worst, traits of Indian character found its 
highest development among them ; they are 
designated by one enthusiast as "the In- 
dians of Indians." And they are well 
worthy of mention in our local history, for, 
after exterminating and subduing their 
nearest neighbors, including the Hurons, 
the Eries and other tribes speaking the 
same language, their thirst for conquest 
led them westward from their far away 
eastern homes ; their war parties penetrated 
the intervening wilderness of forest and 
plain, navigated the western rivers and 
great lakes, and destroyed or drove their 
enemies in terror before them across the 
prairies of Illinois and along the western 
shore of Lake Michigan. Distance, hard- 
ships, winter and time expended in travel, 
presented no obstacles to them, and they 
scattered, and all but destroyed, the great 
and powerful Algonquin tribes of the Illi- 
nois, from which our State takes its name ; 
and, as early as 1660, they were known to 
have pursued their ancient enemies, the 
Hurons or Wyandots, across our State. 
(Mason's "Land of the Illinois," p. 4.) 

The Iroquois are thus described by Park- 
man ("Conspiracy of Pontiac," p. 7) : 
"Foremost in war, foremost in eloquence, 
foremost in their savage arts of policy, 
. . . they extended their conquests and 
their depredations from Quebec to the 
Carolinas, and from the western prairies to 
the forests of Maine. . . . On the west 
they exterminated the Eries, and Andastes, 
and spread havoc and dismay among the 
tribes of the Illinois. . . . The Indians 
of New England fled at the first peal of the 
Mohawk war cry. . . and all Canada 
shook with the fury of their onset. . . . 
The blood besmeared conquerors roamed 
like wolves among the burning settlements. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



29 



and the colony trembled on the brink of 
ruin. . . Few tribes could match them in 
prowess, constancy, moral energy or intel- 
lectual vigor." They, in turn, and within 
a quarter of a century (1650-1672), exter- 
minated four powerful tribes, the Wyan- 
dots, the Neutral Nation, the Andastes and 
the Eries, and reduced the ancient and pow- 
erful Hurons, from whom the great lake 
takes its name, to a small band of terror- 
stricken fugitives ; their ferocity and tor- 
ture of captives were revolting traits in 
their character ; they were the worst of con- 
querors and their lust of blood and do- 
minion is without parallel in Indian history. 

Mr. Mason says of them ("Land of the 
Illinois," pp. 113,114): "Though number- 
ing but 2,500 warriors, their superior weap- 
ons and experience in warfare had enabled 
them to defeat and finally exterminate all 
their neighbors. . . . They destroyed 
more than thirty nations ; caused the death 
of more than 600,000 persons within eighty 
years, and rendered the country about the 
great lakes a desert" — and Mr. Mason's 
statement had ample corroboration. 

Such were the Indians who were often 
transient residents of this locality before 
the coming of the white man, and their 
depredations furnish the basis for much 
of the historical references to the process 
of self-extermination of the Indian, by the 
wars among themselves in progress when 
the white man first saw the American In- 
dian. 

The French were never successful in gain- 
ing the friendship of the Iroquois tribes, 
as they were with almost all the other In- 
dians of the North and Northwest ; but the 
Iroquois were the friends of the English 
and Dutch. 

In Colden's "History of the Five Na- 
tions," printed in the old English style of 
that day (1750), the author, in describing 
one of the campaigns between the French 



and English, in 1693, where Peter Schuyler, 
a Major of the New York Militia, was in 
charge of the English and their Indian al- 
lies, the Iroquois, says : 

"It is true that the English were in great 
want of Provisions at that time. . . . 
The Indians eat the Bodies of the French 
that they found. Col. Schuyler (as he told 
me himself) going among the Indians at 
that Time was invited to eat broth with 
them, which some of them had ready boiled, 
which he did, till they, putting the Ladle 
deep into the Kettle to take out more, 
brought out a French Man's Hand, which 
put an end to his Appetite." 

The quaint humor in this record of an 
Englishman eating such French broth in 
the seventeenth century, or at any subse- 
quent time, for that matter, and losing his 
appetite, needs no comment; the author 
may unconsciously have offered a fair ex- 
planation of this circumstance, for he says 
in another connection, "Schuyler was brave, 
but he was no Soldier." 

The Illinois.— In the year 1615, five 
years before the landing of the Mayflower, 
Champlain reached Lake Huron. Upon his 
crude map of New France appears indica- 
tions that he then heard and knew of the 
far-away prairie land, in which dwelt the 
tribes of the Illinois— the land of the Buf- 
falo. (Mason, supra.) Jean Nicolet saw or 
heard of the Illinois again in 1638 and two 
young French explorers again in 1655 (Ma- 
son, Id.) October i, 1665, ten years later, 
the Illinois sent a delegation to attend 
an Indian Council at the Great Chippewa 
(Ojibvvay) Village, on Lake Superior, with 
reference to war with the Sioux, which 
Claude Allouez attended and there ad- 
dressed the many Northern tribes assembled 
in council, assuring them of the friendship 
and protection of the French, who would 
"smooth the path between the Chippewas 
and Quebec, brush the pirate canoes from 



so 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



the intervening rivers and leave the Iro- 
quois no alternative but death and destruc- 
tion." (Brown's "History of Illinois," p. 
115.) There is abundant evidence to show 
that, during the preceding years, the Illi- 
nois had suffered greatly by wars with the 
Sioux from the West and with the Iroquois 
from the East. 

In 1673 Joliet and Marquette found the 
Illinois on the western bank of the Missis- 
sippi and on the Illinois River, where there 
were many villages ; one village found by 
these explorers consisting of seventy-four 
cabins, each containing several families. 
In 1675 Marquette paid his second visit to 
the same locality and "summoned them to 
a grand council on the Great Meadow be- 
tween the Illinois River and the modern 
village of Utica. Here five hundred chiefs 
and old men were seated in a ring ; behind 
stood 1,500 youths and warriors and, be- 
hind them, all the women and children of 
the village. Marquette standing in the 
midst," told them the story of Christ and the 
Virgin (Parkman's "La Salle," 69) ; Al- 
louez visited them again in 1677. 

In 1680 Tonty and Hennepin found the 
lodges of the great Indian town. 460 in 
number, constructed of poles "in shape like 
the arched tops of a baggage wagon," cov- 
ered with mats of rushes, closely inter- 
woven ; each contained three or four fires ; 
the greater part served for two families. 
The population has been variously esti- 
mated at 2,400 families, 1,200 warriors and 
6,000 souls. "The lodges were built along 
the river bank for the distance of a mile, 
sometimes far more." (Parkman's "La 
.Salle," 156.) 

Among the varying estimates as to pop- 
ulation of the Illinois tribes (none of them 
very accurate), one early Jesuit writer 
(1658) describes their number at "about 
100,000 souls, with sixty villages and quite 
20,000 warriors." (Mason, Id., 4.) "Their 



great Metropolis, near Utica, in La Salle 
County, was the largest city ever built by 
northern natives." (Caton, "The Last of 
the Illinois.") Mr. Mason locates the vil- 
lage four miles below the present city of 
Ottawa. ("Land of the Illinois," p. 44.) 

These facts indicate not only a powerful 
and populous nation, but their cemeteries, 
traditions, implements and cultivated fields, 
a long residence in the same locality — how 
many the years or how many the centuries 
can never be known. 

Their most permanent homes were along 
the Illinois River, but they seem to have had 
entire control of all the northeastern por- 
tion of Illinois, as far back as any record 
can be found and to the time of the occupa- 
tion by the Pottawatomies. The Chicago 
portage seems to have been a frequent and 
popular rendezvous, and they were so iden- 
tified with this locality that Lake Michigan 
was generally known to the early explorers 
as the "Lake of the Illinois." 

The Illinois were a kindly people ; hos- 
pitable, affable and humane ; and it was said 
of them by one of the Jesuit missionaries, 
"When they meet a stranger they utter a 
cry of joy, caress him and give him every 
proof of friendship." They lived by hunt- 
ing and tilling of the soil, raising great 
crops of Indian corn and storing away a 
surplus for future use ; they were great 
travelers by land, but, unlike most northern 
Indian tribes, used canoes but little ; they 
had permanent dwellings, as well as port- 
able lodges ; they roamed many months of 
the year among the prairies and forests of 
their great country, to return again and 
join in the feasts and merry-making, when 
their whole population gathered in the vil- 
lages. These habits of travel indicate that 
they were frequently along the western 
shore of the lake. 

In September, 1680, soon after La Salle 
and Tonty reached the Illinois country, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



31 



and while Tonty was still there, the Iro- 
quois from New York again attacked the 
Illinois. "With great slaughter they defeat- 
ed this hitherto invincible people ; laid 
waste their great city and scattered them 
in broken bands over their wide domain. 
From this terrible blow the Illinois never 
recovered." (Caton, "Last of the Illinois"; 
Mason, Id., pp. 99-103.) 

During the succeeding century the Illi- 
nois — lovers of peace, who had welcomed 
the explorer and the missionary — broken in 
spirit, their courage gone, decimated by 
drink and disease and scattered by their 
enemies, struggled with waning fortunes, 
ending their existence in the historic trag- 
edy of Starved Rock, about the year 1770, 
from which but eleven of their number 
escaped. 

An Indian boy — a Pottawatomie — saw 
the last remnant of this once proud and 
powerful nation, brave warriors, their wo- 
men and little children, huddled together 
upon the half acre of ground that crowns 
the summit of Starved Rock ; saw the fierce 
and war-like Pottawatomies and Ottawas 
swarm for days around them, and perform 
by the torture of siege and starvation what 
they could not do by force of arms. When 
the little stock of food was gone, and de- 
spair drove the Illinois to make the last 
brave dash for liberty in the darkness of 
the stormy night, he heard the yells and 
clash of the fighting warriors and the dying 
shrieks of the helpless women and children. 
Years afterward, when this Indian lad 
(Meachelle) had grown to be the principal 
chief of the Pottawatomies, he related these 
incidents to Judge Caton. Let him who 
cares for tragedy read what the learned 
Judge says of this — the last of the Illinois. 

The Pottawatomies. — The Pottawato- 
mies were of the Algonquin tribes. Their 
power was severely felt by the British 
when at war with the French and in the 



later Indian war led by Pontiac. When 
Allouez and the other Jesuit Fathers first 
visited Green Bay, in 1670, the Pottawato- 
mies were living along its shores, and these 
Jesuits are probably the first white men who 
saw them in their homes. Green Bay at 
that time was their permanent abode, 
though they roamed far away and extended 
their visits over much of the territory 
around Lake Superior, where delegations 
of them were seen as early as 1665, and in 
1670, '71 and 'j2. by the Jesuit Fathers, 
whom they frequently visited and invited 
to their homes at Green Bay. In those days 
they were not known in this locality, for 
Joliet and Marquette, returning from the 
Mississippi and the Illinois country in 1674, 
met none of the Pottawatomies in this re- 
gion. 

The date when they left Green Bay is not 
certain, or whether they emigrated from 
there as a whole or in parties, but it is a 
matter of history that, early in the eigh- 
teenth century (authorities differ as to the 
date), they scattered to the south and east 
and, thereafter, occupied the Southern 
Peninsula of Michigan, Northeastern Illi- 
nois and the northern part of Indiana. 
Their advance into Illinois was sometimes 
accomplished with good-natured tolerance 
on the part of the Illinois tribes, and some- 
times by actual violence. This emigration 
divided the tribe into two rather distinct 
classes, so that we often find, even in re- 
cent Government reports, the Pottawato- 
mies of Michigan and Indiana designated 
as those of the Woods, and those of Illinois 
as those of the Prairie, or "The Prairie 
Band." 

The exclusive possession of this territorv 
by the Pottawatomies dates from the siege 
of Starved Rock and the extinction of the 
Illinois. The Pottawatomies and Ottawas 
supposed that the Illinois were accessory to 
the murder of Pontiac, who was killed in 



32 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



1769 by an Illinois Indian, bribed for the 
deed with a barrel of whiskey. They loved 
and obeyed this great Indian chieftain of 
the Oattawas and wreaked dire vengeance 
for his death upon the luckless Illinois, and 
the date of the massacre at Starved Rock 
and their permanent occupation of this ter- 
ritory is generally fixed as soon after Pon- 
tiac's death. No record of their permanent 
residence at Green Bay succeeds this date. 

The Pottavvatomies were of commanding 
importance in this locality thereafter, and 
even before, for in 1763 they sent a delega- 
tion of 450 warriors to the Algonquin Con- 
ference at Niagara Falls, and, as we all 
know, they were the last Indians to yield 
their place in this State to the inevitable 
westward march of the white man, when 
the tomahawk gave way forever to the 
plowshare. 

As already stated, the Pottawatomies of 
the Woods became, in time, a different peo- 
ple than their western brothers ; they were 
susceptible to the influence of civilization 
and religion ; took kindly to agriculture to 
supplement the fruits of the chase. 

It was very different, however, with the 
Illinois Pottawatomies — the prairie In- 
dians. Judge Caton says of them: "They 
despised the cultivation of the soil as too 
mean even for their women and children, 
and deemed the captures of the chase the 
only fit food for a valorous people." They 
paid little attention to the religion of the 
white man. 

"If they understood something of the 
principles of the Christian religion which 
were told them, they listened to it as a 
sort of theory which might be well adapted 
to the white man's condition, but was not 
fitted for them, nor they for it. They en- 
joyed the wild, roving life of the prairie, 
and, in common with most all other native 
Americans, were vain of their prowess and 
manhood, both in war and in the chase. 



They did not settle down for a great length 
of time in a given place, but roamed across 
the broad prairies, from one grove or belt 
of timber to another, either in single fami- 
lies or in small bands, packing their few 
effects, their children, and infirm on their 
little Indian ponies. They always traveled 
in Indian file upon well-beaten trails, con- 
necting, by the most direct routes, promi- 
nent trading posts. These native highways 
served as guides to our early settlers, who 
followed them with as much confidence as 
we now do the roads laid out and worked 
by civilized man." 

Schoolcraft says they were tall of stature, 
fierce and haughty. 

The portable wigwams of the Pottawato- 
mies were made of flags or rushes, woven 
and lapped ingeniously together. This ma- 
terial was wound around a framework of 
poles, meeting at the top. Through a hole 
in the apex of the roof, left for the purpose, 
the smoke escaped from the fire in the cen ■ 
ter ; the floor was generally of mats of tlie 
same material spread around the fire. Their 
beds were of buflFalo robes and deer skins 
thrown over the mats. The door consisted 
of a simple opening covered with a mat or 
robe. 

Chicago was an important rendezvous 
for them, as it had previously been for the 
Illinois. There they signed an important 
treaty with the United States in 1821, ced- 
ing some 5,000,000 acres in Michigan and 
other treaties, which will receive later men- 
tion, and here they held, in 1835, immedi- 
ately preceding their removal to the West, 
their last grand council and war dance in 
the presence of the early settlers of Chica- 
go and 5.000 of their tribe. 

The Ottawas were the firm allies of the 
Pottawatomies, as were also the Chippewas 
(Ojibways) and all three tribes were close- 
ly related, not only as friends and allies, but 
by ties of blood and kinship, and they gen- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



33 



erally joined in signing treaties ; some 
writers assert that they were formerly one 
nation. 

In the war of 1812 the Pottawatomies, 
at least in part, were against the United 
States, although they fought the British 
under Pontiac in 1763. In the Black Hawk 
War of 1832 they remained true to our 
Government, although it was with difficulty 
that some of their young warriors were re- 
strained from joining the Sacs and Foxes. 
They participated in the Battle of Tippeca- 
noe, and stamped their names forever upon 
the history of Chicago by the Fort Dear- 
born massacre. They were not only actively 
concerned in all the warlike transactions of 
their time, but among their numbers were 
some of the most noted orators of history. 

Ouilmette Reservation and Family. 
— The Ouilmette reservation and its for- 
mer occupants and owners have been the 
subject of much solicitude and investiga- 
tion, not entirely for historical purposes, 
but more especially that the white man 
might know that he had a good, white 
man's title to the Indian's land. The south- 
ern boundary was Central Street, or a line 
due west from the light-house ; the eastern 
boundary the lake ; the northern boundary 
a little south of Kenilworth, and the west- 
ern boundary a little west of the western 
terminus of the present street-car line on 
Central Street, from which it will be seen 
that some 300 acres of the Reservation falls 
within the city limits of Evanston, while the 
remainder includes almost the whole of our 
nearest neighbor to the north — the Village 
of Wilmette. 

The reservation takes its name from its 
original owner, Archange Ouilmette, wife 
of Antoine Ouilmette, described in the or- 
iginal Treaty and Patent from the United 
States as a Pottawatomie woman. The 
name given the village — Wilmette — origi- 
nates from the phonetic spelling of the 
French name "O-u-i-1-m-e-t-t-e." 



There are many interesting facts regard- 
ing Ouilmette and his family, some of which 
I will mention : Antoine, the husband, was 
a Frenchman, who, like many of his coun- 
trymen, came to the West in early days and 
married an Indian wife. He was one of the 
first white residents of Chicago ; some of 
the authorities say that, with the exception 
of Marquette, he was the very first. He 
was born at a place called Lahndrayh, near 
Montreal, Canada, in the year 1760. His 
first employment was with the American 
Fur Company, in Canada, and he came to 
Chicago in the employ of that company in 
the year 1790. 

This striking figure in our local history 
is sadly neglected in most, if not all, the his- 
torical writings. Almost every one knows 
that the Village of Wilmette was named 
after its former owner ; many misinformed 
persons speak of him as an Indian chief ; 
a few of the writers merely mention his 
name as one of the early settlers of Chi- 
cago. And that has been the beginning and 
the end of his written history. 

Ouilmette's occupation cannot be more 
definitely stated than to say that, at one 
time, he was an employe of John Kinzie, 
and in turn Indian trader, hunter and farm- 
er. He was a type of the early French 
voyageurs, who lived and died among their 
Indian friends, loving more the hardships 
and excitement of the Western frontier 
than the easier life of Eastern civilization. 

If a detailed account of all he saw and 
did could be written we would have a com- 
plete history of Chicago, Evanston and all 
the North Shore during the eventful fifty 
years intervening between 1790 and 1840. 

It appears from a letter signed with "his 
mark," written and witnessed by one James 
Moore, dated at Racine, June i, 1839, that 
he came to Chicago in July, 1790. A fac- 
simile of this letter, which is addressed to 
Mr. John H. Kinzie, appears in Blanchard's 
History of Chicago (p. 574), and contains 



34 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



some interesting facts, both historical and 
personal. He says: 

"I caim into Chicago in the year 1790 in July 
witness old Mr. Veaux . . . and Mr Griano 
. . . These men ware living in the country Be- 
fore the war with the winnebagoes. Trading with 
them I saw the Indians Brake open the Door of 
my house and also the Door of Mr. Kinzie's 
House. At first there was only three indians come. 
They told me there was Forty more coming and 
they told me to run. i Did So. in nine days all I 
found left of my things was the feathers of my 
beds scattered about The floor, the amount Dis- 
troyed By them at that time was about Eight 
hundred Dollars. Besides your fathar and me 
Had about four hundred hogs Distroyed by the 
Saim indians and nearly at the Saim time, fur- 
ther particulars when I See you. I wish you to 
write me whether it is best for me to come thare 
or for you to come hear and how son it must be 
Done" 

"Yours with Respect" 

his 
Antone X Ouilmette" 

"Jas. Moore" mark 

Ouilmette owned and occupied one of 
the four cabins that constituted the settle- 
ment of Chicago in 1803. The other resi- 
dents were Kinzie, Burns and Lee (Kirk- 
land's "Story of Chicago," "Andreas' His- 
tory of Chicago," Mrs. William Whistler's 
letter, written in 1875.) 

Ouilmette had eight children, four sons 
and four daughters, viz. : — Joseph, Louis, 
Francis, Mitchell, Elizabeth, Archange, Jos- 
ette and Sophia ; also an adopted daughter, 
Archange Trombla, who, on August 3, 
1830, married John Mann, who in early 
times ran a ferry at Calumet. (Authority 
John Wentworth and Sophia Martell, the 
only surviving daughter of Antoine Ouil- 
mette.) 

Ouilmette was in Chicago at the time of 

the massacre of the garrison of Old Fort 

Dearborn in 1812 by the Pottawatomies, 

and his family was instrumental, at that 

time, in saving the lives of at least two 

whites. Mrs. John H. Kinzie in her book, 

"Wau-bun" (the early day), describes the 

circumstances : 

"The next day after Black Partridge, the Pot- 
tawatomie Chief, had saved the life of Mrs. Helm 
in the massacre on the lake shore (commemorated 



by the monument recently erected at the place), a 
hand of "the most hostile and implacable of all the 
tribes of the Pottawatomies" arrived at Chicago 
and, disappointed at their failure to participate in 
the massacre and plunder, were ready to wreak 
vengeance on the survivors, including Mrs. Helm 
and other members of Mr. Kinzie's family. Mrs. 
Kinzie says ("Wau-bun" pages 235, 240) : 

"Black Partridge had watched their approach, 
and his fears were particularly awakened for the 
safety of Mrs. Helm (Mr. Kinzie's step-daughter). 
By his advice she was made to assume the ordi- 
nary dress of a French woman of the country. . 

"In this disguise she was conducted by Black 
Partridge himself to the house of Ouilmette, a 
Frenchman with a half-breed wife, who formed 
a part of the establishment of Mr. Kinzie, and 
whose dwelling was close at hand. . . It so 
happened that the Indians came first to this house 
in their search for prisoners. As they approached, 
the inmates, fearful that the fair complexion and 
general appearance of Mrs. Helm might betray 
her for an American, raised a large feather bed 
and placed her under the edge of it, upon the 
bedstead, with her face to the wall. Mrs. Bison, 
the sister of Ouilmette's wife, then seated herself 
with her sewing upon the foot of the bed." 

It was a hot day in August and Mrs. 
Helm suffered so much from her position 
and was so nearly suffocated that she en- 
treated to be released and given up to the 
Indians. "I can but die," said she; "let them 
put an end to my misery at once." When 
they assured her that her discovery would 
be the death of all of them, she remained 
quiet. 

"The Indians entered and she could occasion- 
ally see them from her hiding place, gliding about 
and stealthily inspecting every part of the room, 
though without making any ostensible search, un- 
til apparently satisfied that there was no one con- 
cealed, they left the house. . . All this time 
Mrs. Bison had kept her seat upon the side of the 
bed, calmly sorting and arranging the patch work 
of the quilt on which she was then engaged and 
preserving the appearance of the utmost tranquil- 
lity, although she knew not but the next moment 
she might receive a tomahawk in her brain. Her 
self command unquestionably saved the lives of 
all present. . . From Ouilmette's house the 
party proceeded to the dwelling of Mr. Kinzie." 

The Indians had just left Ouilmette's 
house when one Griffin, a non-commis- 
sioned officer, who had escaped and had 
been concealed among the currant bushes of 
Ouilmette's garden, climbed into Ouil- 
mette's house through a window to hide 
from the Indians. "The family stripped him 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



35 



of his uniform and arrayed him in a suit of 
deer skin, with belt, moccasins and pipe, 
like a French engage," in which disguise he 
also escaped. 

After the massacre, when John Kinzie 
and all the other white settlers and their 
families fled from the place, Ouilmette and 
his family remained, and he was the only 
white resident of Chicago for the following 
four years, 1812 to 1816. (Kirkland's "Story 
of Chicago" ; Hurlbut's "Chicago Antiqui- 
ties.") 

In 1814 Alexander Robinson (afterwards 
chief of the Pottawatomies) came to Chi- 
cago, and he and Ouilmette cultivated the 
field formerly used as the garden of old 
Fort Dearborn ; they raised good crops of 
corn and sold the crop of 1816 to Captain 
Bradley, after his arrival at Chicago to re- 
build the fort. (Andreas' "History of Chi- 
cago.") 

He was still in Chicago in 182 1. (An- 
dreas', Id. ; Kirkland, Id.) 

He had horses and oxen and other stock 
in abundance. In early days he kept a 
small store in Chicago and used to tow 
boats into the Chicago River with his ox 
teams. He also furnished the Fort Dear- 
born garrison with meat and fuel and car- 
ried on trading operations with the Indians 
along the North Shore and in Canada, 
where he frequently went. (Authority, 
Sophia Martell.) 

Mrs. Archibald Clybourne says that Ouil- 
mette raised sheep when he lived in Chica- 
go, and that her mother, Mrs. Galloway, 
used to purchase the wool of him with 
which she spun yarn and knit stockings for 
the Fort Dearborn soldiers. 

Ouilmette was a thrifty Frenchman. In 
1825 he was one of the principal taxpayers 
in Chicago and paid $4.00 taxes that year 
upon property valued at $400, as appears 
by an old tax roll, dated July 25th of that 
year (Blanchard's "History of Chicago," p. 



517), from which rate of taxation it would 
seem that the burden of "taxing bodies," of 
which we hear so much in these days, began 
very early in Chicago's history. With one 
exception, none of the fourteen taxpayers 
of that year owned property in excess of 
$1,000. John Kinzie's holdings appear on 
the same roll as worth $500, while those of 
John B. Beaubien are set down at $1,000; 
the lowest man on the list is Joseph La 
Framboise, who paid fifty cents on property 
valued at $50, and Ouilmette's taxes appear 
considerably above the average in amount. 
He also appears as a voter upon the poll 
book of an election held at Chicago on 
August 7, 1826, at which election it is said 
he voted for John Quincy Adams for Pres- 
ident (Blanchard, Id., p. 519), which is the 
last record I have been able to find of his 
residence in Chicago. 

The Treaty of Prairie du Chien, in de- 
scribing the boundaries of a part of the 
lands ceded by the Indians, and dated July 
29, 1829, begins the description as follows : 

"Beginning on the western shore of Lake 
Michigan, at the northeast corner of the 
field of Antoine Ouilmette, who lives near 
Gross Point, about twelve (12) miles north 
from Chicago, thence due west to the Rock 
River," which is the first evidence I have 
found of Ouilmette's residence in this vi- 
cinity, although he was married to Arch- 
ange in 1796 or 1797 at "Gross Point," or 
what is now Wilmette Village, this being 
the first North Shore wedding of which 
there is any history. (Authority, Sophia 
Martell.) 

Ouilmette was a Roman Catholic. In 
April, 1833, he joined with Alexander Rob- 
inson, Billy Caldwell, several of the Beau- 
biens and others, in a petition to the Bishop 
of the diocese of Missouri, at St. Louis, 
asking for the establishment of the first 
Catholic Church in Chicago. The petition 
(written in French) says: "A priest should 



36 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



be sent there before other sects obtain the 
upper hand, which very likely they will try 
to do." The early enterprise of the church 
is demonstrated by the fact that the peti- 
tion was received on April i6th and grant- 
ed the next day. (Andreas' "History of 
Chicago.") 

From the foregoing facts it is evident 
that Ouilmette located in Chicago in 1790, 
and lived there for over thirty-six years, 
and that «or-c tin"? he^v/e'^n 1826 and 1829 
he located within the present limits of Ev- 
anston or Wilmette Village, and certainly 
within the Reservation. 

Mrs. Kinzie took Ouilmette 's daughter 
Josette with her to the Indian Agency, of 
which her husband was in charge at Old 
Fort Winnebago in Wisconsin, on her re- 
turn from Chicago in 183 1. She describes 
her ("Wau-bun," 300) as " a little bound 
girl, a bright, pretty child of ten years of 
age. She had been at the Saint Joseph's 
Mission School." Mrs. Kinzie, at the time 
of the Black Hawk war (1832) fled from 
Fort Winnebago to Green Bay in a canoe 
and took this same little Josette Ouilmette 
with her ("Wau-bun," 426). 

That Josette was a protege of the Kinzie 
family, and that they took a lively interest 
in her welfare, further appears from the 
treaty of 1833 with the Pottawatomies at 
Chicago. She is personally provided for, 
probably at the demand of the Kinzies, in 
the following words: "To Josette Ouil- 
mette (John H. Kinzie, Trustee), $200." 
The other children did not fare so well, for 
the Treaty further provides, "To Antoine 
Ouilmette's children, $300." 

Archange Ouilmette, wife of Antoine, 
was a squaw of the Pottawatomie tribe, be- 
longing to a band of that tribe located at 
the time she was married at what is now 
Wilmette Village, although the band were 
constant rovers over what is now Illinois, 
Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin. While 



.■\rchange was of the Pottawatomie tribe her 
father was a white man, a trader in the em- 
ploy of the American Fur Company, a 
Frenchman, bearing the rather striking 
name of Francois Chevallier. Archange 
was born at Sugar Creek, Michigan, about 
1764 and died at Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 
1840. (Authority, Sophia Martell, daugh- 
ter, and Israel Martell, grandson of An- 
toine.) 

John Wentworth says in his reminis- 
cences that Ouilmette's daughter, Eliza- 
beth, married for her first husband en May 
II, 1830, Michael Welch, "the first Irish- 
man in Chicago." 

This wedding, with the son of Erin 
groom and the Pottawatomie bride, was 
celebrated in an old log cabin that stood 
until some two years ago (1903) on the 
east side of Sheridan Road, at Kenilworth, 
and about two blocks north of the Kenil- 
worth water tower. I secured a kodak pic- 
ture of this log cabin shortly before it was 
removed, copy of which appears on an 
adjoining page. This cabin was built 
by one John Doyle, who, considering his 
name and date of residence, may be safely 
designated "the first Irishman of the North 
Shore," for I am sure there are few who 
can successfully dispute my statement, nor 
do I see any reason why the North Shore 
should not have its "first Irishman" as well 
as Chicago. 

My authority as to this being the house 
where the wedding was celebrated is Mr. 
Charles S. Raddin, of Evanston, who se- 
cured the information some years ago from 
Mrs. Archibald Clybourne, who may have 
been present at the wedding, although Mr. 
Raddin neglected to ask her. Mr. Raddin 
was further neglectful in failing to get the 
name of the best man and the maid of hon- 
or, and whether they were Irish or Potta- 
watomie. The ceremony was performed by 
John B. Beaubien, a Justice of the Peace, as 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



17 



is shown beyond question by the records of 
Peoria County. 

Ouihiiette and his family lived in this 
cabin at the time of this wedding, and for 
some time thereafter (authority, Sophia 
Martell, who also corroborates Mr. Raddin 
regarding her sister's marriage), although 
their most permanent abode was about a 
mile south of there, as will be shown later. 

The Treaty of Prairie du Chien with the 
Chippewas, Ottawas and Pottawatomies, by 
which the Reservation was ceded to Ouil- 
mette's wife, was concluded July 29, 1829. 
Among other provisions of land for In- 
dians and others, Article 4 of the Treaty 
provides as follows : "To Archange Ouil- 
mette, a Pottawatomie woman, wife of An- 
toine, two sections for herself and her chil- 
dren on Lake Michigan, south of and ad- 
joining the northern boundary of the ces- 
sion herein made by the Indians aforesaid 
to the United States. . . . The tracts 
of land herein stipulated to be granted shall 
never be leased or conveyed by the grantees, 
or their heirs, to any person whatever, with- 
out the permission of the President of the 
United States." 

The land was surveyed by the Govern- 
ment surveyors in 1842, and the patent 
therefor was issued October 29th of the 
same year. 

Site of Evanston Lands Acquired 
From the Indians. — This treaty is of 
special historical interest. By it the United 
States acquired title from the Indians to all 
of the land within the city limits of Evans- 
ton and great tracts to the west, bounded 
as follows : Beginning at the north line of 
Ouilmette's reservation, or a little south of 
Kenilworth on the Lake Shore, due west 
to the Rock River, thence down the 
river and east of it to the Indian 
boundary line on Fox River, estab- 
lished by the treaty of 1816; thence 
northeasterly on that line to Lake Michi- 



gan, thence north along the lake shore to 
the place of beginning. (The line men- 
tioned as running "northeasterly to Lake 
Michigan'" is the center of the street in 
Rogers Park, known for many years and 
in our records as the "Indian Boundary 
Road," now unfortunately changed by di- 
rection of the City Council of Chicago to 
"Rogers Avenue." It is about half way 
between Calvary Cemetery and the Rog- 
ers Park depot ; crosses Clark Street or 
Chicago Avenue at the site of the old toll- 
gate and Justice Murphy's birthplace on 
the opposite corner). 

There should be active co-operation in 
restoring the name "Indian Boundary" to 
this highway. I am informed that the name 
was changed at the solicitation of Mr. Rog- 
ers' family. He was, no doubt, a worthy 
pioneer, but his name seems to have been 
sufificiently perpetuated by the name Rog- 
ers' Park, which was the former village 
now annexed to Chicago. There is, too, a 
railroad station there of that name, and 
many real estate subdivisions also bearing 
his name. This Indian Boundary line is 
not only a great land mark, but the treaty 
which fixed it had great historical signif- 
icance in the development of Illinois. This 
line is referred to in many maps, surveys, 
deeds and conveyances, is in part the divid- 
ing line between the cities of Chicago and 
Evanston, runs in a southwesterly direc- 
tion, intersecting other roads and streets 
in such manner as to make it an important 
and distinctive highway, the importance of 
which will grow more and more as the 
years go by. The disinclination of the 
City Council to disturb historical land- 
marks by changing the names of old high- 
ways should surely have been exercised in 
this instance, and one of the aldermen of 
that ward, Mr. W. P. Dunn, assures me 
that he agrees with this sentiment. 

This treaty also included a vast terri- 



38 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



tory lying between the Mississippi and 
Rock rivers in Illinois and Wisconsin, and 
was planned, it is said, with reference to 
the succeeding Treaty of Chicago in 1833, 
to finally clear Western Illinois and South- 
ern Wisconsin of the Indians. "By its pro- 
visions the Indians became completely 
hemmed in or surrounded. To use a com- 
mon saying in playing checkers, the In- 
dians were driven into the 'single corner' 
before they were aware of it." Haines, p 

554-) 

This treaty was the entering wedge, de- 
signed, as above stated, to eventually oust 
the Pottawatomies and other tribes from 
Illinois and Wisconsin, and the manner in 
which its execution was secured reflects 
no credit upon our nation. If the writers 
who have investigated the subject can be 
relied upon, hardly any treaty with the In- 
dians ever made is subject to more just 
criticism. 

Story of the Ouilmette Reservation.^ 
It is claimed by Elijah M. Haines, au- 
thor of "The American Indian," that the 
two sections of land constituting the Ouil- 
mette Reservation, were given to Ouil- 
mette's wife and children as a bribe for the 
husband's influence in securing the execu- 
tion of this treaty. Mr. Haines, late of 
Waukegan, was for some years Speaker of 
the Illinois House of Representatives, and 
spent a portion of each year, for many 
years, among the Indians. In his book he 
devotes some ten pages (550-560) to "the 
ingenious work in overreaching the In- 
dians in procuring the execution of this 
treaty," from which it appears, if Mr. 
Haines is correct, that plans were laid in 
advance by the Government's agents to 
carry it through by electing chiefs to fill 
vacancies in the Pottawatomie tribe, who 
were not only friendly to the whites, but 
who were parties to a prior conspiracy to 
dupe the Indians. As the author says, "the 



jury being thus successfully packed, the 
verdict was awaited as a matter of form." 
Mr. Haines seems to have reached this con- 
clusion after careful investigation, includ- 
ing personal interviews with some of the 
principals, among whom was Alexander 
Robinson, one of the chiefs who was elected 
at the very time the treaty was signed. Mr. 
Haines sets out a personal interview be- 
tween himself and Robinson on the sub- 
ject, which is as follows: - 

"Mr. Robinson, when and how did you become 
a chief?" 

"Me made chief at the treaty of Prairie du 
Chien." 

"How did you happen to be made chief?" 

"Old Wilmette, he come to me one day and 
he say: Dr. Wolcott" (then Indian agent at Chi- 
cago, who Mr. Haines says, planned the deal) 
"want me and Billy Caldwell to be chief. He 
ask me if I will. Me say yes, if Dr. Wolcott want 
me to be." 

"After the Indians had met together at Prairie 
du Chien for the Treaty, what was the first thing 
done?" 

"The first thing they do they make me and Billy 
Caldwell chiefs; then we be chiefs . . . then 
we all go and make the treaty." 

Chiefs Robinson and Caldwell were hand- 
somely taken care of, both in this treaty 
and subsequent ones, in the way of an- 
nuities, cash and lands, as were also their 
friends. Archange Ouilmette, Indian wife 
of the man designated by Chief Robinson 
as "Old Wilmette," and her children thus, 
according to Mr. Haines, secured the two 
sections of land constituting the Reserva- 
tion under discussion, and which seems to 
show that Ouilmette was, indeed, as al- 
ready stated, a thrifty Frenchman. 

There is ample ground, however, for 
disagreement with Mr. Haines in his volun- 
tary criticism of Ouilmette in this trans- 
action. It must be borne in mind that 
Ouilmette and his family were not only 
friendly to the whites during the stirring 
and perilous times at Chicago in the War 
of 1812, but they themselves had suffered 
depredations at the hands of the Indians, 
as shown by Ouilmette's letter to John H. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



39 



Kinzie. Then, too, he was occupying this 
very land, then of Httle value, and consid- 
ering his fidelity to the Government, not- 
withstanding his marriage to a Pottawato- 
mie wife, it would seem that this cession of 
these two sections of land, under the cir- 
cumstances, was entirely right and prob- 
ably very small compensation for his 
friendly services. Then, too, it must be re- 
membered that he did not get the land, but 
it went to his Pottawatomie wife and her 
children. 

Mr. Haines says of this transaction and 
of Dr. Wolcott's and Ouilmette's connec- 
tion with it (p. 557) : "In aid of 
this purpose, it seems he secured the 
services of Antoine Wilmette, a French- 
man, who had married an Indian 
wife of the Pottawatomie tribe, one 
of the oldest residents of Chicago, and a 
man of much influence with the Indians 
and a particular friend of Robinson's." 

It is fair to say that Mr. Haines excuses 
both Robinson and Caldwell for their action 
in the matter, on the ground that they had 
long been friendly to the whites and were 
misled into believing that the integrity of 
their white friends was as lasting as their 
own (p. 556). It is to be regretted that 
Mr. Haines did not express the same views 
as to Ouilmette, for history clearly demon- 
strates that he was richly entitled to it. 

Ouilmette was also on hand when the 
Treaty of Chicago (1833) was negotiated, 
as he was at Prairie du Chien, for the 
treaty not only provides for the donations 
already mentioned to Chiefs Robinson and 
Caldwell, to Ouilmette's children and 
others, but he secured $800 for himself, as 
the treaty shows. Whether this was com- 
pensation for his hogs that had been "dis- 
troyed" some thirty years before by the In- 
dians, or as further compensation for his 
prior services at Prairie du Chien or at 
Chicago in 1812, is not disclosed, but it cer- 



tainly is evidence of his desire to see that 
his finances should not suffer in deals made 
with his wife's relations. 

Joseph Fountain, late of Evanston, now 
deceased, father-in-law of ex-Alderman 
Carroll, says in an affidavit dated in 187 1, 
"that when he first came here he lived with 
Antoine Ouilmette; that at that time he 
(Antoine) was an old man, about 70 years 
of age, and was living upon the Reservation 
with his nephew, Archange, his wife, being 
then absent. . . . That within a year or 
two thereafter the children returned and 
lived with their father upon the Reservation 
The children went away again and return- 
ed again in 1844. They were then all over 
lawful age, had usual and ordinary intelli- 
gence of white people and were competent 
to manage and sell their property. . . . 

That he was intimate with the children 
and their father and after their return as- 
sisted them in building a house to live in on 
the Reservation. That during the last 
twenty (20) years the Indian heirs have 
not been back there. . . . That in the 
years 1852 and 1853 the land was not worth 
over $3,00 per acre." 

I find by inquiry of Mary Fountain, Jo- 
seph Fountain's widow, a very old lady, in 
Evanston, still living in 1901', and by like 
inquiry of Mr. Benjamin F. Hill" and 
others, that the house just mentioned was 
built of logs, situated on the high blufifs on 
the lake shore, opposite, or a little north of 
Lake Avenue, in the Village of Wilmette, 
and that the former site of the house has 
long since, and within the memory of old 
residents been washed into the lake, many 
acres of land having been thus washed 
away. Mr. Hill says that this house was 
at one time occupied by Joel Stebbins, who 
used it as a tavern. 



IMrs. Fountain died in Evanston February 17, 190.".. 

2Benjamin F. Hill died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Oc- 
tober 7, 1905 — his residence up to that time, however, 
having been in Evanston, 



4° 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



The affidavit of Mr. Fountain indicates 
that Ouilmette lived on the Reservation un- 
til 1838. His letter of 1839 indicates a 
residence at Racine, at which place he had 
a farm for several prior years, and while 
living in Chicago, or at least a tract of 
land where he frequently went. (Author- 
ity, Sophia Martell.) 

Air. Benjamin F. Hill says that he knew 
him about tlie year 1838; that he was then 
a very old man, rather small of stature, 
dark skinned and bowed with age ; that 
about that year he went away. He died 
at Council Bluffs, December i, 1841. 

Mr. Hill says that Mr. Fountain omits 
in his affidavit one item concerning the 
acquaintance between Ouilmette and Foun- 
tain, viz. : a lawsuit, in which Ouilmette 
prosecuted Fountain and others for tres- 
passing upon the Reservation by cutting 
timber, which resulted unfavorably to Ouil- 
mette ; that there was a large bill of court 
costs which Fountain's lawyer collected by 
having the Sheriff levy upon and sell a pair 
of fine Indian ponies belonging to Ouil- 
mette, which were his special pride, and 
that it was immediately after this incident 
that Ouilmette left the Reservation never 
to return. 

(The value of the timber probably ac- 
counts for the selection of this land by 
Ouilmette when the treaty was drawn.) 

There are many other interesting remin- 
iscences among old settlers of Evanston re- 
garding Ouilmette. One from William 
Carney, former Chief of Police of Evans- 
ton and for many years a Cook County 
Deputy Sheriff, who was born in Evanston, 
is to the effect that Ouilmette often went 
through Evanston, along the old Ridge 
trail on which the Carneys lived, on foot 
and always carrying a bag over his shoul- 
der ; that the children were afraid of him, 
and that Carney's mother, when he was a 
small boy, used to threaten him with the 



punishment for misconduct of giving him to 
"Old Ouilmette," who would put him in the 
bag and carry young Carney home to his 
squaw. Mr. Carney says, "Then I used to 
be good" ; and it is local history that, in 
later years, my youthful associates used to 
say something to the same effect about be- 
ing good after an interview with Mr. Car- 
ney himself, when he had grown to man- 
hood and become the first Chief of Police 
of Evanston, his brother John constituting 
the remainder of the force. In those days, 
too, "Carney will get you if you don't look 
out!" was a common parental threat in 
Evanston. 

As already shown, neither Archange 
Ouilmette nor her children could, under the 
treaty and patent, sell any of the land with- 
out the consent of the President of the 
United States. Consequently there is 
much data respecting the family, both in 
the Recorder's office of this county, in the 
form of affidavits and in the office of the 
Interior Department at Washington, es- 
pecially in the General Land Office and the 
office of Indian Affairs. To some of these 
documents I refer : 

By a petition dated February 22, 1844, 
to the President of the United States, 
signed by seven of the children of Ouil- 
mette (all except Joseph), it appears that 
Archange Ouilmette, the mother, died at 
Council Bluffs on November 25, 1840; that 
six of the children signing the petition then 
resided at Council Bluffs, and one (prob- 
ably the former little Josette) at Fort Win- 
nebago, Wisconsin Territory ; that in con- 
sequence of their living at a remote dis- 
tance, the land is deteriorating in value "by 
having much of its timber, which con- 
stitutes its chief worth, cut off and stolen 
by various individuals living near by," 
which would seem to indicate that people 
were not so good in those days in Evans- 
ton as they have been reputed to be in some 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



41 



later clays, if the Chicago newspapers can 
be believed in this respect. The petition 
further says: 

"The home of your petitioners, with one 
exception, is at Council Bluffs, with the 
Pottawatomie tribe of Indians, with whom 
we are connected by blood, and that your 
petitioners cannot, with due regard to their 
feelings and interests, reside away from 
their tribe on said Reserve" ; also that 
they have been put to expense in em- 
ploying agents, whose employment has not 
been beneficial. 

The petition then asks leave to sell or 
lease the land, and the prayer concludes 
in the following words : 

"Or, that your Excellency will cause the 
Government of the United States to pur- 
chase back from us said Reserve of land, 
and pay us one dollar and twenty-five cents 
per acre therefor." 

"And your petitioners further show that 
they are now at Chicago on expense, wait- 
ing for the termination of this petition, and 
anxious to return home as soon as possible," 
and request action "without delay." 

As the result of this petition and subse- 
quent ones, Henry W. Clarke was ap- 
pointed a Special Indian Agent to make 
sale of the Reservation, or rather that part 
of it owned by the seven petitioners, so 
that a fair price could be obtained, and sale 
was made to real estate speculators during 
the years 1844 and 1845. I" the corre- 
spondence between the various departments 
of the Government with reference to the 
sale, appear the signatures of John H. Kin- 
zie, John Went worth (then member of 
Congress), William Wilkins, Secretary of 
War, President John Tyler, W. L. Marcy, 
Secretary of War ; also the signatures of 
Presidents James K. Polk and V. S. 
Grant.' 



iFor copies of these documents see "Historical Col- 
lections," Evanston Historical Society. 



The south half of the Reservation, in- 
cluding all that is in Evanston (640 acres), 
sold for $1,000, or a little over $1.50 per 
acre. The north section was sold in sep- 
arate parcels for "a larger sum. The cor- 
respondence tends to show that the seven 
Ouilmette children carried their money 
home with them, but as the Special Indian 
Agent had no compensation from the Gov- 
ernment and there were several lawyers en- 
gaged in the transaction, the amount that 
the Indians carried back to Council Bluffs 
can be better imagined than described. 

Joseph Ouilmette in the year 1844 took 
his share of the Reservation in severalty, 
deeding the remainder of the Reservation 
to his brothers and sisters, and they in turn 
deeding his share to him. The share that 
he took was in the northeastern part of the 
Reservation ; he secured the best price in 
making a sale and seemed inclined, not only 
to separate his property interests from his 
brothers and sisters, but to be more of a 
white man than an Indian, as he did not 
follow the family and the Pottawatomie 
tribe to the West for several years, but 
adopted the life of a Wisconsin farmer, re- 
moving later to the Pottawatomie Reserva- 
tion in Kansas. 

An affidavit made by Norman Clark, 
May 25, 1871, states that Joseph Ouilmette 
was in 1853 a farmer, residing on his farm 
in Marathon county, Wis., "about 300 miles 
from Racine," and that the $460 he re- 
ceived for his share of the Reservation 
"was used in and about the improvement of 
his farm," upon which he lived for about 
seven years, and that he was capable of 
managing his affairs "as ordinary, full- 
blooded white farmers are" ; that from 
1850 to 1853 he carried on a farm within 
two miles of Racine, presumably on the 
land formerly owned by his father, An- 
toine. 

It appears from various recorded affi- 



42 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



davits that all of the children of Ouil- 
mette are now dead. Such affidavits must 
have been made from hearsay and with a 
view of extinguishing upon the face of the 
records all possible adverese claims, for I 
find by investigation .that a daughter of 
Ouilmette (Sophia Martell) is still (1905) 
living on the Pottawatomie Reservation in 
Kansas, at a very advanced age, but with a 
good memory that has served a useful 
purpose in supplying the writer with a few 
of the facts here noted. With this excep- 
tion, all of the children are dead, but many 
of their descendants are still living on this 
same Reservation, and several of them are 
people of intelligence and education, priz- 
ing highly the history of their ancestors. 

Mitchell Ouilmette, on May 2, 1832, (as 
John Wentworth says) enlisted in the first 
"militia of the town of Chicago until all 
apprehension of danger from the Indians 
may have subsided" — probably referring to 
the Black Hawk War. Mr. Wentworth's 
authority is a copy of the enlistment roll, 
where, in transacting the copy, his name 
is stated as "Michael," an evident mistake 
in transcribing from the original signa- 
ture. 

While it is true that Captain Heald, of 
Fort Dearborn, was notified on August 7 or 
9, 1812, of the declaration of war against 
England by a message carried by the 
Pottawatomie chief Win-a-mac, or Win- 
nemeg (the Catfish), from General Hull at 
Detroit, warning Captain Heald that the 
Post and Island of Mackinac had fallen 
into the hands of the British, of the conse- 
quent danger to the Chicago garrison, and 
the probable necessity of retiring to Fort 
Wayne, still it is stated upon good author- 
ity that Louis Ouilmette, son of Antoine, 
learned the same facts from a band of In- 
dians on the North Shore, who had come 
either from Mackinac or from that vicin- 
ity, and at once carried the information to 



the garrison several days before the arrival 
of Win-a-mac. (Authority, data in hands 
of C. S. Raddin.) 

The only relic of Antoine Ouilmette in 
the hands of the Evanston Historical So- 
ciety is an old chisel, or tapping gouge, 
used by him in tapping maple trees in making 
maple sugar on the Reservation, at a point 
a little west and some two blocks north of the 
present Wilmette station of the Northwest- 
ern Railway, immediately west of Dr. B. C. 
Stolp's residence. This chisel, or gouge, 
was secured by Mr. Benjamin F. Hill in 
this sugar bush soon after Ouilmette went 
away, and there is not the slightest doubt 
of its being the former property of Ouil- 
mette ; for Mr. Hill, who has been quoted 
frequently in this paper, is not only the 
John Wentworth of Evanston in the mat- 
ter of being an early settler (1836), with a 
great fund of authentic information, but 
he is a man of force and intelligence, of ex- 
cellent memory, unquestionable integrity, 
and always interested in historical sub- 
jects, as his many valuable contributions 
to the Evanston Historical Society abun- 
dantly show. 

Convincing evidence of the shortness 
of the span between the wigwam, the log 
cabin and the modern home, is presented 
when we consider that there are many liv- 
in Evanstonians who knew the Ouilmette 
family, and who saw their North Shore 
Reservation in all the primeval beauty of 
its ancient forest and towering elms. 

Indian Trails of the North Shore. — 
"Red Men's Roads" have of late been the 
subject of much investigation. Passing 
reference, therefore, to some of the Indian 
Trails of the North Shore will not be 
out of place here. My information is con- 
fined largely to Evanston and that imme- 
diate vicinity. For over a quarter of a 
century the Northwestern Railway has 
operated what the North Shore residents 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



43 



call "The Green Bay Train." A quarter of 
a century before that the white pioneer 
went to "Little Fort" or Waukegan on the 
"Green Bay Road," and before that 
old settlers say it was the "Green Bay In- 
dian Trail." Along this trail, in the 
year 1680, fled the wounded Henri de 
Tonty and his two or three follow- 
ers, in their historic flight from the 
blood-thirsty Iroquois, who time and 
again had also chased their red enemies in 
terror before them along this same Indian 
trail, and, in the later days, the white pio- 
neer saw, in the same trail, the tracks of 
many moccasined feet and of many Indian 
ponies wending their way to and from the 
treaty making councils at Fort Dearborn. 
Evanston historians have long been at 
loggerheads as to the location of this 
Green Bay Road. They all agree that it 
followed the line of Clark Street north, to a 
point opposite the north line of Rose Hill 
Cemetery, and there the trouble begins. 
Some insist that it went due north, follow- 
ing Clark Street and its Evanston exten- 
sion — called there Chicago Avenue — to a 
point a little north of the Evanston light- 
house, there reaching "the Ridge." Others 
claim that its divergence to 'the Ridge" was 
at the point of difference. Probably Both 
are right, each route being used, accord- 
ing to the wetness or dryness of the sea- 
son. At all events, there is no doubt — for 
old settlers all agree, from Benjamin F. Hill, 
who came to Evanston in 1836, to Frances 
E. Willanl. author of "The Classic Town" 
in 1892 — that through Evanston there were 
at least two well-defined north and south 
Indian trails, one following "the Ridge" 
or the high ground that extends from the 
terminus of Lincoln Avenue at Bowman- 
ville, or Rose Hill, on the south, to the high 
bluff on the lake front to the north of 
Evanston, and the other trail was right on 
the bank of the lake shore. This latter 



trail, however, there is reason to believe, 
was a very ancient trail, leading to the 
chipping stations or shops already de- 
scribed; and, in the later days, when the 
settlers began to arrive, and when weapons 
were purchased of traders — and, therefore, 
no further use for the primitive article — 
this latter trail was used only in following 
the game that also used it. "The Ridge" 
trail ran to the south, along the high 
ground, through Rose Hill Cemetery, 
reaching both the ancient and the modern 
Indian Village somewhere in that vicinity — 
probably at or near the western limits of 
the cemetery or on the North Branch. 
There is abundant evidence to show that 
north of Evanston, this trail, which reaches 
the Lake Shore in the north part of Evans- 
ton, led to Milwaukee and even north of 
that, following generally the present line of 
Sheridan Road — with a branch around the 
south end of "The Skokie," reaching the 
North Branch of the Chicago River at or 
near its source, and in turn the Desplaines 
River and the Lake region to the north- 
west. One authority places the "Little 
Fort (Waukegan) Trail" six miles west of 
Evanston, on one of the sand ridges there. 
As these ridges (of which there are sev- 
eral) lie generally alongside low, marshy 
places between the ridges, and as these 
ridges extend north and south, it is no 
doubt true, considering the Indian popula- 
tion and the important points both north 
and south, that there were well defined In- 
dian trails on all of them, with branches in 
varying directions, that would lead to Lit- 
tle Fort; but whatever may have been the 
name of this western trail, the most direct 
ones from Chicago to Little Fort were 
through Evanston. 

The existence and location of these 
Evanston trails is not left in doubt, for 
there are several living witnesses, both in 
Chicago and Evanston, who have seen them 



44 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



and have traveled them. The Ridge Trail 
had been in such constant use that the path 
was worn more than a foot into the ground 
from constant travel. Major Mulford, one 
of Evanston's pioneers, had his home ad- 
joining his trail, immediately west of the 
present site of Calvary Cemetery, and was 
frequently visited there by his Chicago 
friends, among them Fernando Jones. The 
site of this trail is known as Ridge Boule- 
vard, in Evanston, and upon it live many of 
Chicago's leading citizens. 

Mr. B. F. Hill, in describing the Ridge 
Trail, says: "On each side of the Ridge 
and close to it, were two Indian trails, 
where the Indians traveled north and south. 
One was about where Ridge Avenue now 
is, and the other in the neighborhood of As- 
bury Avenue, or perhaps a little west of 
that. These trails were so much used that 
the path was worn more than a foot into 
the ground from the constant travel, show- 
ing that these trails had been used for 
many years." 

Indian Trees of the North Shore. — 
There are, at various places along the 
North Shore, and following closely the line 
of several of the old Indian trails, some 
curious trees that apparently have been 
broken, or rather bent and tied down while 
saplings by Indians to mark these trails ; 
that custom has been followed in other lo- 
calities, among which, it is said, is the Brad- 
dock trail, several localities near Fox Lake, 
111., also in the vicinity of Mackinac, and it 
is entirely probable here. The trees are in- 
variably large and, if this convenient and 
plausible theory is correct, some of this work 
of so marking the trails must have been 
done a century and more ago, for many of 
the trees are white oaks of considerable size. 
These trees, and this theory, present also a 
most interesting field for inquiry and specu- 
lation. Photographs of some of these trees 
were taken by Mr. A. W. Watriss of Rog- 



ers Park, who, as well as Mr. C. S. Rad- 
din of the Evanston Historical Society and 
Vice-President of the Chicago Academy of 
Sciences, have taken great interest in this 
subject. One of these trees is located on 
the county line, beside the railroad tracks 
of the Northwestern Railroad at the south- 
west corner of the Highland Park Ceme- 
tery, and can easily be seen from passing 
trains ; and another at Calvary Cemetery, 
west of the railroad, can also be so seen ; 
and one of them long stood in the dooryard, 
at Davis Street and Hinman Avenue, of the 
late Dr. Miner Raymond, of Evanston, 
father of Messrs. Samuel, James and Fred 
D. Raymond. 

But some six years ago there were elev.en 
of these trees in perfect alignment, leading 
from the site of the old Indian Village at 
Highland Park in a northwesterly direc- 
tion for several miles. Most of them are 
still standing and can be easily identified ; 
and what is particularly of interest is the 
fact that all of these trees are white oaks, 
while another old trail farther to the south, 
near Wilmette, are without exception 
white elms, indicating system in the selec- 
tion. Those in the City of Evanston were 
oaks, and supposed by the supporters of 
this theory to lead to the chipping stations 
or shops on the lake shore. Two or three 
of these trees were also located on the 
North Branch of the Chicago River, near 
the Glen View Golf Club, probably mark- 
ing the trail to one of the near-by villages. 
Another circumstance that gives color to 
this contention is, that where those trees are 
found was once a dense and heavy forest, 
where it is probable that an Indian trail 
would be marked, if marked at all. 

There is still another theory to the ef- 
fect that these trees were bent down when 
young saplings, and used in the construction 
of wigwams by covering them with mats — a 
common method among the Algonquins ; 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



45 



but as these trees generally stand alone, 
with no near-by duplicates, there seems to 
be little to warrant this contention. 

Another North Shore tree that has be- 
come historic on account of the attention of 
the modern newspaper reporter, is what 
was known as "the Pottawatomie tree," lo- 
cated about three miles west of Wilmette, 
on the farm of M. A. Kloepfer, who se- 
cures quite a revenue from its exhibition. 
This was a remarkable tree, but is now 
dead, having been partially destroyed by 
fire and cut off some thirty feet from the 
ground. It was said to be the largest 
tree in Illinois, a Cottonwood, i6o feet high 
and eighteen feet in diameter, with a hol- 
low trunk that would hold thirty-one people. 
All sorts of Indian traditions, of the im- 
promptu variety, have been related with ref- 
erence to its Indian history, most of them be- 
ing about as reliable as the average historical 
novel, or the relation of an old settler in his 
dotage, who sometimes has been found to 
know many things that were not so. Still, 
it may be true that such a tree, towering so 
high above the surrounding forest, may, on 
account of being such a conspicuous land- 
mark, have been a place of Indian rendez- 
vous. 

Indian Camps and Villages. — A picture 
of an Indian country would be sadly dis- 
appointing and deficient without the In- 
dian camps and villages, and, therefore. I 
direct your attention to the sites of such 
camps and villages as I have been able 
to locate in Evanston and vicinity. 

The village near Bowmanville, already 
referred to, was designated by the late Karl 
Dilg, in an article published in "The Lake 
View Independent," as "Chicago's Great- 
est Indian Village," and it is quite certain 
that there is every reason for giving it that 
name. The vast number and variety of the 
weapons, utensils, chippings, bits of pottery 
and litter of many descriptions not only in- 



dicate an unusual population, but extended 
residence for a very long space of time. 
Some of these utensils are claimed to be 
pre-historic and very ancient, and the area 
covered by them, extending practically 
over the territory from Rose Hill Cemetery 
to the North Branch of the Chicago River, 
with like finds as far north as High Ridge, 
would indicate a very extensive village. 
Another populous village is said to have 
been at Niles Center, one at Forest Glen, 
or Edgebrook, and still another on the 
North Branch of the Chicago River, near 
the Glen View golf -grounds. One of these 
villages is, in all probability, the one re- 
ferred to in Marquette's diary as being six 
leagues (or some i8 miles) to the north. 
These locations by Mr. Dilg are further 
corroborated by Mr. Albert F. Scharf, who 
has made extensive personal examination 
of the ground, and has shown many of the 
locations upon a map, which not only seems 
to have been prepared with great care, but 
which is, in many instances that I could 
name, entirely corroborated by other inde- 
pendent investigations. Mr. Dilg locates 
also another village on the Ridge Trail at 
Rogers Park, which he says is practically 
a continuation of this Bowmanville village, 
"as there are chips everywhere" in this vi- 
cinity indicating this fact and such inhabi- 
tants to the Evanston City Limits on "the 
Ridge" ; and further claims that these vil- 
lages are of great antiquity, reaching back 
to the time of the Mound Builders, and cor- 
roborated, he says, by tht utensils found, 
some of copper, and by the further fact 
that there is no written history concerning 
any such population as must have lived for 
a long space of time in this locality. 

Whether Mr. Dilg be right or wrong m 
these conclusions, it is certain that these 
were populous villages in times of which 
there is no written history of this vicinity, 
and these same localities were in later times 



46 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



favorite camping grounds and smaller vil- 
lage sites for the Pottawatomies, as is 
abundantly shown by the testimony of 
many early pioneers who saw them here 
along the North Branch of the Chicago 
River. 

Mr. Budlong, proprietor of the present 
extensive truck farm, or garden, at Bow- 
manville, very recently (1904) in excavat- 
ing a gravel-pit, unexpectedly opened and 
exposed to view an Indian grave of more 
than ordinary interest. The grave con- 
tained fourteen skeletons buried in a 
circle, the feet without exception pointing 
toward the center. Although apparently 
well preserved when imcovered, they soon 
crumbled to pieces after being exposed to 
the air. The site of this grave is about ten 
rods north of Foster Avenue, and of the 
center of Section 12; and, when California 
Avenue is opened, the site of these graves 
will be in that highway (authority, Wil- 
liam A. Peterson, who pointed out the lo- 
cation to the writer.) It is reasonable to 
svippose that these fourteen mute tenants 
of Mr. Budlong's gravel-pit were Potta- 
watomies, who were some of the later res- 
idents of the Bowmanville Indian Village. 

Two small villages are said to have been 
located at Rogers Park, on the Indian 
boundary line, and between Clark Street 
and the Lake, one of them within the pres- 
ent limits of Evanston (authority, Albert F. 
Scharf's map). The same authority lo- 
cates a small village at the foot of Demp- 
ster Street, in Evanston, which must have 
been done by the litter of a temporary vil- 
lage or camp that was there about the year 
1840, during the summer season, and oc- 
cupied by a small roving band of Potta- 
watomie fishermen, described by an Evans- 
ton pioneer, James Carney, who visited them. 
Still another small village was on the north 
side of Hill Street, in Wilmette, about 300 
feet east of Sheridan Road, on the north 



boundary of the Evanston golf -grounds, 
and one also at Gross Point, I am informed. 
In 183s, when the Carney family first 
came to Evanston, there was, at about the 
southwest corner of Davis Street and Wes- 
ley Avenue, in Evanston, a log hut, with 
roof of straw, that is said to have been 
constructed by Indians, and that was, in 
fact, inhabited by them (one or two fam- 
ilies), for quite a time while hunting in 
the vicinity. 

Immediately north of Sheridan Road, 
where it turns to the west, some two or 
three blocks north of the Evanston light- 
house, fronting the lake shore and on the 
property belonging to Mr. Charles Deering, 
was another Indian Village consisting of 
from fifteen to twenty wigwams. It must 
have been quite a permanent place of abode, 
for they had a cornfield there, and the 
mounds showing where the corn grew 
in rows could be seen but a few years 
ago. Mr. James Carney, of Evanston, vis- 
ited this village when a small boy, and has 
a vivid recollection of the wigwams built 
of rushes and mats, the Indians, their 
squaws, the children, the dogs, and espe- 
cially of five or six of the Indians who fol- 
lowed him home after one of his visits to 
secure a certain black pup to which they 
took a fancy, which Mrs. Carney, his 
mother, gave them, much to his disappoint- 
ment, for he, too, was fond of the dog. This 
was done while James was in hiding in a 
hay stack back of the house. 

In 1852 Dr. Henry M. Bannister and a 
companion, while hunting on the Lake 
Shore discovered the site of an Indian vil- 
lage immediately south of what is now 
Greenleaf Street and east of the present 
Sheridan Road and lying east of the shop 
or chipping station before described. The 
site was well defined, not only by the fire 
places, but by the litter of many kinds, in- 
cluding broken utensils and pottery. This 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



47 



discovery of Dr. Bannister's has received 
ample corroboration by other investiga- 
tions. 

Still another village is thus described by 
Mr. B. F. Hill, of Evanston : 

"The Indians had winter quarters at Wil- 
mette and lived in wigwams made of poles 
and mats of rushes. The village was 
where the Westerfield place used to be, 
near the present intersection of Lake Ave- 
nue and Sheridan Road. It was their cus- 
tom to come there late in the fall and stay 
for the winter." (This village was com- 
posed, not only of Indians, but French and 
half-breeds, the Ouilmettes and some of the 
Beaubiens are said to have lived with them 
part of the time). 

A part of the same interview with Mr. 
Hill is also of interest in this connection. I 
quote from it as follows: "Evanston was 
quite a hunting ground for the Indians on 
account of the deer being plenty there. 
During the early years of my residence here 
Indians were coming and going all the 
time, traveling north and south from 
Chicago, Green Bay and other points, in- 
cluding the winter village at Wilmette, and 
to and from the lake on hunting expedi- 
tions. The last band that I remember of 
seeing was some time in the early for- 
ties ; they were camping temporarily on the 
side of the road and at about what is now 
the intersection of Lake Avenue and Eighth 
Street in Wilmette. 

"I remember seeing John Kinzie Clark, 
who had a ranch in Northfield, where he 
raised ponies, on one occasion, coming 
along through the Wilmette woods with 
three or four Indian ponies. He was a 
great hunter, and, on this occasion, had three 
or four deer tied onto the backs of the pon- 
ies. He was riding one pony and the pony 
to the rear had his bridle tied to the tail of 
the pony Clark was riding, and the whole 
string was thus tied together, Indian file or 
tandem fashion. 



"The Indians I have described were all 
Pottawatomies. Roaming bands frequent- 
ly camped near my father's house and 
would call and trade." ("Our Indian Pre- 
decessors," 23.) 

The wigwams of all these North Shore 
camps and villages have, like their builders, 
disappeared forever from the earth, but it 
is a pleasing reverie to think of them and 
of the forests and the ridges and the North 
Shore, as in those olden days they used to 
be. 

The Indian Mounds and Graves of the 
North Shore are also most interesting land 
marks. Indian graves have been found in 
Evanston in many localities along the lake 
front, one on the property of Dr. Robert D. 
Sheppard, by Mr. C. S. Raddin and Dr. 
William A. Phillips, two by my father, Al- 
din J. Grover, in the year 1866, in laying 
the foundation for "Heck Hall," the first 
building constructed on the Northwestern 
University campus ; two more about a block 
north of Mr. Charles Deering's residence, 
on the bank of the lake ; another in the ex- 
cavation for the foundation of James 
Rood's building on Davis Street, some ten 
years ago. 

The emblematic or totemic mound, in the 
form of a huge lizard that was under the 
present site of the Wellington Street Sta- 
tion of the Northwestern Elevated Rail- 
road, may well be classed among the North 
Shore landmarks, and I was informed its 
existence has been fully authenticated. An- 
other one used for burial purposes, and 
now also obliterated, was located near the 
Saint Paul Railway viaduct, at the intersec- 
tion of Ridge Boulevard in Evanston. This 
mound was excavated some fifty years ago 
by Evanston pioneers, Joel Stebbins, Paul 
Pratt and James Colvin, who found a col- 
lection of "war instruments and skeletons." 
(Authority, James Carney, of Evanston.) 

Another landmark that may well be 
classed under this heading- is across the ra- 



48 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



vine from the residence and on the premises 
of the late McGregor Adams, at Highland 
Park, which is circular in form, and about 
thirty feet in diameter, with a round eleva- 
tion in the center, and is said to have been 
the site of a huge wigwam used as a "coun- 
cil house," with trails leading to it from 
the west, marked by the trees elsewhere de- 
scribed. 

But to return to Evanston : there was an 
Indian cemetery beside the Green Bay or 
Ridge Avenue trail, some four or five 
blocks northwest of the Evanston light- 
house, and extending from the Evanston 
Hospital north to the lake, terminating 
about at the property now owned by Mr. P. 
W. Gates, and extending across the eastern 
edge of the Evanston golf-grounds. The 
last burial there is fully described in 
Frances E. Willard's history of Evanston, 
"The Classic Town" (page 21). The last 
burial in this cemetery is well authenticated 
by old settlers. 

"This Indian's coffin was made of poles 
or saplings, laid up like a log house and 
bound together at the corners with withes 
of bark, and the top was also of poles fas- 
tened in like manner. With him was bu- 
ried his gun and tomahawk and his dog. 
He was buried in a sitting posture, above 
ground, and facing the east." (See Mr. 
Hill's account of this in Miss Willard's 
"Classic Town.") 

Some old settlers (then boys) were kept 
awake many nights by visions of the grin- 
ning skeleton, which they saw by peeping 
through the cracks between the poles, 
which immediately preceded their flight in 
terror to their home. The tomahawk bu- 
ried with this Indian was found on the 
site of the grave of this identical Indian in 
1875, and is now the property of the Evans- 
ton Historical Society. The exact site of 
this burial is on the west side of Ridge 
Boulevard, a little north of the intersection 



of Sheridan Road and thirty to forty feet 
south of Joseph Nellessen's house, and it 
may be of interest to Evanston golf en- 
thusiasts, who pursue the game until the 
shadows of evening fall, to know that Hole 
or Green No. 9, of the Evanston Golf Club's 
course, is within less than fifty feet of this 
former sepulcher. (Authority, B. F. Hill, 
who saw, when a boy, the grave, procured 
the tomahawk and presented it to the Ev- 
anston Society, and who has described to 
the writer the exact location as deter- 
mined by the modern landmarks just 
mentioned.) 

The many burials, so wildly scattered 
over Evanston, have an important signifi- 
cance in the respect that they indicate more 
than the ordinary scattering Indian popu- 
lation. 

Recollections of Later Settlers. — In 
later years and, even as late as 1870, single 
Indians and very small bands or families, 
came through Evanston, traveling to and 
from the north and Chicago, following the 
railroad and the lake. I have personal rec- 
ollection of such visitors on two or three 
occasions between 1866 and 1870, when 
they would camp and spend the night i' ri- 
der the oaks at the northeast corner of 
Sherman Avenue and Lake Street ; but 
these were not the wild prairie Indians of 
the olden time, and their character may be 
illustrated by an anecdote. A year or two 
ago I was visiting the summer home of a 
Kentucky gentleman on Lake Huron. His 
family had a colored cook — "Aunt Caro- 
line" — who had never before been in the 
North. My friend had in his employ, about 
his grounds, several half-breed Chippewas 
(Ojibways). The next morning, after 
"Aunt Caroline's" arrival, one of the chil- 
dren of the family tried to alarm her by 
saying that the Indians were apt to scalp 
her. to which she replied : "Law no, honey ! 
them's pet Indians." 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



49 



Five Great Treaties — Removal of the 
Pottawatomies. — Five important treaties 
preceded and were effective in divesting the 
Pottawatomies of their title to this part of 
the land of the Illinois. The first was the 
treaty of Greenville, effected by William H. 
Harrison, as aid-de-camp to Major-General 
Anthony Wayne, August 3, 1795, by which 
the Indians ceded "one piece of land six 
miles square at the mouth of the Chikago 
River, emptying into the southwest end of 
Lake Michigan, where a fort formerly 
stood." 

The second was the treaty of Saint Louis, 
concluded August 24, 1816, and negotiated 
by Gov. Ninian Edwards, by which the In- 
dians ceded twenty miles of lake front, di- 
rectly south of Evanston, and a great ad- 
jacent territory lying to the west and south. 
The northern boundary of this cession (ten 
miles north of the Chicago River) is what 
has been known by Ridgeville and Evans- 
ton citizens, for some fifty years, as "the 
Indian Botmdary line" and "Indian Boun- 
dary Road," above referred to. The south- 
ern boundary of the land ceded by this 
treaty began on the lake shore, ten miles 
south of the Chicago River. The Indians 
retained by the provisions of this treaty 
the right to hunt and fish, within the tract 
of land ceded, "so long as it may continue 
to be the property of the United States." 
The object of the Government in securing 
this land, was said to be "to construct a 
military road to facilitate the building of 
the proposed ship canal." (Blanchard, 
supra, 419.) 

The third of the treaties referred to was 
the Treaty of Chicago, concluded August 
29, 1 82 1, by which the Pottawatomies ceded 
some 5,000,000 acres of land in Michigan, 
and thus began the most important cessions 
of their large domain. It was at Chicago 
at this time that the Pottawatomie Chief 
Me-te-a made his eloquent and historical 



speech, so often quoted by Indian histori- 
ans. It is of interest to show the feeling of 
the Pottawatomies in regard to parting 
with their lands. The following quotations 
are from Samuel G. Drake's "Book of the 
Indians" : 

"You know that we first came to this country 
a long time ago, and when we sat ourselves down 
upon it, we met with a great many hardships and 
difficulties. Our country was then very large; but 
it has dwindled away to a small spot, and you 
wish to purchase that. . . . We have brought all 
the warriors and the young men and women of 
our tribe that one part may not do what the oth- 
ers oljjecl to. . . . Our country was given to us 
by the Great Spirit, who gave it to us to hunt 
upon, to make our cornfields upon, to live upon, 
and to make our beds upon when we die, and He 
would never forgive us should we bargain it 
away. When you first spoke to us of lands at St. 
Mary's we said we had a little and agreed to sell 
you a piece of it ; but we told you we could spare 
no more. Now you ask us again. You are never 
satisfied. We have sold you a great tract of land 
already, but it is not enough. . . . You are grad- 
ually taking away our hunting grounds. Your 
children are driving us before them. We are 
growing uneasy. VVhat lands you have you can 
retain forever, but we shall sell no more. You 
think, perhaps, that I speak in passion, but my 
heart is good towards you. I speak like one of 
your own children. I am an Indian, a red-skin, 
and live by hunting and fishing, but my country is 
already too small, and I do not know how to bring 
up my children if I give it all away. . . . We 
speak to you with a good heart and the feelings of 
a friend. You are acquainted with this piece of 
land — the country we live in. Shall we give it 
up? Take notice it is a small piece of land, and 
if we give it away what will become of us? . . . 
If we had more land, you should get more, but 
our land has been wasting away ever since the 
white people became our neighbors and we now 
have hardly enough left to cover the bones of our 
tribe. You are in the midst of your red children. 
We all shake hands with you. Behold our war- 
riors, our women and children. Take pity on 
us and on our words." 

The fourth of the treaties in question was 
that of Prairie du Chien, concluded July 29, 
1829, ceding the lake front from Kenilworth 
to Rogers Park, including Wilmette and 
Evanston and lands to the west, fully men- 
tioned in references to Ouilmette, his fam- 
ily and Reservation. 

The fifth of the treaties mentioned was 
the final treaty of Chicago, concluded Sep- 
tember 26, 1833, by which the Pottawato- 
mies ceded to the United States all that 



50 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



remained of their lands in Illinois and Wis- 
consin ("supposed to contain," the treaty 
says, "about five million acres"), and which 
provided for and resulted in their removal 
from Illinois and west of the Mississippi. 

There is a very numerous class of Ameri- 
can writers who have little or no sympa- 
thy with the Indian or his supposed rights ; 
they look upon him and the land he has oc- 
cupied as not only the inevitable, but the 
just spoil of advancing civilization. It must, 
however, be a man with a heart of stone 
that could view, without some feeling of 
sentiment, this once proud and powerful na- 
tion, compelled by circumstance to which 
they had made no contribution, to desert the 
land of their fathers and terminate a resi- 
dence of more than a century and a half, at 
the demand of more powerful masters. 

Chicago in 1833 was an insignificant 
frontier village ; but it was then the scene 
of a great and historic drama, both pictur- 
esque and pathetic. At the time the treaty 
was concluded an English writer, a gentle- 
man of learning — Charles J. Latrobe — was 
making a tour of this country, and was in 
Chicago. In a book dedicated to Washing- 
ton Irving, entitled "Rambler," printed in 
London in 1835, he describes the scene from 
which I quote : 

"When within five miles of Chicago we came to 
the first Indian encampment; five thousand Indians 
were said to be collected around this little upstart 
village. 

"We found the village on our arrival crowded 
to excess, and we procured with great difficulty a 
small apartment, comfortless and noisy from its 
close proximity to others, but quite as good as we 
could have hoped for. The Pottawatomies were 
encamped on all sides — on the wide level prairie 
beyond the scattered village, beneath the shelter 
of the low woods on the side of the small river, 
or to the leeward of the sand hills near the beach 
of the lake. They consisted of three principal 
tribes with certain adjuncts from smaller tribes. 
The main divisions are, the Pottawatomies of the 
prairie and those of the forest, and these are sub- 
divided into distinct villages under their several 
chiefs. . . . 

"A preliminary council had been held with the 
chiefs some days before our arrival. The princi- 
pal commissioner had opened it, as we learned, by 



stating that, 'as their great father in Washington 
had heard that they wished to sell their land, he 
had sent Commissioners to treat with them.' The 
Indians promptly answered by their organ 'that 
their great father in Washington must have seen a 
bad bird which had told him a lie, for that, far 
from wishing to sell their land, they wished to 
keep it.' The commissioner, nothing daunted, re- 
plied : 'That nevertheless, as they had come to- 
gether for a council, they must take the matter 
into consideration.' He then explained to them 
promptly the wishes and intentions of their great 
father, and asked their opinion thereon. Thus 
pressed, they looked at the sky, saw a few wander- 
ing clouds, and straightway adjourned sine die, 
as the weather is not clear enough for so solemn 
a council. 

"However, as the treaty had been opened, pro- 
vision was supplied to them by regular rations; 
and the same night they had great rejoicing — 
danced the war dance, and kept the eyes and ears 
of all open by running and howling about the 
village. 

"Such was the state of affairs on our arrival. 
Companies of old warriors might be seen sitting 
smoking under every bush, arguing, palavering or 
'pow-wowing' with great earnestness; but there 
seemed no possibility of bringing them to another 
council in a hurry. 

"Next in rank to the officers and commissioners, 
may be noticed certain store-keepers and mer- 
chants here; looking either to the influx of new 
settlers establishing themselves in the neighbor- 
hood, or those passing yet further to the westward, 
for custom and profit ; not to forget the chance of 
extraordinary occasions like the present. Add to 
these a doctor or two, two or three lawyers, a 
land agent, and five or six hotel-keepers. These 
may be considered as stationary, and proprietors 
of the half a hundred clap-board houses around 
you. 

"Then, for the birds of passage — exclusive 
of the Pottawatomies, of whom more anon — and 
emigrants and land speculators as numerous as the 
sands. You will find horse-dealers and horse- 
stealers ; rogues of every description, white, black, 
brown, and red ; half-breeds, quarter-breeds, and 
men of no breed at all ; dealers in pigs, poultry 
and potatoes ; men pursuing Indian claims, some 
for tracts of land, others, like our friend Snipe 
(one of his stage coach companions on the way), 
for pigs which wolves had eaten, creditors of the 
tribes or of particular Indians, who know that they 
have no chance of getting their money, if they do 
not get it from the government agents — sharpers 
of every degree; peddlers, grog-sellers, Indian 
agents and Indian traders of every description, 
and contractors to supply the Pottawatomies with 
food. The little village was in an uproar from 
morning to night, and from night to morning; for, 
during the hours of darkness, when the housed 
portion of the population of Chicago strove to ob- 
tain repose in the crowded plank edifices of the 
village, the Indians howled, sang, wept, yelled and 
whooped in their various encampments. 

"I loved to stroll out toward sunset across the 
river, and gaze upon the level horizon, stretching 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



51 



to the northwest over the surface of the prairie, 
dotted with innumerable objects far and near. 
Not far from the river lay many groups of tents 
constructed of coarse canvas, blankets and mats, 
and surmounted by poles supporting meat, moc- 
casins and rags. Their vicinity was always en- 
livened by various painted Indian figures, dressed 
in the most gaudy attire. The interior of the hov- 
els generally displayed a confined area, perhaps 
covered with a few half-rotten mats or shavings, 
upon which men. women, children and baggage 
were heaped pell-mell. 

"Far and wide the grassy prairie teemed with 
figures ; warriors mounted or on foot, squaws and 
horses; here a race between three or four Indian 
ponies, each carrying a double rider, whooping and 
yelling like fiends ; there a solitary horseman with 
a long spear, turbaned like an Arab, scouring 
along at full speed : groups of hobbled horses, In- 
dian dogs and children, or a grave conclave of 
gray chiefs seated on the grass in consultation. 

"It was amusing to wind silently from group to 
group — here noting the raised knife, the sudden 
drunken brawl, quashed by the good-natured and 
even playful interference of the neighbors; there 
a party breaking up their encampment, and falling 
with their little train of loaded ponies and wolfish 
dogs into tile deep, black narrow trail running to 
the north. You peep into a wigwam and see a 
domestic feud ; the chief sitting in dogged silence 
on the mat, while the women, of which there were 
commonly two or three in every dwelling, and who 
appeared every evening more elevated with the 
fumes of whisky than the males, read him a lect- 
ure. From another tent a constant voice of 
wrangling and weeping would proceed, when sud- 
denly an offended fair one would draw the mat 
aside, and taking a youth standing without by the 
hand, lead him apart and sitting down on the 
grass, set up the most indescriable whine as she 
told her grief. Then forward comes an Indian, 
staggering with his chum from a debauch; he is 
met by his squaw, with her child dangling in a 
fold of her blanket behind, and the sobbing and 
weeping which accompanies her whining appeal to 
him, as she hangs to his hand, would melt your 
heart, if you did not see that she was quite as tipsy 
as himself. . . . 

"It is a grievous thing that the government is 
not strong-handed enough to put a stop to the 
shameful and scandalous sale of whisky to those 
poor, miserable wretches. But here lie casks of 
it for sale under the very eyes of the Commis- 
sioners, met together for purposes which demand 
that sobriety should be maintained, were it only 
that no one should be able to lay at their door an 
accusation of unfair dealing, and of having taken 
advantage of the helpless Indian in a bargain, 
whereby the people of the United States were to 
be so greatly the gainers. . . . 

"Day after day passed. It was in vain that the 
signal gun from the fort gave notice of an as- 
semblage of chiefs at the council fire. Reasons 
were always found for its delay. One day an in- 
fluential chief was not in the way; another, the 
sky looked cloudy, and the Indian never performs 
an important business except the sky be clear. At 



length, on September 21st, the Pottawatomies re- 
solved to meet the Commissioners. We were 
politely invited to be present. 

"The council fire was lighted under a spacious 
open shed on the green meadow, on the opposite 
side of the river from that on which the fort 
stood. From the difficulty of getting all together, 
it was late in the afternoon when they assembled. 
There might be twenty or thirty chiefs present, 
seated at the lower end of the enclosure, while the 
commissioners, interpreters, etc., were at the up- 
per. The palaver was opened by the principal 
Commissioner. . . . 

"The relative positions of the Commissioners 
and the whites before the council fire, and that of 
the red children of the forest and prairie, were to 
me strikingly impressive. The glorious light of 
the setting sun streaming in under the low roof of 
the council house, fell full on the countenances of 
the former as they faced the west — while the pale 
light of the east hardly lighted up the dark and 
painted lineaments of the poor Indians, whose 
souls evidently clave to their birthright in that 
quarter. Even though convinced of the necessity 
of their removal, my heart bled for them in their 
desolation and decline. Ignorant and degraded 
as they may have been in their original state, their 
degradation is now ten-fold, after years of inter- 
course with the whites; and their speedy disap- 
pearance from the earth appears as certain as 
though it were already sealed and accomplished. 

"Your own reflections will lead you to form the 
conclusion — and it will be a just one — that even 
if he had the will, the power would be wanting for 
the Indian to keep his territory, and that the busi- 
ness of arranging the terms of an Indian treaty — 
whatever it might have been two hundred years 
ago, while the Indian tribes had not, as now, 
thrown aside the rude but vigorous intellectual 
character which distinguished many among them 
— now lies chiefly between the various traders, 
agents, creditors and balf-breeds of the tribes, 
on whom custom and necessity have made the de- 
graded chiefs dependent, and the Government 
agents. When the former have seen matters so 
far arranged their self-interests and various 
schemes and claims are likely to be fulfilled and 
allowed to their hearts' content, the silent acqui- 
escence of the Indian follows of course ; and till 
this is the case, the treaty can never be amicably 
effected. In fine, before we quitted Chicago on 
the 2oth, three or four days later, the treaty with 
the Pottawatomies was concluded — the Commis- 
sioners putting their hands, and the assembled 
chief their paws, to the same." 

Thus, as so ably described by the English 
writer, was consummated the transfer by 
which Illinois ceased to be the land of the 
Indian. The Indians received as compensa- 
tion for this vast grant $100,000 "to satisfy 
sundry individuals in behalf of whom res- 
ervations were asked, which the Commis- 
sioners refused to grant"; $175,000 to "sat- 



52 



OUR INDIAN PREDECESSORS 



isfy the claims made against" the Indians ; 
$100,000 to be paid in goods and provisions ; 
$280,000 to be paid in an annuity of $14,000 
each year for twenty years; $150,000 "to 
be applied to the erection of mills, farm 
houses, Indian houses, blacksmith shops, ag- 
ricultural improvements," etc., and $70,000 
"for purposes of education and the encour- 
agement of the domestic arts." 

One remarkable feature of this treaty is 
the fact that, by its provisions, some five 
hundred to one thousand persons, most of 
them with no Indian blood in their veins, 
derived personal gain from the transaction ; 
the allowance and payment of individual 
claims ranging in amount from a few dol- 
lars to many thousands, and, as already 
noted, about one-third of the cash consider- 
ation was thus disbursed. Among the in- 
dividual beneficiaries also appear the follow- 
ing: Alexander Robinson, $10,000 cash 
and $300 annuity, "in addition to annuities 
already granted" ; Billy Caldwell, $10,000 
cash and $400 annuity, "in addition to an- 
nuities already granted" ; John Kinzie 
Clark, $400 ; allowances to Ouilmette and 
his family, already noted ; "John K. Clark's 
Indian children $400" (John Kinzie Clark 
— see B. F. Hill's interview supra), and 
various allowances to the Kinzie *^amily. 

The mere reading of the treaty demon- 
strates that the "birds of pasage," "land 
speculators," "men pursuing Indian claims," 
"creditors of the tribe," "sharpers of every 
degree," and "Indian traders of every 
description," so graphically described by 
the English tourist, constituted no small 



minority of the assembly at Chicago on this 
occasion, or of those who had to do with 
framing that part of the treaty that pro- 
vided for the payment of individual claims. 

Three years after the signing of this last 
treaty and in the years 1835 and 1836, the 
Pottawatomies — or at least the most of 
them — then some 5,000 in number, were re- 
moved west of the Mississippi, into Mis- 
souri, near Fort Leavenworth. They re- 
mained there but a year or two on account 
of the hostility of the frontier settlers, and 
were again removed to Council Bluffs, and 
in a few years again to a reservation in 
Kansas, where three or four hundred of 
their number still exist, while others are in 
the Indian Territory. Their history since 
leaving Illinois has been in the main that 
of all the Indian tribes — a steady dwindling, 
until less than what was one-fourth of 
their numbers in 1836 now remain. 

These transactions are all within the 
memory of many living citizens. A little 
more than half a century has rolled by since 
these children of the prairie and of the for- 
est took their farewell look at old Lake 
Michigan and crossed, for the last time, in 
their westward journey, the plains and 
woods and streams of the land of the Illi- 
nois. Their fathers entered here with strong 
and bloody hands ; peacably, yet by still 
stronger hands, have they gone the way of 
all their race. They have caused the white 
man to hear and to speak of the last of the 
Illinois ; and soon — too soon — will the white 
man also hear of the last of the Pottawa- 
tomies. 



CHAPTER III. 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



The Beginning — First Meeting of the 
Founders — Prime Movers in the Enter- 
prise — Resolutions and Draft of Charter 
Adopted — The Legislature Acts — First 
Board of Trustees — Organisation Ef- 
fected — Search for a Site for the Neiv 
Institution — The Present Location at Ev- 
anston Finally Selected — Acquisition of 
Lands — Valuable Real Estate in Chicago 
Retained as Part of the Endowment — 
Election of a President is Decided Upon. 

Most American Universities that have 
attained to a position of strength and wide 
usefulness have had humble beginnings, 
and have gathered volume and momentum 
through a long period of years. They have 
acquired, too, in that time, a style and a 
spirit, all their own, which it is difficult to 
portray in words. It needs the experience 
and interest of an alumnus to give life to 
what would be the dreary details of its 
progress ; 3'et these details are what we call 
history. They are the footprints of its for- 
ward march. What Northwestern Univer- 
sity is now, is — to most of us — the thing 
that makes the story of interest. This will 
be hinted at in the progress of this narra- 
tion, and will be told more fully by other 
writers. The period of the existence of 
Northwestern University has been under 
the close observation of men now living. 
One of its original founders — then a young 



man, now full of years — still tarries among 
us, and some of its earliest graduates are 
still in the vigor of life. Its records are all 
accessible, unfaded as if written only yes- 
terday. Its growth coincides with that of 
the town in which it is located and the 
neighboring city. It is a perilous task to 
deal with names so familiar as the names of 
the men who have chiefly wrought out its 
fortunes, or with events so recent. We can 
deal more bravely, and perhaps more freely, 
with men and events of a few centuries 
gone. 

First Meeting of the Founders. — It was 
on May 31, 1850, that a little company of 
men gathered by appointment in the dingy 
law office of Grant Goodrich, on Lake 
Street, between Clark and Dearborn, in the 
City of Chicago, over the hardware store 
of Jabez K. Botsford. That region was 
then the very heart of the business life of 
Chicago. These men were convened for 
the ambitious purpose of establishing a uni- 
versity at what they considered the Center 
of Influence in the Northwest, under the 
patronage and government of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. Chicago then had three 
Methodist Churches: Clark Street, the 
munificent Mother of Chicago Methodism, 
on the South Side ; Canal Street on the 
West Side ; and Indiana Street Chapel on 
the North Side. The men present were 
representatives of those churches. The 



53 



54 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



most positive and aggressive among them 
were Grant Goodrich and John Evans. The 
latter was most Hkely the leader, for he was 
a man who dreamed great dreams, and then 
set to work to realize them. The roll of the 
founders who disposed themselves in the law 
office that day were: Rev. Richard Haney, 
then pastor of Clark Street Church; Rev. 
R. K. Blanchard, Pastor of Canal Street 
Church; Rev. Zadok HaU, Pastor of In- 
diana Street Church ; Grant Goodrich, An- 
drew J. Brown, John Evans, Orrington 
Lunt, Jabez K. Botsford and Henry W. 
Clark; three ministers of the gospel, three 
attorneys, one physician and two mer- 
chants evidenced that the future would 
not neglect the departments of Theology, 
Medicine, Law and, possibly. Commerce. 
These were devoted men, men of zeal, en- 
thusiastic Methodist Christians who had 
faith in the future and wished their church, 
in its educational work, to share in the op- 
portunities they believed the future had in 
store. There was, at that time, no institu- 
tion of college rank nearer than Galesburg, 
Illinois, where Knox College was situated. 
The only other colleges in the State at that 
time were Illinois College at Jacksonville, 
ShurtlefT at Alton, and McKendree at 
Lebanon ; and inasmuch as Chicago was to 
be the metropolis of the Northwest and a 
great center of population, it should also 
be a seat of learning. 

The chair was taken by Grant Goodrich. 
The work of the meeting had been cut and 
dried. Brother Goodrich had a little paper 
in his pocket which he was prepared to read, 
explaining the purpose of their gathering. 
He was the Methodist attorney of Chicago. 
There were other Methodi,st lawyers in 
Chicago, but he over-topped thein ; he was 
earlier in the field ; keen, combative, per- 
sistent, devoted to his clients and of stain- 
less honor, a man who wanted hi.s own wa\' 
and fought for it. There were men in 



that company who would give Brother 
Goodrich good battle if he left any weak 
points exposed, notably Dr. Evans, who had 
a mind of his own and no hesitancy or lack 
of skill in expressing it. The scheme of 
Northwestern Lhiiversity bears the marks 
of his far-seeing mind, whose plans were 
uniformly bold and full of faith, and which, 
with the added element of time, have, in 
almost every scheme with which he was 
connected, achieved a splendid result. 

Steps Taken for Founding the Univer- 
sity. — The purpose of the meeting was 
briefly explained. Andrew J. Brown was 
made Secretary, and then the paper was 
produced — the first formal step in the 
establishment of the University. That 
paper read as follows : 

"Whereas, The interests of sanctified learning 
require the immediate establishment of a univer- 
sity in the Northwest, under the patronage of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church : 

"Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed 
to prepare a draft of a charter to incorporate a 
literary university, to be located at Chicago, to 
be under the control and patronage of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, to be submitted to the 
next General Assembly of the State of Illinois. 

"Resolved, That said committee memorialize 
the Rock River, Wisconsin, Michigan and North 
Indiana Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, to mutually take part in the government 
and patronage of said university. 

"Resolved, That a committee of three be ap- 
pointed to ascertain what amount can be obtained 
for the erection and endowment of said institu- 
tion." 

These resolutions were spoken to by 
Rev. Richard Haney, the foremost preacher 
in Rock River Conference, at that early 
day pastor of its leading pulpit, a man of 
commanding presence and persuasive 
speech, and very loyal to his church and all 
her agencies, against whom posterity has no 
charge to make that he did not labor tire- 
lessly or wisely, or plan broadly for the 
coming years, and a man who was destined 



en 

!^ 

>^ 

> 




HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



55 



to be associated with Northwestern Univer- 
sity, as a Trustee, till his death, and who, 
during that time, never missed an annual 
meeting of its Board of Trustees, save one, 
when sickness interfered. 

Then Dr. Evans spoke, with kindling eye 
and with the fervid speech of a great pro- 
moter. He saw the future in the instant. 
He would associate the cause of education 
with the inevitable growth of Chicago and 
the increase of values of property. Let 
men sacrifice something now, and the com- 
ing peoples would pay tribute to their de- 
votion and sagacity, was the burden of his 
speech. 

The resolutions were unanimously 
adopted. The two committees suggested 
were appointed : First, On the Charter — 
John Evans, A. J. Brown, E. G. Meek, A. 
S. Sherman and Grant Goodrich; Second, 
On Co-operation of Northwest Conferences 
—Rev. R. Haney, Rev. R. H. Blanchard 
and Dr. John Evans. They were requested 
to report in two weeks from that date, at 
three o'clock p. m., at the Clark Street 
parsonage. They meant business, and the 
committees went immediately about their 
work. Promptly at three o'clock of the 
day appointed, the brethren gathered in the 
parlor of Brother Haney 's parsonage on 
Clark Street, in the rear of the First Church. 
Dr. Evans reported for his committee the 
draft of a charter as follows : 

Form of Charter Proposed. 

Section i. — Be it enacted by the people of the 
State of Illinois, represented in the General As- 
sembly : That Richard Haney, Philo Judson, S. P. 
Keyes and A. E. Phelps, and such persons as shall 
be appointed by the Rock River Annual Confer- 
ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church to suc- 
ceed them in the said office; Henry Summers, 
Elihu Springer, David Brooks and Elmore Yo- 
cum, and such persons as shall be appointed by 
the Wisconsin Annual Conference of said Church 
to succeed them; four individuals, if chosen, and 
such persons as shall be appointed to succeed 
them by the Michigan Annual Conference of said 



Church ; four individuals, if chosen, and such 
persons as shall be appointed to succeed them by 
the North Indiana Annual Conference of said 
Church; H. W. Reed, I. I. Stewart, D. N. Smith 
and George M. Teas, and such persons as shall be 
appointed to succeed them by the Iowa Annual 
Conference of said Church; four individuals, if 
chosen, and such persons as shall be appointed to 
succeed them by the Illinois Annual Conference of 
said Church ; A. S. Sherman, Grant Goodrich, 
Andrew J. Brown, John Evans, Orrington Lunt. 
J. K. Botsford, Joseph Kettlestrings. George F. 
Foster, Eri Reynolds, John M. Arnold, Absalom 
Funk and E. B. Kingsley, and such persons, citi- 
zens of Chicago or its vicinity, as shall be ap- 
pointed by the Board of Trustees hereby consti- 
tuted to succeed them ; be and they are hereby 
created and constituted a body politic and corpor- 
ate, under the name and title of the Trustees of the 
Northwestern University, and henceforth shall be 
styled and known by that name, and by name and 
style to remain and have perpetual succession, with 
power to sue and to be sued, plead and be implead- 
ed, to acquire, hold and convey property, real, per- 
sonal or mixed, in all lawful ways ; to have and to 
use a common seal and to alter the same at pleas- 
ure ; to make and alter, from time to time, such by- 
laws as they may deem necessary for the govern- 
ment of said institution, its officers and servants, 
provided such by-laws are not inconsistent with 
the Constitution and laws of this State and of the 
United States, and to confer on such persons as 
may be considered worthy such academical or hon- 
orary degrees as are usually conveyed by similar 
institutions. 

Section 2. — The term of office of said Trustees 
shall be four years, but that of one member of the 
Board for each Conference enjoying the appoint- 
ing power by this act, and (the) term of three of 
the members whose successors are to be ap- 
pointed by the Board hereby coni^tituted, shall ex- 
pire annually, the term of each member of the 
Board herein named to be fixed by lot at the first 
meeting of said Board, which Board shall, in 
manner above specified, have perpetual succession, 
and shall hold the property of said institution sole- 
ly for the purposes of education, and not as a 
stock for the individual benefit of themselves or 
any contributor to the endowment of the same ; 
and no particular religious faith shall be required 
of those who become students of the institution. 
Nine members shall constitute a quorum for the 
transaction of any business of the Board, except 
the appointment of President or Professor, or the 



56 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



establishment of chairs in said institution, and the 
enactment of by-laws for its government, for which 
the presence of a majority of the Board shall be 
necessary. 

Section $. — Said Annual Conference of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, under whose con- 
trol and patronage said University is placed, shall 
each also have the right to appoint annually two 
suitable persons, members of their own body, 
visitors to said University, who shall attend the 
examination of students, and be entitled to par- 
ticipate in the deliberations of the Board of 
Trustees and enjoy all the privileges of members 
of said Board, except the right to vote. 

Section 4.— Said institution shall remain located 
in or near the City of Chicago, Cook County, and 
the corporators and their successors shall be com- 
petent in law or equity to take to themselves, in 
their said corporate name, real, personal or mixed 
estate, by gift, grant, bargain and sale, conveyance, 
will, devise or bequest of any person or persons 
whomsoever; and the same estate, whether real, 
personal or mixed, to grant, bargain, sell, convey, 
devise, let, place out at interest, or otherwise dis- 
pose of the same for the use of said institution in 
such manner as to them shall seem most beneficial 
to said institution. Said corporation shall faith- 
fully apply all the funds collected, or the proceeds 
of the property belonging to the said institution, 
according to their best judgment, in erecting and 
completing suitable buildings, supporting necessary 
officers, instructors and servants, and procuring 
books, maps, charts, globes and philosophical, 
chemical and other apparatus necessary to the 
success of the institution, and do all other acts 
usually performed by similar institutions that may 
be deemed necessary or useful to the success of 
said institution, under the restrictions herein im- 
posed : Provided, nevertheless, that in case any 
donation, devise or bequest shall be made for par- 
ticular purposes, accordant with the design of the 
institution, and the corporation shall accept the 
same, every such donation, devise or bequest shall 
be applied in conformity with the express condi- 
tions of the donor or devisor: provided, further, 
that said corporation shall not be allowed to hold 
more than two thousand acres of land at any one 
time, unless the said corporation shall have re- 
ceived the same gift, grant or devise; and in such 
case they shall be required to sell or dispose of the 
same within ten years from the time they shall 
acquire such title ; and, on failure to do so, such 
lands, over and above the before-named two thou- 



sand acres, shall revert to the original donor, 
grantor, devisor or their heirs. 

Section 5. — The Treasurer of the institution, 
and all other agents when required, before entering 
upon the duties of their appointment, shall give 
bond for the security of the corporation in such 
penal sums, and with such securities as the cor- 
poration shall approve, and all process against the 
corporation shall be by summons, and the service 
of the same shall be by leaving an attested copy 
thereof with the Treasurer, at least sixty days be- 
fore the return day thereof. 

Section 6. — The corporation shall have power to 
employ and appoint a President or Principal for 
said institution, and all such professors or teachers 
and all such servants as shall be necessary, and 
shall have power to displace any or such of them 
as the interest of the institution shall require, to 
fill vacancies which may happen by death, resig- 
nation or otherwise, among said officers and ser- 
vants, and to prescribe and direct the course of 
studies to be pursued in said institution. 

Section 7. — The corporation shall have power to 
establish departments for the study of any and all 
the learned and liberal professions in the same, to 
confer the degree of doctor in the learned arts and 
sciences and belles-lettres, and to confer such other 
academical degrees as are usually conferred by the 
most learned institutions. 

Section 8. — Said institution shall have the power 
to institute a board of competent persons, always 
including the faculty, who shall examine such in- 
dividuals as shall apply, and if such applicants are 
found to possess such knowledge pursued in said 
institution as, in the judgment of said Board, ren- 
ders them worthy, they may be considered gradu- 
ates in course, and shall be entitled to diplomas ac- 
cordingly on paying such fee as the corporation 
shall afifix, which fee, however, shall in no case 
exceed the tuition bills of the full course of studies 
in said institution. Said Examination Board 
may not exceed the number of ten, three of whom 
may transact business, provided one be of the 
faculty. 

Section 9. — Should the corporation at any time 
act contrary to the provisions of this charter, or 
fail to comply with the same, upon complaint 
being made to the Circuit Court of Cook County, a 
scire facias shall issue, and the Circuit Attorney 
shall prosecute, on behalf of the people of this 
State, for the forfeiture of this charter. 

This act shall be a public act, and shall be con- 
strued liberally in all courts, for the purpose 
herein e.xpressed. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



57 



The draft of the charter was approved 
as read, and it was agreed that the Legis- 
lature, at its ensuing session, should be 
asked to enact it into law. A memorial 
was framed at the same meeting to the dif- 
ferent conferences in the region of the 
Northwest, asking their participation. Min- 
nesota, Nebraska and the Dakotas were then 
unknown quantities in their conception of 
the Northwest, and were not included in 
the memorial. 

Organization is Effected — -The charter 
became a law at the ensuing session of the 
Legislature, the act being signed by Sidney 
Breese, Speaker of the House, and Lieuten- 
ant-Governor William McMurtry, as Presi- 
dent of the Senate, and received the approval 
of Gov. A. C. French, January 28, 185 1. On 
the 14th of June, next ensuing, the first 
meeting of the corporation was held for 
purposes of organization, and their first 
formal action was the election of Dr. N. S. 
Davis as Trustee, to succeed Eri Reynolds, 
one of the charter members, who had died. 
They accepted the act of the Legislature, 
divided the members into classes by lot, and 
adopted a plan of operations for the estab- 
lishment of the College of Liberal Arts, 
with a President who should be Professor 
of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy, a 
Professor of Mathematics, one of Natural 
Sciences, and another of Modern Lan- 
guages. A Preparatory School was like- 
wise contemplated in the City of Chicago, 
where thefe was not, at that time, even a 
high school, and steps were taken to raise 
money for these purposes. Beginning at 
the bottom, their thought was, first, to set 
the Preparatory School in operation. For 
this purpose twenty-five thousand dollars 
was needed. It was firmly resolved, "that 
no debts should be contracted or money ex- 
pended, without the means be first pro- 
vided," and Congress was to be memorial- 
ized for a grant of lands to the Northwest- 



ern LTniversity. Nothing ever resulted from 
this memorial, but the Trustees were not 
idle in other directions. They organized 
by the election of Dr. John Evans, the 
master spirit among them, as President; 
A. S. Sherman as Vice-President; Andrew 
J. Brown as Secretary ; and Jabez K. 
Botsford as Treasurer. These, with Grant 
Goodrich, George F. Foster and Dr. N. S. 
Davis, constituted the Executive Commit- 
tee of the Board. 

Seeking a Site. — The Committee on Site 
for the Preparatory School reported 
August 4, 1852, recommending the purchase 
of the property of the First Universalist 
Society in Chicago, which had a frontage 
of eighty feet on Washington Street, about 
the middle of the block east of the Clark 
Street Methodist Episcopal Church, at a 
cost of four thousand dollars, one-half cash 
and the balance in three years, at six per 
cent interest. On August 28th they raised 
their bid on this property to forty-eight 
hundred dollars, and started a subscription 
for the purpose of securing funds. Evi- 
dently there was a hitch in the negotiations, 
for the Board appointed Dr. Evans and 
Orrington Lunt to view other lots for the 
same purpose. That committee turned aside 
from the Universalist Church property, and 
recommended the purchase of a lot about 
two hundred feet square at the corner of 
LaSalle and Jackson Streets, from P. F. W. 
Peck. This situation was thought to be 
a little remote, but, the lot being larger, it 
was deemed more desirable for the pro- 
posed Preparatory School, and the purchase 
was consummated — a thousand dollars be- 
ing paid down, contributed by a few of the 
brethren. The title was taken in the name 
of John Evans, to be later transferred to 
the Trustees of Northwestern University. 
The consideration was eight thousand dol- 
lars. 



58 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



Erection of Building Authorized. — On 

September 22, 1852, the erection of a build- 
ing upon this property was authorized, to 
accommodate three hundred students, and, 
on the same date a committee was ap- 
pointed, consisting of S. P. Keyes, N. S. 
Davis and Orrington Lunt, to recommend 
a site for the Collegiate Department. The 
ambition and scope of these early founders 
is seen in a series of resolutions adopted 
at this meeting, appealing to the Methodist 
people of the Northwest not to multiply 
higher institutions of learning, but to con- 
centrate their effort upon a single institu- 
tion, viz., the Northwestern University, 
and to make it an institution of the highest 
order of excellence, complete in all its 
parts; and, further, they resolved to ask 
from the Legislature power to establish pre- 
paratory schools in different sections of the 
Northwest, and to affiliate preparatory in- 
stitutions already in existence. 

In the following October Rev. Philo Jud- 
son was appointed to solicit subscriptions 
for the new enterprise. He had been pastor 
of the Clark Street Church, was an accom- 
plished and influential preacher and a man 
of affairs, with just the make-up to 
appeal to the constituency of the new 
institution. His first duty was to obtain 
funds for the Preparatory School on La- 
Salle Street. 

Site for Collegiate Department Sought. 
— But the developments with reference to 
the site of the Collegiate Department were 
destined to turn the Trustees away from 
Chicago. The Committee on Site con- 
sidered a location at Rose Hill, strongly 
commended by William B. Ogden ; a farm 
near Jefferson was looked upon with favor ; 
then the Lake Shore in the region of Win- 
netka and Lake Forest. The region contig- 
uous to Chicago on the north, because it 
was swampy, was usually avoided in going 



north by taking what was known as the 
"Old Sand Road." This road veered to 
the northwest at a point half a mile west 
of the northern limit of Lincoln Park — at 
that time an old Chicago Cemetery — and 
struck the Ridge Road just north of what 
is now Rose Hill Cemetery, then known as 
Rose's Ridge. Thus, to the ordinary 
traveler, the region north of Lincoln Park, 
adjoining the lake, was a terra incognita. 
Orrington Lunt had casually visited that 
region and demanded, before a location was 
settled upon, that the Lake Shore be ex- 
plored. He delayed a decision upon the 
Jefferson property and arranged a tour of 
inspection of the Lake Shore. Andrew J. 
Brown recalls it as of the Fourth of July, 
1853. Disposed in various vehicles, the 
Trustees took the Sand Road, stopped for 
lunch at the Rose's Ridge Tavern, and 
pursued their way along the Ridge Road 
to what is the corner of Ridge Avenue and 
Clark Street ; thence following an old cow 
path easterly, over the slough in the region of 
Davis Street and Sherman Avenue, they 
found themselves in a splendid oak forest 
skirting the Lake Shore, the remains of 
which will help us to recall that scene of ex- 
ploration for a university site fifty years 
ago. To see it was to desire it. 
Three hundred and eighty acres lay 
in a single tract, owned by Dr. J. 
H. Foster. The price asked was twenty- 
five thousand dollars — far in excess of its 
value, as values were then estimated. The 
terms were easy ; one thousand dollars 
down, the balance in ten years at si.x per 
cent interest. Releases might be given from 
time to time on payment of one hundred 
dollars per acre. The purchase was con- 
summated, and the college site and college 
town, made up of forest and swamp, was 
permanently located. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 59 

It was decided that it was "inexpedient Bank, would furnish valuable endowment 

to erect a Preparatory School in the City for the fledgling college, 

of Chicago at the present time" ; the chosen The Trustees decided likewise to elect a 

site for that building, however, was good President of the institution, whose first duty 

enough to keep, and, in the years to come, should be to procure subscriptions and plan 

as the site of the Grand Pacific Hotel, and for the establishment of an endowment for 

later, of the Illinois Trust and Savings the University. 



CHAPTER IV. 



INSTITUTION IN DEVELOPMENT 



Dr. Hinman Chosen First President — Sale 
of Scholarships Begins — Career of the 
New President Cut Short by His Early 
Death — Tozvn Platted and Named in 
Honor of Dr. John Evans — Garrett Bib- 
lical Institute Established — First Corps 
of College Professors Elected — Universi- 
ty Assets in 1854 — Four-Mile Anti- 
Liquor District Established by Act of the 
Legislature — The Teaching Force In- 
creased-— Dr. Evans' Land Policy — The 
Institution is Opened for Pupils — Some 
of the First Students. 

At the meeting of June 23, 1853, Dr. 
Clark T. Hinman was unanimously elected 
the first President of the University- He 
was thirty-six years of age, a Trustee from 
Michigan Conference and principal of Al- 
bion Seminary. He was a graduate of 
Wesleyan University, Connecticut, and had 
been principal of Newbury Seminary, in 
Vermont. He was a man of zeal and 
method. He laid hands upon one and an- 
other of the Trustees, and took them out 
among their business acquaintances to give 
him an opportunity to present his cause. 
The scheme of raising money, which was 
adopted, and which Dr. Hinman was 
especially to present, was by the sale of 
scholarships. Perpetual scholarships were 
issued, which were to entitle to tuition the 
purchaser, his son or grandson and other 



descendants by will, and were sold for one 
hundred dollars; transferable scholarships 
were sold for one hundred dollars, entitling 
the holder to five hundred dollars in tuition ; 
and scholarships were sold for fifty dollars, 
entitling the holder to two hundred dollars 
in tuition. A bond was issued on the first 
payment, and the scholarship was to be 
issued on the completion of payments with- 
in an allotted time. One-half of the funds 
from these sales was to be used for pur- 
poses of instruction, and the other half for 
the purchase of lands, not to exceed twelve 
hundred acres, as a site for the University 
and for the erection of buildings. The 
Trustees evidently thought that some tan- 
gible equivalent must be tendered for 
money spent for education in that early 
day. Scholarships certainly proved market- 
able ; and, if the same zeal had been exer- 
cised in the careful collection of the 
amounts pledged for them as was shown in 
their sale, the growth of the institution 
would have been more rapid ; for Dr. Hin- 
man disposed of them with great success 
among all sorts and conditions of men — on 
W'ater Street, among commission men and 
grain dealers ; on Canal Street, to the lum- 
ber men ; in town, to the merchants ; and 
in the country, to the farmers. In the short 
period of his service he sold scholarships 
to the amount of $64,600, while others, under 
the stimulus of his activity, sold $37,000 



61 



62 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



worth. He was dreaming, meanwhile, of 
the institution whose financial foundations 
he sought to lay, but death overtook him 
ere his dream had been realized. He died 
in 1854, one year before the formal open- 
ing of the institution in which he hoped to 
teach as Professor of Moral and Intellectual 
Philosophy. 

Town Platted and Named — Public Parks. 
— In the meantime, the land purchased by 
the Trustees from Dr. Foster, and some 
two hundred and forty-eight acres adjoining 
it on the west, which had been purchased 
by Andrew J. Brown and Harvey B. Hurd, 
was laid out into lots and blocks, and platted 
and named Evanston, in honor of Dr. John 
Evans. The University's part was bounded 
on the west by Sherman Avenue. What lay 
west of Sherman Avenue was in the Brown 
and Hurd tract. Many of the avenues and 
streets bear the names of the favorite 
friends of the University — as Orrington 
Avenue, named for Orrington Lunt ; Sher- 
man Avenue, for A. S. Sherman ; Hinman 
Avenue, for Dr. Hinman, the first President ; 
Judson Avenue, for Rev. Philo Judson; 
Davis Street, in honor of Dr. N. S. Davis. 
Six public parks were included in the 
plan to beautify the future Evanston, and 
the Lake Shore, from Davis Street to Uni- 
versity Place, east of Michigan Avenue, 
was dedicated to the same purpose. The 
contemplated campus extended from the 
projection eastward of the south line of 
Foster Street to the north line of University 
Place — a beautiful and spacious campus, 
respected Founders, but hardly enough for 
a university of so ambitious a title as yours. 
But Block I, to Simpson Street — so they 
thought — might be used as a campus in an 
emergency, and they still held lands to 
the north, unplatted, which might be used 
for the same purpose, but which, in their 
wildest dreams, they did not fancy would be 
needed for the campus of the institution 
they were founding. 



Garrett Biblical Institute Founded. 

— The scheme of a Biblical Institute had 
been started in Chicago by the same found- 
ers, and Eliza Garrett, by her will, had ar- 
ranged for the endowment of such an insti- 
tution ; but the beginnings of the institution 
were had in February, 1854. To them the 
Trustees of the University offered a site at 
a nominal rent. The oiTer was accepted 
and an institution established on the campus 
that was destined to make splendid history 
in theological education. Streets were 
graded in the growing town ; transporta- 
tion was furnished by the Chicago & Mil- 
waukee Railroad — now the ^Milwaukee di- 
vision of the Chicago Northwestern — the 
right of way for which was given by Brown 
& Hurd. It is notable that this gift was 
coupled with the agreement that all pas- 
senger trains should stop at Evanston — an 
agreement that it would be difficult for the 
road to fulfill. 

Not content with their three hundred 
acres of ground, the Billings farm (con- 
tiguous to their first purchase) was bought, 
consisting of twenty-eight acres, for three 
thousand dollars. They chose to forget, for 
the time being, one of their earlier resolu- 
tions, viz. : "Resolved, That no debts shall 
be contracted or money expended without 
the means be first provided." It was a 
purchase on time, and time, they believed, 
was on their side. Values of their sub- 
divided property were advancing. They 
could soon open their school, possibly in 
1855. To this end they elected a small 
corps of professors in June, 1854: Henry 
S. Noyes, Professor of Mathematics ; W. 
D. Godman, Professor of Greek ; and Abel 
Stevens, Professor of Literature. 

When the Treasurer made his report in 
1854, the assets of the University, in land, 
notes and subscriptions, were estimated at 
$281,915, with liabilities of $32,255.04. The 
Foster purchase had increased in value from 
$25,000 to $102,000; the Billings farm from 



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HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



63 



$3,000 to $4,200 ; and the Peck purchase, 
from $8,000 to $43,400. Subscriptions to 
scholarships made up the remainder of the 
estimated weaUh. 

Site of the University Described. — 
It was probably at the annual meeting in 
June, 1854, that the hopeful feeling and 
aggressive spirit of the Trustees of the 
institution were voiced in a report which 
was of the nature of a proclamation and 
formulation of their plans, as thus far de- 
veloped. They offered devout praise to 
God and their sincere thanks to the found- 
ers for the present success and the future 
prospects of the University. They described 
the location at Evanston in glowing terms, 
stating that, "On the shore of Lake IMichi- 
gan, eleven miles north of the City of Chi- 
cago and on the line of the Chicago & 
Milwaukee Railroad — the site being large, 
beautiful and healthful, including some four 
hundred and forty acres of land, sufficiently 
elevated above the lake and the surrounding 
country to afford an extensive view of each, 
extending nearly two miles along the shore 
and about one-half of it covered with a 
young and thrifty forest in its natural state, 
affording the lovers of good taste everv 
facility desirable for the most lovely resi- 
dence in the country — a town has been laid 
out and named Evanston. The University 
buildings will occupy the latitudinal center 
of the town and the highest point of land, 
covered with a beautiful grove, and inclin- 
ing at an angle of some thirty degrees 
toward the lake shore." They add that, 
"In respect of the motive in selecting the 
site of the University and establishing the 
institution, neither local prejudice nor a 
spirit of opposition to kindred institutions 
has had any place in the hearts of its 
friends, but rather a desire to meet ad- 
equately the growing need in the Northwest 
of a university of the highest grade, adapted 
to the country, to its increasing prosperity 



and the advanced state of learning in the 
present age. Its location makes it central 
for the entire Northwest; and the magni- 
tude of the enterprise, by developing the 
educational resources of the country on a 
large scale, and by stimulating a spirit of 
noble, generous rivalry, will benefit institu- 
tions of every grade. We very frankly, and 
we hope not ostentatiously, aver our design 
of making it an institution second to none, 
and worthy of the country in which it is 
located and its name, 'The Northwestern 
University.' " 

Teaching Features of the University. — 
The\- then proceed to state its distinctive 
features : Undergraduate courses of in- 
struction ; Post-Graduate courses ; a Med- 
ical Department in the near future; a Law 
School. But immediate attention was to be 
given to the College of Literature, Science 
and the Arts, with a classical course of four 
years, a scientific course and an elective 
course of the same duration. The condi- 
tions of admission were to be the same as 
those of other colleges of the country, not 
excepting Yale or Harvard. The scheme 
of contemplated professorships numbered 
fourteen, among which were some not vet 
realized; as a Professorship of the Fine 
Arts and Arts of Design, a Professorship 
of Didactics, of Physical Education and 
Hygiene. Young men were had in mind for 
these various chairs, some of whom were to 
increase their efficiency by devoting a year 
or more to travel in Europe and to study in 
the best Eastern Universities, comparing 
their own modes of instruction and proliting 
by the society of the ripest scholars of the 
age. Abel Stevens, William D. Godman 
and Henry S. Noyes had been selected for 
Literature, Greek and Mathematics. The 
merits of these men were set forth in a 
manner that showed their confidence, as, for 
instance: "To speak of their qualifications 
is superfluous" ; and then, speaking of 



64 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



Abel Stevens, they say: "As a rhetorician 
and finished scholar in English Literature, 
Abel Stevens stands beside the finest writ- 
ers of the nation, and as a preacher, and 
particularly a platform speaker, is unsur- 
passed in America." The commendation 
was doubtless merited ; but their expres- 
sions lead us to say, verily those founders 
knew how to blow the Northwestern trum- 
pet. 

They hoped to fill the remaining chairs, 
or such as were needed, at the subsequent 
session. They presented a tabulation of 
their net assets, showing the estimate of their 
resources in land and promises at $250,000, 
to which they proposed to add $150,000 by 
the sale of scholarships, and $100,000 by 
donations — the last for the purpose of erect- 
ing suitable buildings, including an observa- 
tory, and purchasing a library, cabinet, ap- 
paratus and other university fixtures. This 
report, or proclamation, was signed by 
Grant Goodrich, Chairman of the Commit- 
tee, attorney and special pleader for the in- 
fant University, and bears date July 4, 1854 
— the spirit of the -day, no doubt, giving 
color to his rhetoric and a touch of ex- 
travagance to the document. But he was in 
earnest, and so were they all. 

When the Board met in June, 1855, Dr. 
Hinman, was no longer with them. That 
eager spirit had succumbed to the burden of 
his labors. He had undertaken to increase 
the endowment from the sale of scholar- 
ships to $250,000, and to secure the needed 
$100,000 for the erection of buildings. 
There is every probability that, with his 
rare faculty for influencing men, he would 
have accomplished even more than he had 
undertaken had time permitted. Fitting 
resolutions were passed, recounting the ser- 
vice which this gifted young man had 
rendered and the hopes that were enter- 
tained of him. Those inadequate resolu- 
tions have perished ; at least, they are not 



of record. His monument is in the insti- 
tution he helped to found; and, while it 
lives, his name and his service will not be 
forgotten. They sought two years later to 
perpetuate his memory by some monument 
on the college grounds. It is, perhaps, well 
that they failed in this, for he partakes, with 
others, in the monumental character of the 
entire University enterprise to the devotion 
and sacrifice of its founders. 

At this session of the Board the liberal 
policy of the institution was signalized by 
the grant of a large lot for the Evanston 
public schools, and it was decided that the 
formal opening of the University should 
take place on November 1st of the same 
year. A building was in course of erection, 
at the southeast corner of Block 20, on 
Davis Street, near Hinman Avenue, in 
which to house the infant college. Sub- 
scriptions, running through three years had 
been taken for this purpose. That building 
is with us still : the "Old College" on the 
campus, a building about fifty feet in width 
and forty feet in depth, of three stories in 
height with an attic and a belfry. It con- 
tained six class-rooms, a chapel, a small 
museum and halls for two literary societies, 
with three rooms in the attic, where, with 
a little oat-meal for food, a few aspiring 
students might board themselves and com- 
pensate the University for their rent by 
ringing the college bell. The chapel fur- 
nished the meeting place of the Society of 
the First Methodist Church until they 
erected a church edifice of their own. 
Other meetings, political and social, were 
also held there. 

The liberal spirit of the founders was 
further evidenced at this meeting by the 
adoption of the report of the Committee on 
Professorships, which declared that, "In 
the election of Professors of Northwestern 
University, the Board of Trustees will have 
reference to character and qualifications 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



alone: that is to say, that a professor need 
not necessarily be a Methodist." 

The Anti-Liquor Limit Established. — 
It was at this meeting that an amend- 
ment to their charter, enacted at the last 
session of the Legislature, was accepted, 
two sections of which were fraught with 
tremendous issues for the future institution. 
Section ii provided that, "No spirituous, 
vinous or fermented liquors shall be sold, 
under license or otherwise, within four 
miles of the location of said University, ex- 
cept for medicinal, mechanical or sacra- 
mental purposes, under a penalty of twenty- 
five dollars for each ofifense, to be re- 
covered before any Justice of the Peace in 
said County of Cook; provided, that so 
much of this act as relates to the sale of 
intoxicating drinks within four miles may 
be repealed by the General Assembly when- 
ever they think proper." This created a 
prohibition district, ostensibly for the pro- 
tection of the students against the tempta- 
tions of the saloon, and incidentally protect- 
ing the city that should grow up about the 
University from the evils of the liquor traf- 
fic ; and against this prohibition, the arts 
and persistence of the traffic in ardent 
spirits were to be continuously exerted. 
The third section of the amendment or- 
ganized the University into a Trust Com- 
pany, presumably for its own benefit, but 
its language was broader than that. It 
said, "The said corporation shall have 
power to take, hold, use and manage, lease 
and dispose of all such property, as may in 
any manner come to said corporation, 
charged with any trust or trusts, in con- 
formity with such trusts and direction, and 
to execute all such trusts as may be confided 
to it." Section 4 conceded the public value 
of such an institution as the Northwestern 
University, and ordained. "That all prop- 
erty, of whatever kind or description, be- 
longing to or owned by said corporation, 



shall be forever free from ta.xation for 
any and all purposes. This act shall be 
public and take effect from and after its 
passage." It was signed by the Speaker 
of the House and President of the Senate, 
and approved by Joel A. Matteson, Gover- 
nor, February 14, 1855. 

On June 15th the chosen corps of teach- 
ers was sought to be increased by the ad- 
dition of Dr. J. V. Z. Blaney, to the pros- 
pective faculty, as Professor of Chemistry, 
of whom similar high praise could be given, 
as to fitness for the work upon which 
he was expected to enter, as to his colleagues 
in the notable pronunciamento of July 4, 
1854; but it was discovered that there was 
not a sufficient number of Trustees present 
to constitute a quorum for the election of 
professors, so the election was declared 
void, but, in 1857, he was duly elected to 
the chair of Natural Science. 

It was now apparent that it would be 
difficult to hold the entire territory of the 
Northwest to the policy of a single institu- 
tion, for the Trustees were requested to 
permit cancelling of notes taken in Iowa for 
the sale of scholarships, or to allow the 
notes and subscriptions to be transferred 
to the Iowa Wesleyan University. The 
request was not granted, but it gave evi- 
dence of a tendency which was sadly noted 
to localize interests in the matter of educa- 
tion in portions of the district, which had 
been chosen as the field for the University. 

In July, 1855, a movement was started 
by Dr. Evans, and strongly advocated by 
him, seeking to fasten upon the Trustees 
the policy of withholding its property from 
sale and reserving it e.xclusively for pur- 
poses of lease. That far-sighted man saw 
clearly the value of the property for pur- 
pose of endowment, but overlooked the 
practical difficulty of successfully maintain- 
ing possession of a large body of land 
within the limits of a corporation such as 



66 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



Evanston was destined to be, on such a 
basis. With their usual sagacity, the 
Trustees laid his resolution on the table, 
even though Dr. Evans urged it with his 
usual vigor and persistence. 

University Opened — First Students. — 

The frame building on Davis Street was 
completed for occupancy by November, 
1855, and circulars had been sent out in- 
viting the Northwestern students to as- 
semble. Professor Noyes was on hand to 
teach mathematics, and Professor Godman, 
likewise, to teach the classics. Professor 
Abel Stevens did not appear ; nor was he 
greatly needed, for there were only ten 
students in all, and their requirements could 
be easily met by two instructors. Indeed, 
though Professor Stevens was announced 
for the following year, he did not even then 
appear; and the name of Abel Stevens, the 
gifted historian of Methodism, is connected 
with the fortunes of Northwestern only 
as a "Might have Been." The roll of pupils 
for that year will always be of interest, 
as the advance guard of that great com- 
pany that, in time, should be permanently 
enrolled as students of the University. 
There were Thomas E. Annis, Winchester 
E. Clifford, Samuel L. Eastman, J. Marshall 
Godman, Horace A. Goodrich, C. F. Staf- 



ford, Hart L. Stewart, Albert Lamb and 
Elhanon Q. Searle. There is one name 
lacking, but history has often to bewail that 
there are blanks that cannot easily be filled. 
These were, somehow, grouped in a Fresh- 
man Class — an awkward squad, I warrant, 
of unequal preparation ; but the professors 
had time to spend on individual cases, so 
that the awkward squad were drilled into 
the uniformity of a Freshman Class. A lit- 
erary society was organized and named in 
honor of the lamented Dr. Hinman. It 
inherited his library as a part of its equip- 
ment, and was assigned a room for its 
sessions in the northeast corner of the third 
story of the college building. Greek, Latin 
and Mathematics, with declamations on 
Saturday, formed the program of instruc- 
tion. Permits must be secured for absence 
from town, and church services must be 
religiously attended on Sunday ; such was 
the routine of that first college year. 
Tuition, when not covered by a scholarship, 
was forty-five dollars per annum, with 
other fees amounting to nine dollars. The 
price of board was from two dollars and a 
half to three dollars and a half per week, in 
homes of the early settlers. The college bell 
tolled out the hours of recitation and de- 
votion, and the beginnings of college life 
in Evanston were laid. 



CHAPTKR V. 



COXDITIONS IN 1856-1860 



Trustees Meet in Their Own Building — 
Dr. R. S. Foster Elected the Second Pres- 
ident — The Faculty Enlarged — Absorp- 
tion of Rush Medical College Projected — 
Competitors Enter the Field — Professor 
Jones' "Fern. Sent." — President Foster 
Visits the University, but Obtains a 
Year's Leave of Absence — He Joins the 
Faculty in iS^y — The Assets of the In- 
stitution Increased to Nearly $^16,000 — 
Reinforcement of the Faculty — First 
Graduated Class in 1859 — Dr. Foster Re- 
signs the Presidency and Dr. E. O. Haven 
Becomes His Successor. 

In June of 1856 the Trustees met under 
their own roof in the little chapel of the 
University Building. They had made a be- 
ginning. Two professors had been at work 
at salaries of fifteen hundred dollars per 
annum. An agent had been busy in the sale 
of lots and scholarships. Their land was 
assuming the character of a settlement. 
The frogs were still croaking in the low 
places, but drainage had been started by 
"The Drainage Committee," and the frogs 
were given notice to quit or, at least, to go 
as far south as Dempster Street. 

Dr. Foster Elected Second President. — 
The Board of Trustees thought they re- 
quired a President soon, to give direction 
and leadership and help them in acquiring 
the resources needful for their work. Two 



names were especially canvassed : Those of 
Randolph S. Foster and E. Otis Haven, 
both rising men of unusual talent. The 
election resulted in fifteen votes for Dr. 
R. S. Foster and nine for Dr. E. O. Haven. 
The election of Dr. Foster was made unani- 
mous, with but one dissenting vote. He was 
thirty-six years of age and had already 
acquired a brilliant reputation as a pulpit 
orator, and was then serving a prominent 
church in New York. He was to fill the 
chair of Intellectual and Moral Philosophy 
in connection with the Presidency. His 
salary was to be two thousand dollars a 
year. A thousand dollars was appropriated 
for books. The chair of Latin Language 
and Literature was filled by the election of 
Daniel Bonbright, a young man of great 
promise, then a tutor in Yale College. His 
service was not to begin at once, but he was 
to be allowed a year's absence in Europe be- 
fore taking up the work. 

Tentative steps were taken at this meet- 
ing to carry out the university idea, to 
which the Trustees tenaciously held, by 
requesting Rush Medical College, which 
was now in its infancy, and Garrett Biblical 
Institute, to unite with them in a University 
organization for the purpose of conferring 
degrees; but the doctors and theologians 
preferred their single blessedness, at least 
for the present. They were willing to occupy 
a sisterly relation, but nothing more. There 



67 



f 



68 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



was little use for a seal as yet on diplomas, 
but one was desirable in the execution of 
scholarships and real estate instruments of 
the corporation. For this purpose a design 
was chosen, consisting of an open book with 
radiating rays of light encircled by the 
words, "Northwestern University." This 
was to give place, later, to a somewhat 
more ornate design ; but it was destined to 
do duty for many years in the authorization 
of titles to land and scholarships, and upon 
the parchments of the early graduates. 

The minds of the brethren were deeply 
stirred over an incident that was brought to 
their notice at this time. They could not 
easily understand why Iowa Wesleyan 
University should spring up within their 
territorx-, but the matter vi'as brought very 
close to them when Rev. W. P. Jones se- 
cured a charter for the Northwestern Fe- 
male College and Male Preparatory School, 
and flung out his banners within easy hail 
of the building where they were assembled. 
He had appropriated their name and func- 
tion; he was aggressive and purposeful. 
They appointed a committee, on which was 
the shrewd attorney. Grant Goodrich, and 
the saintly Hooper Crews, to dissuade him. 
But neither the law nor the gospel were 
effective to divert the professor from his 
chosen name or purpose. Threats of prose- 
cution from the lawyer and persuasion from 
the preacher were alike futile. He even had 
the temerity to appear, later, before the 
Trustees and request the use of their build- 
ing until such time as his quarters should 
be ready for occupancy. It does not require 
historical or other imagination to picture 
the promptness with which Professor Jones 
was shown the door. However, the estab- 
lishment of what was known as the "Fem. 
Sem." was not similarly hailed by the 
students of the college. It was counted a 
boon, and often, I doubt not, when the as- 
siduous attention of college students by day 



and by night made life a burden to the said 
professor, he was led to wonder if, indeed, 
he had not committed an error in invading 
the territory of Northwestern University 
with his Northwestern Female College. 
However, it lived on, doing good work 
until it was merged in the institution whose 
Trustees it at first defied. 

In July, 1856, the President-elect ap- 
peared to look over his heritage and exhort 
the Trustees to larger undertakings. New 
and appropriate buildings he evidently 
thought necessary, for the Board immedi- 
ately resolved to prepare plans for perma- 
nent structures. He asked them to excuse 
him from entering upon his office for the 
period of one year, so that he might con- 
tinue for that time in the service of Trinity 
Methodist Episcopal Church of New York. 
His request was granted and the funds that 
otherwise would have been devoted to his 
salary were appropriated to the enrichment 
of the library. Evidently Dr. Foster came 
again in September to the opening of the 
college year, for the first recorded minutes 
of the faculty bear date, September 16, 
1856. It took place in the study of Pro- 
fessor Noyes. There were present: Ran- 
dolph S. Foster, President ; Henry S. 
Noyes, Professor of Mathematics; and 
William D. Godman, Professor of Greek. 
It was agreed that, in the absence of the 
President for the ensuing year, the duties 
of the faculty should be divided as follows : 
Professor Noyes should assume the admin- 
istration of discipline and act as Treasurer ; 
Professor Godman should be Secretary 
and Librarian. One other item of business 
is recorded : "Resolved, That a Bible class 
be formed and taught on the Sabbath day. 
Professor Noyes to teach it." The next 
meeting took place October 13, 1856, and 
its record is as follows : 

"In Faculty assembled. Resolved, That 
a student whose credit in recitations falls 



o 
z 



r, 

> 




HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



69 



below the average for the term, shall fall 
out of his class to the next lower ; if a 
Freshman, his recitations are postponed for 
the year. W. D. Godman, Sec'y." 

Thus these two, in faculty assembled, 
carried on the interior legislation of the 
infant University during that year, col- 
lecting fees, attending to the library, doing 
all but the janitor work, which was dis- 
charged by some embryo statesmen who 
lived in the attic, at the munificent compen- 
sation of two dollars a week. 

Dr. Foster appeared on the 5th of June, 
1857, and then there were three. They were 
not so lonesome. They even held two 
faculty meetings in a month, and the records 
lengthen to a page and bristle with sug- 
gestions to the Trustees as to what should 
be done to push the fortunes of the little 
college. There had been twenty-two 
students in attendance during the year — a 
gain of over one hundred per cent. Among 
them I note the familiar names of Henry 
M. Kidder, W. A. Spencer, A. C. Linn, 
Homer A. Plympton, James W. Haney and 
I. jMcCaskey. There were two classes now. 
The library had grown to two thousand 
volumes. The museum had been begun 
under the enthusiastic labors of Robert Ken- 
nicott. They issued a circular in the sum- 
mer of 1857, promising three classes for 
the ensuing year, and a fourth, if students 
with advanced standing should make appli- 
cation ; also an academic school, which 
should be a private enterprise where pre- 
paratory branches of study would be taught, 
students, partially prepared for college, be- 
ing permitted to spend a part of their time 
in college, the rest in the academy. They 
hesitated about the establishment of an 
academy under university auspices. They 
had not issued a catalogue as yet. Professor 
Bonbright was given permission to remain 
abroad another year, and the working force 
of the college was to be reinforced by the 



arrival of Dr. J. V. Z. Blaney, Professor 
of Natural Science, and the sum of one 
thousand dollars was appropriated for the 
purchase of philosophical and chemical ap- 
paratus. 

Financial Conditions During 1857. — 
The sessions of the Trustees for 1857 
give out no sign of the embarrassment that 
was prevailing in the business world. They 
took careful account of their assets in va- 
rious schedules, and reported them as 
$315,845.30 in excess of their liabilities. 
The jubilant Financial Agent, in his fourth 
annual report, says: "Seldom, if ever, has 
it been the good fortune of an institution, 
unless endowed by very liberal bequests, to 
present in its infancy such a pecuniary 
basis as is shown by the exhibit herewith 
submitted. Four years since this institution 
was an experiment, and, by many, thought 
to be a visionary one. The entire capital 
consisted in whatever of profit or advantage 
might accrue from the ownership of six- 
teen lots in Chicago, which were held by 
Dr. Evans, and upon which a few in- 
dividuals had made advances of one 
thousand dollars, with the intention of plac- 
ing the investment to the account of the 
University. During that and the ensuing 
year, subscriptions to the amount of 
$22,440, payable in four equal annual in- 
stallments, were obtained. The site of the 
institution and that part of the now flourish- 
ing city of Evanston, constituting the 
original purchase — about three hundred and 
eighty acres — was bought of Dr. John H. 
Foster for $25,000, which sum, less one 
thousand dollars, was to remain for ten 
years at six per cent interest. This pur- 
chase, and the sixteen lots in Chicago 
which were subsequently conveyed to the 
Trustees at the original cost of $8,000 and 
expenses, together with two. parcels of land 
since purchased and sold at an advance, 
constitute the principal sources from which 






70 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



the present capital of the University has 
been derived. To the amount thus obtained 
add the proceeds of scholarships sold, and 
you have the assets above indicated." 

It is small wonder that Brother Judson 
was jubilant, and, with the rapid settlement 
of Evanston and sale of lots, could meet 
the hard times with a smile. The schedule 
of expenses shows to some extent the rough 
work that the University was called upon 
to do in order to provide for its educational 
plant. It is largely made up of items, such 
as surveying and platting, grading, clearing 
streets, ditching, chopping, fencing, bridg- 
ing, draining, grubbing, building break- 
waters — indeed, the whole vocabulary of 
the pioneer was taxed to describe their op- 
erations. Meantime, while the Trustees 
were grubbing and chopping their way to 
the material enrichment of their institution, 
students and teachers were grubbing and 
chopping their way, under disadvantages, 
to the accomplishment of their ideals. One 
of the reported schedules of this year gives 
the names of purchasers of homesteads in 
Evanston — some eighty-five in number, all 
well known Methodist names — who were to 
make up the members left of the delightful 
company of old settlers, whose neighborli- 
ness and hospitality, whose simple kindliness 
and approachability, made Evanston a good 
place for a homesick boy to happen into. 
Most of these people purchased in blocks 
contiguous to University Place, usually a 
hundred feet front, and at prices ranging 
from five to ten dollars a foot. The cat- 
alogue of 1859 announced that there were 
twelve hundred inhabitants in Evanston. 
The desert and the solitary place were being 
made glad by habitation. The hard times 
were somewhat reflected in the financial re- 
port of the following year, when a gain of 
only about three thousand dollars was re- 
ported ; and, though the purchase money 
on Evanston lands was not due until 1863, 



they passed a resolution setting aside fifty 
thousand dollars in securities, for the pay- 
ment of that debt and for the erection of 
buildings, provided no other resources were 
received for those purposes. 

Professor Bonbright was notified to ap- 
pear in Evanston and take up his work in 
1858. More students were expected that 
year, and arrangements were made to in- 
sure for them board with G. W. Reynolds, 
at $2.50 per week, including washing, light, 
fuel and room, and he was loaned five 
hundred dollars to assist in carrying out 
the difficult project. Surveying and leveling 
instruments were furnished Professor 
Noyes in connection with his work, which 
were to be procured "with the least possible 
outlay of funds."' If the Trustees had 
known what good use he would make of 
them, and how much he would save them as 
a practical surveyor, they would not have 
been so niggardly in their grant. 

The year 1857 passed uneventfully in 
the little college. The faculty was reinforced 
by the service of a tutor, S. L. Eastman, 
whose duty it was to assist in preparatory 
classes. The library was increased and the 
foundations of the museum were growing, 
in the Northwestern class-room, under the 
skillful hands of Robert Kennicott. Thus, 
another year rolled round with Dr. Foster 
as President. There were twenty-nine 
students in all, and they were on the eve 
of sending out the first graduating class. 
On recommendation of the faculty, the de- 
gree of Bachelor of Arts was conferred 
upon Thomas E. Annis, Winchester E. 
Clifford. Samuel L. Eastman and Elhanon 
O. Searles, and the degree of Bachelor of 
Philosophy upon Henry M. Kidder. These 
were to be the advance guard of the army 
of Northwestern graduates. In June of 
1859 the members of this class made their 
graduating orations and departed from the 
scenes of their scholastic training. These 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



71 



early graduating exercises were events in 
Evanston, when the men who had developed 
under the eye of the community took their 
leave of scenes that had become familiar. 
The people were interested in them, and 
thronged the little church to hear their 
orations. The farewell of the President was 
touching and personal, for he knew these 
men, had interested himself in them person- 
ally, and regarded their going away as a 
father regards the departure of his sons 
from the old home. The coming years 
might add the dignity of numbers to com- 
mencement occasions, but they would lack 
the sweet flavor of personal acquaintance 
and the inspiration of departure amid the 
regrets and tender farewells of a commu- 
nity who would watch the careers of the 
departing students with solicitude and hope. 

The Financial Agent, Rev. Philo Judson, 
had now resigned and Prof. Henry S. 
Noyes, in addition to his duties as professor, 
was appointed Agent of the University. 
He had previously looked after the financial 
affairs incidental to college expenses, tu- 
ition, etc., and now, in the most painstaking 
way, he was to carry, for a time, the burden 
of property management and business detail 
that was so vital to the institution. Though 
an excellent scholar and thorough mathe- 
matician, he was a man of affairs. He knew 
men and things as well as books, and was 
not niggardly of service of any sort that 
might advance the work that was dear to 
him. 

The Trustees were a little alarmed lest 
the expenses of the growing college should 
outstrip the receipts, and their alarm took 
the form of a resolution instructing the 
Executive Committee to bring the expenses 
of the institution within the available in- 
come. The budget showed expenses of 
five thousand dollars a year in excess of the 
income. It was truly alarming. They 
raised a subscription to lessen the deficit and 



arranged to pay teachers in land when other 
resources failed. 

Dr. Haven Succeeds to the Presidency. 
— By June. 186(1. Dr. Foster had resigned 
the presidency ; his library was added to 
the University library, and he returned to 
what was, to him, the more attractive work 
of the pastorate in New York City, leaving 
behind him memories of his genial and 
helpful presence and his inspiring eloquence 
that graced any occasion when he was the 
orator. Dr. E. O. Haven was elected in 
his place. His name had been turned down 
at the previous election ; this time the 
Trustees were turned down, and that all- 
round, indefatigable, and adaptable pro- 
fessor, Henry S. Noyes, was made Vice- 
President. Dr. Foster's departure was signal- 
ized by a resolution which voiced the deep 
regret over his going: "Resolved, That 
the intercourse of Dr. Foster with the Board 
has been that of the Christian minister and 
the Christian gentleman, and that his con- 
nection with the University has manifested 
his intelligence and earnest devotion to the 
cause of education, and that his influence of 
the members of the University was such as 
endears his memory to all the friends of 
the institution, and that the best wishes of 
the Board attend him to the avocation of the 
Christian ministry." They were still under 
the spell of his charming presence and en- 
gaging speech when they wrote that. And 
what opportunities those Trustees and 
students had in those days, to sit under the 
preaching of such men as Foster and 
Simpson and Dempster! — giants whom the 
moderns have hardly duplicated. But there 
were serviceable men to come. Professor 
Noyes, if not showy, was substantial and 
useful beyond many more brilliant men. 
In matters of discipline he was kind. 
Mischievous fellows used to hyphenate his 
name and called him Professor No-ves. But 



72 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



they found to their sorrow that, when oc- 
casion demanded it, in matters of disciphne, 
his Yes was Yea, and his No, Nay — and 
there was no appeal. He met the in-coming 
student with a warm greeting that dissi- 
pated his homesickness, and his lovely wife 
supplemented his labors with such graceful 
kindness as made the new-comer feel that 
Evanston was all right as long as these 
people were in town. 



There were thirty students in 1859-60, 
and the ranks of the graduates were in- 
creased by the names of A. C. Linn, W. A. 
Lord, H. A. Plympton, E. Q. Searles, M. 
C. Spaulding, B. A. Springer and H. L. 
Stewart, who received the degree of A. B., 
and W. H. H. Raleigh who received the de- 
gree of Ph. B. The Academy was now duly 
organized, with a principal of its own, War- 
ren Taplin being first called to that office. 



CHAPTER VI. 



PERIODS OF DEPRESSION AND GROWTH 



Changes of Faculty — Charter Amendments 
Adopted — Effect of the Civil War on 
N timber of Students — Accessions to the 
Faculty — Unic'crsity Land Debt is Liqui- 
dated — Orrington Lunt Land Donation 
for Benefit of Library — University Hall 
Projected — Accession of Students and 
Teaching Force Folloiving the War 
Period — New Prizes Serve as a Stimulus 
to the Students — First Honorary Degrees 
Conferred — Corporate Name is Changed 
— Professors' SaJaries Increased and 
Erection of University Hall Prosecuted 
—A "Gold Brick" Donation — Encourag- 
ing Financial Development — Death of 
Acting President Noyes. 

In 1860-61 there had been forty-three 
students in College and forty-nine in the 
Academy, the library had been increased to 
over three thousand volumes, and the cur- 
riculum had remained the same, with its 
emphasis on Latin, Greek and Mathematics. 
Dr. Godman resigned his chair in Greek in 
i860, thereby reducing the teaching force 
of the college. The presumption is, that the 
burden of his work fell on the broad 
shoulders of Professor Noyes, who was al- 
ready carrying Mathematics and the Acting 
Presidency, besides acting as Secretary of 
the Board of Trustees and Financial Agent ; 
and, in view of his responsibilities, six 
hundred dollars was added to his salary 



over that of the other professors. It was 
an efficient and economical arrangement ; 
but how about the not too strong Professor ? 
He is weaving his life into his work with- 
out stint. 

A formal transfer of assets was now 
made to J. G. Hamilton, as Trustee, to the 
extent of $37,949, to meet approaching in- 
debtedness, and, as a result, he was ready 
to meet Dr. Foster, the mortgagee of the 
Evanston lands, when he called for pay- 
ment in 1863. Dr. Bonbright now takes his 
place as Secretary of the faculty, to keep 
its records almost continuously till 1873. 

In 1 86 1 amendments were added to the 
charter, regulating the number and work 
of Trustees appointed by the Annual Con- 
ferences, and providing that any chartered 
institution of learning may become a de- 
partment of this University, by agreement 
between the Boards of Trustees of both 
institutions. They are still coquetting with 
Rush Medical College and Garrett Biblical 
Institute, and have serious intentions as to 
a Law School. They had made some in- 
vestment in the property of Rock River 
Seminary at Mt. Morris, Illinois, probably 
in the neighborhood of five thousand dol- 
lars. A creditor had seized upon it and it 
was liable to be alienated. They were will- 
ing to relinquish their claim if it could be 
saved by local friends, but it passed from 
under Methodist control, and the first of 



73 



74 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



their ventures in affiliated preparatory 
schools, as provided for by their charter, 
was a failure. 

The Civil War — Financial Conditions. 
The existence of the War of the Rebel- 
lion was reflected in college life in 1862, 
in the resignation by Dr. J. V. Z. Blaney, 
of the Chair of Natural Science. He was 
parted with sadly, and the best wishes of 
the little college followed him in the patriotic 
service in which he engaged. Many of the 
students followed him in the service, among 
them being Plympton, McCaskey, Spencer 
and Haney, H. A. Pearsons, O. C. Foster, 
Charles F. Smith and M. C. Springer, and 
many others whose names are lost to us; 
and, from time to time, the Recruiting Ser- 
geant, with his fife and drum, found Evan- 
ston and its students a fruitful field for re- 
cruiting operations, seriously thinning the 
ranks and causing the faculty to invoke the 
authority of the distant parents as to 
whether or not their boys should be per- 
mitted to enlist. 

In consequence of the depletion of the 
faculty, Drs. Dempster and Bannister were 
called to assist in the work of instruction. 
Clark Street Methodist Episcopal Church 
offered in 1862 to open its church doors in 
Chicago for the commencement exercises — 
a proposition which was declined on the 
ground of the smallness of the class; so 
that, on that occasion, the rafters of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church at Evanston 
resounded with the eloquence of Robert 
Bentlev, Isaac McCaskey, William T. Rose, 
David Sterrit and Bennett B. Botsford 
The number of students, all told, that year, 
had dwindled to eighty-nine. The Senior 
class of 1862-63 was reduced by enlistments 
to two persons, and one of these had no 
sooner doffed his scholastic gown than he 
put on the soldier's uniform and marched 
away to his country's service. Still, there 
was a gain of preparatory students that 



year, and the aggregate number on the col- 
lege roll was slightly increased. 

June 18, 1862, Oliver Marcy was elected 
to the Chair of Natural Science and 
Physics, to succeed Dr. Blaney, who was 
made Professor Emeritus. Professor 
Marc}- had been teaching at Wilbraham, 
Mass. He was an enthusiast in his work 
and a most genial and painstaking teacher, 
who was destined to a long and honorable 
service in his new relations. Rev. N. H. 
Axtell, later an honored member of Rock 
River Conference, was likewise added to 
the teaching force during the year as Prin- 
cipal of the Academy, assisted by A. C. 
Linn, a graduate of the class of t86o, as 
Tutor in Mathematics and Latin — a sturdy, 
thorough-going teacher who was soon to 
enter the service of his country and lay 
down his life in her cause. 

The income of the University was now 
estimated by a judicious committee, con- 
sisting of Bishop Simpson, J. G. Hamilton 
and Prof. H. S. Noyes, at $5,594, and its 
whole property was valued at $225,000. 
Evidently there had been a great shrink- 
age from former valuations, or a strong 
desire to stimulate donations by putting an 
exceedingly conservative estimate upon the 
property. At any rate, the pressure was 
upon the Trustees to provide better build- 
ings and better boarding accommodations, 
in order to appeal to new students and to 
hold those already in attendance. From time 
to time the matter was earnestly discussed 
bv the Trustees. A building known as the 
Club House, now located on Orrington 
Avenue, near Clark Street, capable of ac- 
commodating about twenty students, was 
the result of this agitation — the first experi- 
ment of the University in the matter of dor- 
mitories. Fifteen thousand dollars worth 
of scholarship notes was likewise set apart 
as a building fund, besides ten thousand 



a 

w 

o 
t-' 

o 

o 
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HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



75 



dollars from prospective sales of University 
lands. The rest must wait upon donations. 

In November, 1863, James G. Hamilton, 
the University Treasurer, announced the 
fulfilment of his trust in the matter of the 
payment of the University debt, for which 
$39,000 of assets had been put in his hands. 
It was a happy consummation. It realized 
the forethought of the fathers and nerved 
them to still larger undertakings. A definite 
plan for locating upon the campus the build- 
ings that were sure to come with the prog- 
ress of time was now devised ; and the 
services of the eloquent Dr. Tiffany were 
secured, as Financial Agent, to see if his 
powers of persuasion could not unlock the 
pursestrings of numerous patrons to the 
extent of providing funds for the projected 
buildings. The cost of the main building 
was to be one hundred thousand dollars, 
and some were sanguine enough to believe 
that, in the space of a few months, that 
silver-tongued orator could coin his speech 
into the needed amount. But the task was 
too difficult : few contributions were secured 
by the gifted agent, and Rev. S. A. W. 
Jewett took up the task with little better 
success. 

Accessions to the Teaching Force. — 
In 1865 the name of Rev. Louis Kistler 
appears as a temporary appointment to the 
Chair of Greek and Principal of the Pre- 
paratory Department. This appointment 
was made permanent the following year. 
He was an animated instructor, full of ac- 
tion, and knew his subject well. His eccen- 
tricities were such as to interest his students 
and give rise to those mischievous pranks 
that students are wont to play where there is 
opportunity. He had his favorite pupils : 
among them a young Scot, fresh from the 
farm in Lake County, appealed to his 
partiality by his conscientious devotion to 
his work and his uniform e.xcellence in his 
classes — Robert Baird, who was destined to 



write after his name, "Professor of Greek 
Language and Literature." Those of us 
who sat under Prof. Kistler will readily con- 
cede to him that, in the class-room, he put 
a spirit and fire into Homer's heroic lines 
that we were unable to acquire in the ordi- 
nary use of our lexicons. 

It was during the year 1865 that Orring- 
ton Lunt, upon whose heart rested heavily 
the educational work of the church, donated 
a tract of one hundred and fifty-seven acres 
of land in George Smith's Sub-division, ad- 
joining Wilmette, which was to be applied 
to library endowment. The conditions of 
this donation involved a few financial obli- 
gations on the part of the University, which 
were gladly met in view of the prospective 
value of this library endowment, and, stimu- 
lated by the gift, the Trustees set themselves 
afresh to the task of college buildings. They 
employed an architect — G. P. Randall, of 
Chicago — who designed the building that is 
now known as University Hall. It was 
a fascinating thing, when drawn on paper 
as it yvould be when drawn in stone, dom- 
inating the campus and sounding out the 
hours from its watch-tower to the genera- 
tions of coming students. But how to 
build it was the question which still re- 
mained unanswered. 

In 1865 and 1866 we note the name of 
George Strobridge as Principal of the 
Academy. He had returned from the war 
to the peaceful pursuit of pedagogy, and 
John Poucher was his assistant. 

In 1866 a new name was added to the 
corps of instructors — that of David H. 
Wheeler, Professor of History and English 
Literature — a genial and accomplished 
scholar and elegant writer, who had seen 
much of the world and was destined to 
make a marked impression while he re- 
mained in this corner of it. 

The items of Trustee business of these 
years are somewhat dreary reading — made 



76 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



up, as they were, of transactions concerning 
the property of the University, of repairs 
and improvements of one sort or another, 
the discussion of the problem of shore pro- 
tection, and of various ways and means for 
the enlargement of property interests and 
the raising of funds. But all this is of 
exceeding importance, in order that the 
professors may be supported in their work 
and the students kept at their tasks with 
the increasing facilities that they require. 
And the work goes on. Evans, Lunt, Bots- 
ford, Hamilton, Cook, Noyes and Hoag — 
as the Executive Committee — did the busi- 
ness that must be done, held things together 
and hoped for improvement and growth. 

The increase of college students was not 
rapid, but the academy numbers had 
reached one hundred and five in 1866, with a 
roll of seven teachers, among them being the 
new names of John Ellis and Edmund W. 
Burke — the Judge Burke, that is to be, 
though, to be honest, we did not then 
suspect it. The catalogue of that year blos- 
soms out unexpectedly with the announce- 
ment of the Lunt Prize in Philology, the 
Haskin Prize in Mathematics, the Hurd 
Prize in Physical Science, the Kedzie Prize 
in Declamation and the Hamilton Prize in 
Composition and Reading. These prizes 
gave a marvelous stimulus to things. It all 
came out of the effort of John A. Copeland 
to start a prize declamation contest, a few 
years before, when a petition was presented 
to the faculty, which was duly discussed and 
about which there was much hesitation, 
though the petition was granted that a prize 
declamation contest be permitted. Tom 
Strobridge won the first prize and Will 
Comstock the second. The occasion aroused 
an interest such as the University had rarely 
known. The contestants had raised the 
funds for their prizes, but thereafter, as it 
appeared, kind friends would furnish them. 

One incident of 1866 shows how difficult 



it was for the Trustees to anticipate the 
future requirements of the University. A 
deed was given to the heirs of John Demp- 
ster for what was known as Dempster's 
Sub-division, which cut the campus in twain 
in the region of the deep ditch which runs 
from Sheridan Road to the Lake, north of 
Cook Street. This was the result of a pre- 
vious contract, executed at a time when the 
Trustees might have been forgiven for 
their lack of foresight. The Garrett Bibli- 
cal Institute had been located on the campus 
just south of the property described; and, 
to imagine that the remainder of the cam- 
pus would suffice for the needs of the grow- 
ing institution, was a fallacy that it required 
but little time to prove. In the same year 
the Presbyterians were given a site for a 
church. The Baptists and Congregational- 
ists were similarly treated, and when they 
had no house of worship, they were wel- 
come to the College Chapel. During the 
same year the corporate name of the Uni- 
versity was changed from "Trustees of the 
Northwestern University" to "Northwestern 
University." Other names were suggested, 
but the Trustees clung tenaciously to the 
idea with which they started, of a univer- 
sity for the Northwest. The Treasurer's 
report for that year showed assets to the 
amount of $419,751.50 and subscriptions 
to the University Hall amounting to 
$48,000. 

The first honorary degrees given by the 
University were bestowed in 1866, when 
George W. Quereau, George M. Steele, and 
George S. Hare were given the degree of 
Doctor of Divinity, and, upon Randolph S. 
Foster and Joseph Cummings were con- 
ferred the degree of Doctor of Laws. 

Professor Bonbright continued to act as 
Secretary of the Faculty till 1869, when 
Professor Marcy relieved him for a number 
of years. During this period the faculty re- 
mained unchanged. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



n 



Increase in Salaries and Assets. — 
A strong desire was manifested in 1867 
to see the erection of University Hall 
pushed to completion. Matters were look- 
ing much more hopeful. The income from 
endowment had been found sufificient to 
warrant increasing the salaries of the pro- 
fessors from $1,500 to $2,000 per annum, 
and within a year the assets had increased 
over $40,000. The building was now under- 
taken in a very cautious manner. It was to 
be constructed of Athens stone, and, with 
the discreetness that always characterized 
them, the Trustees proposed to stop and 
roof the building over when it reached a 
point beyond which their available funds 
would not enable them to proceed. H. B. 
Hurd proposed in this emergency — and the 
proposition carried — that the building be 
completed to the roof and enclosed before 
halting in the enterprise. Their hearts were 
gladdened by the announcement made 
by Prof. Louis Kistler, that one William 
Walker, of Kankakee, proposed to give the 
munificent sum of thirty thousand dollars 
for the completion of the building. It was a 
cruel disappointment when the discovery 
was made that Lord Walker's specialty was 
subscribing to various benevolent enter- 
prises. His benefactions, however, were of 
the "gold-brick" variety. The Trustees of 
Garrett Biblical Institute were treated to a 
similar experience at the dedication of Heck 
Hall. But there were those who promised 
and performed ; and in an emergency, a 
loan could be safely made, so the University 
Hall was assured. The building went on, 
giving marvelous stimulus to the work of 
the college, as voiced in the last report of 
Professor Noyes as Secretary and Financial 
Agent, made in June, 1868, in which he 
says : "The work of the new college build- 
ing is progressing with gratifying rapidity. 
Its erection has greatly inspired public con- 
fidence in the permanent growth of Evan- 



ston, and had a marked influence in en- 
hancing the prices of University property. 
It can no longer be doubted that the resolu- 
tion adopted at the last meeting of the 
Board, to proceed at once with the building, 
was a wise and prudent measure. The 
early completion of the edifice will hasten 
the day of its more complete and generous 
endowment." 

He reported the assets of the institution 
at $703,706.08, with a net income of nearly 
seventeen thousand dollars during 1866. 
The Snyder farm had been purchased, 
south of Dempster Street, running from 
Chicago Avenue to the lake, at a cost of 
$26,623.12, and, by June loth, sales and 
leases of that property, were made by Pro- 
fessor Noyes, amounting to $42,445, leav- 
ing a profit above the original investment 
of $15,821.88, to which should be added, as 
a conservative estimate, lots unsold to the 
value of $74,470, and all within the space 
of two years. Verily, if subscriptions to 
the new building were not forthcoming, 
they could turn aside to their old procedure 
of building up the University on the in- 
crease of land values. This transaction 
Professor Noyes carried through ; sur- 
veyed and sub-divided the grounds, mar- 
keted the property up to 1868, and it has 
since proved one of the choicest of the 
University's holdings. His work was nearly 
done. His strength, never great, was break- 
ing under the load that he had carried and 
he needed rest and change. The Trustees 
complimented him for his fidelity as he laid 
down his tasks — all but his teaching and 
secretaryship of the Board. Miss Willard 
has well said of him: "No one ever con- 
nected with the institution has placed upon 
it a more skillful hand, or at a time when 
it was more plastic to his touch. To the 
last syllable of recorded time, his name 
should be associated with the Northwestern 



78 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 

University, and doubtless it will some day tution. T. C. Hoag, the former Treasurer 

be permanently connected with some build- of the University, now succeeded to the du- 

ing of the growing group upon the College ties of Agent, bringing to the task a large 

campus." He relinquished his work in 1869 business experience and orderly habits in the 

and his secretaryship in 1870, and was ten- conduct of affairs. For more than twenty- 

derly laid to rest, at Rosehill Cemetery, in five years he was to continue in the dis- 

1872. Professor D. H. Wheeler succeeded charge of that office or of the treasurership, 

him in the Acting Presidency of the insti- giving good account of his stewardship. 



CHAPTER VII. 



A DECADE OF CHANGE 



Chicago Medical College Merged in the 
University— A "Toivn and Gozvn" Con- 
test — Dr. Erastns O. Haven Enters 
Upon the Presidency — Women Admitted 
to College Classes— Addition to the Fac- 
idty — Greenleaf Library — College Jour- 
nals — Dr. Haven is Succeeded in the 
Presidency by Dr. C. H. Fozvler— In- 
crease of Students and Growth of College 
Catalogue— Coeducation Established and 
Miss Frances E. Willard Joins the Fac- 
ulty — Gymnasium Erected — Financial 
Embarrassment— President Fowler Re- 
tires and Dr. Oliver H. Marcy Becomes 
Acting President— The University Wins 
on the Ta.vation Issue — Life-Saving Sta- 
tion Established. 

The Chicago Medical College had now 
become an integral part of Northwestern 
University, located on the corner of Prairie 
Avenue and Twenty-sixth Street, Chicago, 
in close conjunction with Alercy Hospital. 
The University aided in the erection of its 
building and felt great pride in the new 
connection, which was largely brought 
about through the agency of Dr. N. S. 
Davis, an early Trustee of the University 
and deeply interested in the cause of medi- 
cal education. The income of the Univer- 
sity had now been enhanced by returns from 
the La Salle Street lots, which had been 



leased to the Grand Pacific Hotel corpora- 
tion, and the future looked brighter. 

In the catalogue of 1868-69 there appears, 
for the first time, the name of Robert M. 
Cumnock, Instructor in Elocution, with 
the modest compensation of three dollars a 
week. His time as an instructor would 
command that much an hour a few years 
later. His services proved so acceptable 
that he was paid three hundred dollars the 
following year for such services as he ren- 
dered in connection with the College 
students. He was a rising man and has 
risen to be one of the fixed stars in the 
firmament of the University. The name of 
Robert Baird now appears, too, as Instruc- 
tor in Greek in the Academy. He, too, was 
a rising man, on his way to become a fixed 
star, so to speak, in the University constel- 
lation, but died deeply regretted during 
the year 1905. 

Town and Gown Contest — New Build- 
ings. — Most colleges have had their town 
and gown experiences and, growing up, as 
the Town of Evanston has done, under the 
shadow of the University, it would almost 
seem that experiences of hostility would be 
avoided ; but the student body was con- 
stantly discovering that they were regarded 
as an element that had few rights at the 
hands of the native-born, and more than 
once they had rough treatment at the hands 
of the town boys. Nor is it to be wondered 



79 



8o 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



at that the owners of melon patches, to the 
south and on the ridge, regarded the student 
community with some suspicion during the 
period when the juicy melon ripens on its 
vine. But the Trustees, too, had their 
troubles in 1869, when the Town vs. Gown 
spirit was manifested by a visitation of vil- 
lagers to the Trustees' Board on the subject 
of taxation. They were respectfully heard 
and were told that the Trustees had troubles 
of their own in maintaining an institution 
that would be a credit to all concerned, even 
with the subsidy given by the State in the 
form of exemption from general taxation; 
and, then, Grant Goodrich took the floor 
and informed the visitors as to what the 
University had done for the town, was do- 
ing and would continue to do, and what 
were its rights under its charter, and how 
the scheme of mutual benefits ought at once 
and forever to quiet the incipient murmur- 
ings on the subject of tax-burdens because 
of University exemption. He did not fully 
lay the ghost. It has since walked abroad 
and, perhaps, will never down, for there 
never yet was a college town but had its 
war 'twixt "town and gown." 

The lease of part of the campus to Gar- 
rett Biblical Institute was put in form, as 
it now exists, after long and tedious con- 
ferences — indeed, after Heck Hall had been 
erected — and the mutual relations were so 
adjusted that they might live ever after 
happily and helpfully, side by side. 

University Hall was now well-nigh com- 
plete and the formal dedication and occupa- 
tion was designed for 1870. It was con- 
sidered desirable that a President should be 
elected to begin service simultaneously with 
the occupation of this Hall, and thought 
turned again to Dr. Erastus O. Haven. He 
was then President of the University of 
Michigan — a man whose coming would give 
new dignity and prominence to the Univer- 
sity. 



Dr. Haven Assumes the Presidency. — 

The Trustees fi.xed his salary — mirabile 
dictii! — at $4,500 per annum, and elected 
him without a dissenting vote. President 
Haven was then forty-nine years of age. 
He had graduated from Wesleyan Univer- 
sity in 1842 ; had been Principal of Amenia 
Seminary ; had been Professor of Latin in 
Michigan University, and later of English 
Language, Literature and History ; had 
been editor of "Zion's Herald" ; a member 
of the Massachusetts State Senate, and 
Overseer of Harvard University ; then 
President of the University of Michigan 
for six years before accepting the Presi- 
dency of Northwestern. He was a clear, 
earnest and logical speaker, and his long 
experience and eminent qualifications 
strongly commended him in his new re- 
lations. His first year was signalized by 
the admission of women to the college 
classes — almost a new departure among 
colleges in the United States, but a move- 
ment that he had championed and concern- 
ing which he had assurances before coming 
to Evanston. The working union with the 
Chicago Medical College was consummated 
in his first year, and there were added to 
the roll of University instructors the con- 
spicuous names of Davis, Andrews, John- 
son, Byford, Isham, Hollister, Roler and 
Bevan, with N. S. Davis — then in his prime 
— Dean of the Medical School. The sum- 
mary of names of University students 
counted three hundred and thirty-seven, of 
which two hundred and sixty-two were in 
Evanston. The curriculum had been greatly 
enriched. Julius F. Kellogg had entered 
the College Faculty as Professor of Civil 
Engineering — a splendid mathematician, an 
excellent teacher and well beloved. 

The north end of the third story of 
University Hall had been set apart as a 
library, in which the accumulated treasures 
of twenty years were installed, and to which 




XORTHWESTERX FEMALE COLLEGE 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



8i 



was added the Greenleaf Library of twenty 
thousand volumes, rich in classics, in phil- 
osophy, in art and education, the private 
library of Dr. John Schulze, Minister of 
Education in Prussia. The funds for this 
rich and timely purchase were the gift of 
Luther L. Greenleaf, one of Evanston's 
large-hearted and well-disposed citizens, a 
friend and a Trustee of the University. 

The Advent of College Journalism. — 
College journalism began during the 
presidency of Dr. Haven, with the issue of 
"The Tripod" — a serious and well edited 
publication, whose columns represented the 
College and the Medical School. A rival 
entered the field in 1878, and, for three 
years, made matters interesting, as only 
rival papers with an inadequate constituency 
can. These papers were combined in 1881 
in the "Northwestern," the present college 
paper, which has held the field alone, ex- 
cept during a single year, when the "Barbs," 
who concluded that they were discrimi- 
nated against in the make-up of the editorial 
staff, entered the field of college journal- 
ism, in which Sidney P. Johnston won his 
newspaper spurs. The "Evanston Press," 
too, was an outgrowth of college journal- 
ism, bringing out the latent talent of Robert 
Vandercook and giving direction to the 
bent of Edwin L. Shuman, afterwards the 
accomplished literary editor of the "Chicago 
Tribune," and still later of the "Record- 
Herald." And what shall we say of the 
numerous reporters who have reported 
Evanston news for the Chicago press? 
Eager for news, they have sometimes 
created it, and very often magnified some 
trivial incident into a harmful sensation. 
Many of them have graduated into jour- 
nalism, however, and given a good account 
of themselves. For many years James W. 
Scott, of the "Chicago Herald," maintained 
the Herald Scholarship and Mr. H. H. 
Kohlsaat has continued it. A publication 



that has reflected much of the spirit of 
college life was the "Pandora," issued in 

1884 and published by the senior class. In 

1885 the name was changed to "Syllabus," 
and its publication was assumed by the 
fraternities. In 1893 the publication was 
undertaken by the junior class and so con- 
tinues. 

"Sketches in Purple" is a most creditable 
exhibit of literary work done in the classes 
of Prof. J. S. Clark, first published in 
1 90 1, with hope of an annual appearing. 

The list of prizes as stimulants to all sorts 
of intellectual activity had been increased by 
the addition of prizes for excellence in liter- 
ary composition, leading up to the Blan- 
chard Prize of one hundred dollars for the 
best English oration, and sundry prizes for 
excellence in debate and elocution. 

The Catalogue of 1869-70 is the most 
attractive issue of that periodical thus far 
published, and it impressed the founders 
that their hopes of Northwestern were 
reaching some fruitage. A cut of the new 
University Hall adorns its pages, giving the 
impression of amplitude of accommodation 
in which to do the college work. The joy 
of teachers and students in the spacious 
quarters, which contrasted so strongly with 
the stuffy quarters on Davis Street, 
amounted almost to intoxication. Then, 
too, the freedom of the splendid campus, 
with its oak-tree shade, its outlook on the 
open lake, were means of intellectual 
growth and culture that could not be over- 
rated. The museum, that was growing to 
splendid proportions under the loving care 
of Professor Marcy, was given spacious 
quarters in the lofty upper story of the 
building. The Preparatory School was 
given the cast-off garment of the College on 
Davis Street ; and it, too, took on new 
dignity and importance, with its little cam- 
pus all its own, where Preps, would no 
longer be over awed by the lordly airs of 



■82 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



college men. Amos W. Patten, and Charles 
W. Pearson and E. P. Shrader, names that 
will figure more prominently by and by, 
were added to the teaching force of the 
Academy. Through Dr. Haven's efforts, 
the hospitality of the College was extended 
to the Evanston College for Ladies, and an 
opening made for the co-operation of the 
Scandinavians in the work of the College. 
Prof. H. S. Carhart, fresh from Middle- 
town, was added to the faculty in the Chair 
of Civil Engineering, while Professor Kel- 
logg assumed the Chair of Mathematics. 
Professor Carhart likewise took up the du- 
ties of Secretary of the Faculty, which Pro- 
fessor Marcy and Professor Bonbright had 
carried. Few colleges were then better 
equipped with bright, earnest men, or had 
a better share of hope and the stimulus of 
manifest progression. 

Another Change of Administration. — 
The administration of Dr. Haven was 
all too short. His ambitions were, no doubt, 
ecclesiastical. The General Conference 
called him away to the Secretaryship of 
the Board of Education, and he inclined to 
the summons. Gentle, loving persuasion 
was of no avail to divert him from this 
public call. In October, 1872, Dr. C. H. 
Fowler was elected President of the Uni- 
versity for the second time, he having de- 
clined an earlier election. His career, since 
1861, when he graduated from Garrett 
Biblical Institute, had been in the adjacent 
City of Chicago, where he had acquired 
the reputation of a pulpit orator of the 
highest rank. His brilliant parts and large 
influence promised well for a splendid 
career at Evanston. He magnified his work 
and made it honorable and, with the stim- 
ulus of youth, he planned for large things 
in connection with his charge. He planned 
a School of Technology. A School of 
Music was established. The Evanston Col- 
lege for Ladies was merged in the Uni- 



versity, and a Law School was established in 
conjunction with the University of Chicago, 
which was destined to become exclusively 
the Northwestern University Law School. 
The catalogue, never larger than eighty 
pages in any previous issue, now became 
an imposing document of one hundred and 
eighty pages, with broadened curriculum, 
lists of professional schools and affiliated 
preparatory schools, and an enrollment of 
eight hundred and sixty-six students, to- 
gether with a double-page engraving of the 
campus and its buildings and the adjacent 
lake — enough to fire the prospective student 
with an eager desire to be a part of such 
a school. The succeeding catalogue is less 
ambitious, composed of one hundred and 
twelve pages, of lighter paper and smaller 
type. The President had doubtless heard 
from the business office as to the cost of 
printing and the matter of postage ; but the 
roll of students had increased to eight hun- 
dred ninety-one. 

Organization of Teaching Force. — 
Frances E. W'illard had become asso- 
ciated with the University, as Professor of 
Esthetics, on the merging of the Evanston 
College for Ladies in the University. Her 
students came with her and the roll of the 
graduates of the Northwestern Female Col- 
lege, to which the Evanston College for 
Ladies succeeded, was included among the 
alumni of Northwestern University. That 
brilliant woman did not tarry long in educa- 
tional work. She was calculated for leader- 
ship rather than for service in the ranks. She 
chafed under the restraints of a conservative 
Board of Trustees. Her career was to be 
world-wide. As the President of the Wo- 
man's Christian Temperance Union she 
found her sphere ; she wielded her pen with 
the most polished grace, and she spoke as 
one inspired, when her theme involved the 
welfare of men and women. The College was 
proud of her, of her genius and of the sacri- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



83 



fice and devotion with whicli she apphed it. 
Her successor, as Dean of the Woman's 
College, was Miss Ellen Soule, who be- 
came Mrs. Professor Carhart, and gave 
place, in turn, to Miss Jane M. Bancroft. 
With the merging of the College for Ladies 
a new element was introduced in the Board 
of Government by the election of three lady 
Trustees, one of whom, for a time, served 
on the Executive Committee — Mrs. Emily 
Huntington Miller having the distinction to 
be the first woman to take her place in the 
"Seats of the Mighty." 

A much needed improvement on the cam- 
pus was made in 1876 by the building of 
the Gymnasium by a stock company of 
students, with a bowling alley in the base- 
ment and a large room for exercise above, 
in size about forty feet by eighty. It was 
not adequate to the needs of the institu- 
tion, but it would do as a step towards bet- 
ter things, — a long step, perhaps, ere the 
new Gymnasium is to be erected — but the 
need was so great that students took hold of 
the enterprise, managing it by a Board of 
Directors. 

New names appear in 1876 as donors of 
prizes to stimulate various sorts of effort : 
the Easter Prize displacing the Blanchard, 
the Gage Prizes, the Mann Prize, the Phil- 
lips Prize, and others given by the Uni- 
versity. 

Prof. Herbert F. Fisk came to the Pre- 
paratory School in 1875, with the rank of 
Professor, and later became Professor of 
Pedagogics in the College. He had grad- 
uated early from Wesleyan University, and 
since his graduation had taught contin- 
uously in academies in the East. He was 
destined now to find a field of continuous 
labor, and to make a record as teacher and 
disciplinarian. The Old College Building 
had been enlarged and moved to the cam- 
pus, to serve, for a long series of years, as 
the scene of his labors where he should 



preside, a terror to evil-doers and a praise 
to them that do well. The discipline of 
that end of the campus was safe while Dr. 
Fisk was in town. 

Financial Situation — New Burdens. — 
It has already been indicated that 
President Fowler had Started things at a 
more rapid pace than they had previously 
been going. Such movements require 
money. The absorption of the Ladies' Col- 
lege increased the debt and a dangerous 
deficit was piling up. One large subscription 
of twenty-five thousand dollars proved to 
be of the Walker variety and the Trustees 
were greatly disturbed. Some advocated 
the rapid sale of property and its use to 
diminish the debt and to defray the ex- 
penses upon which they had entered, rather 
than take a backward step. The records of 
1875 fairly reflect the earnestness of the 
controversy over the question of the policy 
to be pursued by the University with refer- 
ence to unproductive property. In the com- 
munications of Governor Evans, of T. C. 
Hoag, of W. H. Lunt and of Rev. Philo 
Judson on this subject, almost the last word 
was spoken on behalf of the respective pol- 
icies of holding for lease or selling out the 
residence property of the University, at go- 
ing prices to actual settlers, and investing 
the resultant funds. When this discussion 
again arises — as arise it will from 
time to time — the minutes of 1875 will 
prove an armory of weapons to the con- 
testants. Governor Evans wrote as one 
deeply interested in the institution, as hav- 
ing given to it with generous liberality and 
having put it under restraint to withhold 
from sale a certain portion of its property. 
Philo Judson wrote as one who met the 
actual situation in his work as Land Agent, 
and reached a height of eloquence and ar- 
gument in his plea for generous and un- 
restricted sales that seems unanswerable. 
If he or Governor Evans had never written 



84 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



anything else than these two papers, these 
recorded documents of two of the founders 
of the institution would reveal to us of a 
later generation that they were men of 
keen intellectuality and good fighters. 

So far as the policy with reference to the 
sale of property is concerned, this discus- 
sion was without practical result. The lim- 
itations which Governor Evans placed upon 
the sale of property, by conditional grants 
to the University of sundry pieces of Chi- 
cago property, were revoked by a later in- 
strument. Indeed, the limitations agreed to 
by the Executive Committee in receiving 
gifts from Governor Evans were not ap- 
proved by the Board of Trustees, and the 
whole question of the sale of property, with 
a view to limitations, was referred to a com- 
mittee of three, in 1871, the report from 
whom has never been called up. Rev. Philo 
Judson's communication on this subject was 
his last word to the University, and it is 
indeed a heritage. He died a few months 
later and a feeling tribute graces the record, 
describing him as "one of the founders of 
the institution" ; as "the first— and, for many 
years— Business Manager and Financial 
Agent, and later Trustee and Executive 
Ofificer, who has rendered long and efficient 
service to the University. To his intel- 
lectual force, sagacity, wisdom, integrity, 
unselfishness and fidelity, the cause of edu- 
cation is lastingly indebted." And much 
more to the same effect, which was inspired 
by a genuine appreciation of a man of most 
sterling and serviceable qualities. 

The Board started out upon the year 
1876 with a discouraging budget, showing 
a probable deficit of nearly sixteen thousand 
dollars ; but the end of the year was reached 
with a somewhat better showing, though, 
on the whole, not entirely satisfactory. A 
judicious Committee on Ways and Means 
was appointed to look matters in the face, 
and see if some remedy could not be devised 



to avoid a crisis. They could only figure 
out a probable deficit of $23,750 per annum. 
They reminded their brethren that, in their 
great desire for rapid development, they had 
forgotten the old adage, "Make haste slow- 
ly," and they recommended a return to the 
old ways of making no appropriations for 
salaries or other expenses in advance of cur- 
rent income. This policy, said they, must 
be adhered to rigidly, in the future, for we 
cannot afford to mortgage the future use- 
fulness of the institution. 

Dr. Fowler having been elected editor of 
the "Christian Advocate" in New York, in 
May of that year, resigned his position, to 
the great regret of the Board, who passed 
resolutions of warm commendation of his 
work and his influence. The Chairs of 
English Literature and Chemistry were 
likewise vacated and the work distributed. 
Thus the ship was lightened and proceeded 
on its voyage with a better prospect of 
reaching port. Dr. Oliver Marcy was made 
Acting President— a work which, although 
not at all to his taste, he took up and admin- 
istered with the same fidelity and zeal that 
he gave to his own department, winning re- 
spect and confidence at every step and ad- 
ministering government and discipline 
with an even hand. 

A new menace came in 1876 to try the 
patience of the Trustees who were heroically 
struggling with the problem of finance, in 
the listing of their property by the assess- 
ors for taxation. The expense of testing 
the legality of the claim was appalling, and 
the possibly unfavorable outcome of litiga- 
tion was even more discouraging. But 
they stood firmly upon their chartered 
rights. The contest in the lower court of 
the State was adverse, as was expected. 
The decision in the State Supreme Court 
was similarly adverse, but not unanimous, 
there being two dissenting Justices. The 
case then went to Washington, with Grant 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



85 



Goodrich, Wirt Dexter and Senator M. H. 
Carpenter as attorneys for the University, 
and their efforts were crowned with the 
happy result of a reversal of the decision of 
the State Courts. The contention of the 
tax-collector was that, though the property 
of the University was exempted from tax- 
ation by the amendment to the charter in 
1855, a subsequent statute of 1872 limited 
this exemption to land and other property 
in immediate use by the school. The 
Supreme Court of the United States con- 
strued the charter in harmony with the 
powers granted to the Legislature under 
the Constitution of 1848, and, therefore, not 
limited by the new Constitution of 1870. 
We cannot say if any bonfires blazed on 
the campus when the decision was made 
known. It is quite certain that a new light 
gleamed from the faces of the surviving 
founders, and especially from the face of 
the surviving attorney. Grant Goodrich, 
who drew the charter amendment that had 
been controverted and which meant so 
much to the institution. 

Life Saving Station is Established. — 
During 1876 the Life Saving Station of 
the United States was established on the 
campus, manned by students and presided 
over by Captain Larson, an "old salt" who 
is the soul of discipline and fidelity, as de- 
vout as he is brave, whose influence upon 
his boys has been the very best. The work 
of life-saving at the station has been a 



source of honest joy and pride to the friends 
of the University. The lease of University 
grounds for this purpose was for twenty 
years, and in 1896 was renewed for fifty 
years, so that it has a future in connection 
with the institution. 

Without serious diminution in numbers, 
but on a more even keel, the University 
kept on its course under the wise admin- 
istration of Dr. Marcy, till 1881. Prof. 
Kistler had retired and his old-time pupil 
was made instructor in Greek. Charles W. 
Pearson, too, had risen to an instructorship 
in English Literature in place of D. H. 
Wheeler. New names were appearing in 
instructorships which will afterwards figure 
in connection with professorships in the in- 
stitution. The financial burden that had 
been much relieved was still oppressing, 
and the heroic method of reduction of sal- 
aries was applied, with the hope that it 
would not be for long. 

George F. Foster, one of the charter 
members of the Board of Trustees, passed 
away in 1878 and was memorialized in the 
records of the Trustees. He was a man of 
zeal and generous liberality ; a shouting 
Methodist, ardent in his temperament, 
earnest and persistent in the discharge of 
what he believed to be his duty. He was a 
warm and devoted friend, an open and hon- 
orable opponent. William Wheeler, too, 
had gone, and the ranks of the early Trus- 
tees were sadly thinning. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



AN ERA OF PROGRESS 



Dr. Joseph Cummings, the Nestor of East- 
ern Educators, Succeeds to the Presiden- 
cy — Indebtedness Wiped Out and the In- 
stitution Enters Upon a More Prosper- 
ous Era — MjiniHccnt Gifts and Improve- 
ments — Changes in Faculty and Trustees 
— Illinois School of Pharmacy and School 
of Dentistry Added — Celebration of Uni- 
versity Day Inaugurated — President 
Cummings' Successful Career and His 
Taking Away — Dr. Marcy Temporarily 
Assumes the Position of Acting Presi- 
dent — Dr. Henry Wade Rogers Suc- 
ceeds to the Presidency in i8po — Other 
Changes and Improvements — Depart- 
ment Schools and Colleges — Real Estate 
Investments. 

Dr. Marcy was becoming weary of tasks 
that took him from his class-room and his 
beloved museum, and, in June, 1881, Joseph 
Cummings, the Nestor of educators in the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, long-time 
President of Wesleyan University, an old 
man but full of vigor, was chosen for the 
Presidency. He was coming to his own ; 
for, had not the Northwestern, for years, 
paid tribute to Middletown in the filling of 
its chairs? There were Marcy, and Fisk, 
and Carhart, and Cumnock, and Morse, and 
there were others coming. Surely, the grand 
old man might take up his work with no 
sense of noveltv in his new situation. He 



was a man of noble parts, full of dignity 
but full of gentleness, as devoted to his 
work as is the sun to shining. He was an 
ideal College President of the old school ; 
great in the recitation room, great as a 
disciplinarian, strong in administration, a 
financier, an economist, a mighty man in 
the pulpit or on the rostrum, able to do 
great things and small, considerate of his 
colleagues, no tyrant, but a believer in 
faculty government and, witliout coercion 
of their opinion, willing to abide by it. What 
a mighty man he seemed on commencement 
days, in his square Doctor's cap and silk 
gown, bidding candidates "ascendat," and 
conferring degrees in Latin without a slip, a 
task over which his successors stumbled. 
Before his work was done, two hundred 
thousand dollars of indebtedness from for- 
mer years had been cleared oft'. Governor 
Evans helped nobly ; William Deering bore 
the lion's share ; and one and another lifted, 
under the persuasive power of Dr. Cum- 
mings or Dr. Hatfield, till the work of liqui- 
dation of indebtedness was wrought, and 
then, relieved of burden, the college work 
went on more hopefully. New professors 
were secured, development took place in 
the line of true, logical growth under the 
hand of a master. His annual reports were 
and are still the strongest and most helpful 
papers ever submitted to the Board of Trus- 
tees, full of stimulus and suggestions. The 



88 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



Fayerweather Hall of Science was secured, 
the gift, for a long time, of an unknown 
donor into whose ear Dr. Hatfield, at a time- 
ly moment, had dropped a word concerning 
Northwestern, and it resulted in this 
anonymous gift — and would result in more 
when his will should be opened — that helped 
mightily in the development of the work in 
Chemistry and Physics. Professor Carhart 
was tempted away to Michigan University 
just as he was about to enter into his 
heritage of the new building, to carry on 
the brilliant career of a physicist, which he 
had so well begun at Northwestern. 

Organization of New Departments. — 
Then, too, on the north campus arose the 
graceful pile of Dearborn Observatory, the 
gift of James B. Hobbs, equipped with the 
splendid instruments that were formerly in 
the old Dearborn Observatory at the rear of 
Chicago University. The gift was made 
without ostentation, after the manner of the 
princely giver that he is, and there was 
installed Prof. George W. Hough as astron- 
omer, to keep up his vigil over Jupiter, 
with whom he is so well acquainted, and to 
increase the list of double stars whose hid- 
ings he has such facility in finding out. 

Then, as a result of Dr. Hatfield's efforts, 
a dormitory was erected on Cook Street to 
house thirty young men, the second experi- 
ment of the University in that direction. 

The death of Robert F. Queal was chron- 
icled in 1883, one of the later most valuable 
Trustees of the institution, a man of grace 
and tact, and loyal to the core. In 1886 
James S. Kirk, a stalwart, useful member of 
the Board was taken away ; and, in 1887, 
Philip R. Shumway, who had given great 
promise of valuable aid in the counsels of 
the Executive Committee. 

In 1884 the Illinois School of Pharmacy 
became the property of the University, 
thereafter to be known as the Northwestern 
School of Pharmacy — this through the 



labors of Dr. D. R. Dyche, one of the most 
self-forgetful, public-spirited Trustees that 
ever helped to carry the burdens of the in- 
stitution. The School of Dentistry was like- 
wise taken on, to become one of the most 
flourishing departments by and by. 

The celebration of University Day was 
begun February 22, 1886, by the assembling 
of all departments in Evanston, who 
marched through the streets to the strains 
of martial music, and were addressed by 
representatives of the University culminat- 
ing in a collation and a reception at Willard 
Hall. This happy custom was continued 
into the administration of President Rogers, 
and fell at last into innocuous desuetude. 

The Passing away of Dr. Cummings. 
— For almost ten years, in the ripeness of 
his wisdom and powers, without dimness of 
vision or abatement of natural vigor. Dr. 
Cummings kept on his way as President of 
the University, with a broadening curricu- 
lum and increasing number of students, 
large graduating classes and a splendid fac- 
ulty that were harmonious and enthusiastic 
and united in honoring their chief and fol- 
lowing his leadership. Though disease was 
preying upon him, he gave out no sign of 
weakness. He called the regular meeting of 
the faculty to assemble in his room when 
the hand of death was upon him, and passed 
away as a soldier in battle, with his armor 
on. His name and character is a heritage 
to those of us who knew him well, stimu- 
lating to duty. Not less useful, on the social 
side of college life, in that eminently suc- 
cessful administration, was the influence of 
the queenly woman who presided in the 
home of the President. She was a woman 
of striking presence, of tact and sprightli- 
ness. with a keen eye to take in difficult 
situations and a skillful hand to relieve all 
embarrassments. These two were a mar- 
velous combination in a college community. 
I do not wonder that Middletown students 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



89 



are ready to bow down at the mention of 
their names. Northwestern students, be- 
tween 1880 and 1890, are ready to do Hke- 
wise. Dr. Cummings' last appearance in 
chapel was a scene long to be remembered. 
He would not be relieved of his accustomed 
task of leading the devotions, though his 
breath came quick and his utterance was 
choked. He read the hymn, 
"My Jesus, as thou wilt, 

Tho' seen through many a tear, 
• Let not my star of hope 
Grow dim or disappear." 

A solemn stillness pervaded the little 
chapel. The broken voice that led the de- 
votions was speaking for the last time 
among us, and it spoke out in prayer and 
Scripture and hymn, as if conscious that it 
was a farewell, the keynote of a life attuned 
to duty, "My Lord, thy will be done." 
Cheerful and serene, though feeble from 
acute disease, he left the chapel that day 
amid faces sad with fear and eager with 
sympathy, and went home to die as brave- 
ly as he went to work. We carried him to 
his final rest a few days later, and enshrined 
him in our hearts as one of the few great 
men that we had known. He was not a 
writer of dreary pamphlets or a seeker after 
notoriety. He felt called of God to do the 
work of a Christian educator by character, 
example, precept and wise and prayerful 
administration, and he did it well, and 
thereon rests his abiding fame. 

Then Dr. Marcy was called once more 
to take up the task of administration till 
some new man could be found, with youth 
and strength and scope of vision, fit to take 
up the work that had developed somewhat 
after the hope of the founders. 

A new appraisal had taken place of the 
property on La Salle Street that had been 
clung to tenaciously during the vicissitudes 
of forty years, which resulted in an increase 
of income of more than fiftv thousand dol- 



lars per annum. It meant the accomplish- 
ment of much that had been dreamed of, 
and the long hoped for development. 

Dr. Rogers Called to the Presidency. 
— In September, 1890, Dr. Henry Wade 
Rogers was called to the Presidency of the 
institution. He had been Dean of the Law 
School of the University of Michigan, and 
entered most auspiciously upon his work at 
the most fortunate moment in the career of 
the University. 

In June, 1892, T. C. Hoag, having de- 
clined to serve longer as Treasurer and 
Business Agent, retired from the arduous 
duties of his office with an enviable record 
for fidelity and skill in the conduct of the 
afifairs of the University, and Prof. R. D. 
Sheppard was invited to assume the busi- 
ness cares of the institution, in addition to 
his college work. The work of the decade 
was to be one of development on the mate- 
rial side, far in excess of any similar period 
in the history of the University, as the an- 
nual reports of receipts and expenditures 
will show. The spacious buildings on 
Dearborn Street, near Twenty- fourth, were 
erected for the proper housing of the Medi- 
cal School and School of Pharmacy, on 
land that had been purchased largely by 
the gift for that purpose of William Deer- 
ing, and an adjacent lot had been purchased 
for the prospective occupancy of Wesley 
Hospital. The Woman's Medical College 
on Lincoln Street, Chicago, was purchased 
at a cost of twenty-five thousand dollars, 
and it became an integral part of the Uni- 
versity, with a goodly list of alumnae and an 
eminent faculty. 

In 1892 the American College of Dental 
Surgery was combined with the North- 
western Dental School, with a student at- 
tendance of over five hundred and an equip- 
ment unsurpassed, over which presided 
Theodore Menges, a phenomenon of energy 
and tact in the organization and manage- 



go 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



merit of such an institution, whose untimely 
death, a few years since, left that school 
sadly orphaned but still vigorous and a 
monument to his energy and devotion. 

The Law School was reorganized and 
made one of the best of its kind, with better 
quarters and with an enriched curriculum. 

Orrington Lunt Library Dedicated. — 
On the campus the new Orrington Lunt 
Library was erected and named in honor 
of its principal benefactor, the genial, saint- 
ly Orrington Lunt, who walked among us 
in the evening of his days as the spirit of 
peace and benediction. Justin Winsor came 
on the dedication and spoke a splendid mes- 
sage, but the charming address of the 
founder of the library who, for so long 
had believed in books as a prime requisite 
of a student community, and who had 
manifested his faith by his works, was the 
great event of that dedicatory occasion. 

Then, too, the School of Music was 
housed in its own quarters, with a hall for 
recitals and rooms for instruction and prac- 
tice, presided over by Prof. P. C. Lutkin, 
whose skill and devotion have made it one 
of the important features of the University 
work. 

Then, too, in this favored time arose the 
Annie May Swift Hall, devoted to elocu- 
tion and oratory, the gift chiefly of 
Gustavus F. Swift, in honor of his 
daughter, who died during her career in 
college. It was the graceful tribute of the 
bereaved parent to a beautiful girl. Others 
contributed to this building at the solicita- 
tion of Professor Cumnock, but Mr. Swift's 
gift made it possible, and there its enthusi- 
astic Director has made a school unique in 
its character and unsurpassed anywhere. 

At last the Fayerweather bequest of 
one hundred thousand dollars came to hand, 
the result of Dr. Hatfield's timely sugges- 
tion to the generous leather merchant whose 
benefactions to American colleges have been 



one of the phenomenal things in the history 
of those institutions. 

Then Fisk Hall was constructed — the 
dream of Dr. Fisk for twenty years — ■ 
crowning the labors of his devoted life. 
William Deering built it with a capacity to 
care for six or seven hundred students, with 
a chapel that is the best auditorium on the 
campus, and with all the appointments and 
equipment of an academy of the first rank. 

Woman's Hall was enlarged by the same 
generous giver, so that its capacity was 
almost doubled. 

Then the campus was fenced and the 
gateways were built, giving an air of indi- 
viduality and dignity to the college en- 
closure. William Deering did that ; and 
one quiet afternoon, on his way to town, he 
left at the business office a package of 
papers that the dazed Business Manager 
found, on inspection, to consist of over two 
hundred thousand dollars worth of securi- 
ties ; and, a little later, when Wesley Hos- 
pital was needed, not only for the charity 
work of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
but also an adjunct to the work of the 
Medical School, he dazed the same easily 
dazable Business Manager by the oflfer 
of fifty thousand dollars for that purpose, 
and property worth one hundred thousand 
dollars for the future endowment. Yet 
this was not all; for, when Onarga Semi- 
nary was to be saved from loss and made 
an affiliated academy of Northwestern Uni- 
versity, Mr. Deering gave five thousand 
dollars to help that enterprise to a consum- 
mation ; and, again, when the Tremont 
House was under consideration, his gift 
of twenty-five thousand dollars helped to 
acquire that splendid property. The chapter 
of his gracious deeds on behalf of the Uni- 
versity might be prolonged, but the histor- 
ian is not permitted to dwell over-much on 
the deeds of living men. Of the records 
and events of the last ten vears — its men 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



91 



and its transactions — he feels compelled to 
speak with cautious reserve. But these 
have been years of progress. 

Early in Dr. Rogers' administration, on 
the suggestion of David Swing, the annual 
commencement exercises were taken to Chi- 
cago and held in the Auditorium, where 
an oration was delivered by some orator 
of note before a magnificent assembly. Men 
like Theodore Roosevelt, Ex-Governor 
Chamberlain, Bishops Warren and Gallo- 
way, Drs. Northrup, Canfield, Day and 
Buckley have been numbered among the 
orators, and thousands of Northwestern 
graduates have ascended the stage and re- 
ceived their diplomas at the hands of the 
President of the University. Formerly all 
honorary degrees had been given on the 
recommendation of the Faculty of the Col- 
lege of Liberal Arts, and now that service 
was rendered by a University Council, con- 
sisting of representatives of the different 
departments, who, in addition to this func- 
tion, might recommend to the Trustees 
action upon such matters as were of general 
University interest. 



On the La Salle Street property of the 
University was erected a building, un- 
rivaled among the bank buildings of the 
world, for the use of one of the strongest 
institutions in the West, and leased for one 
hundred years at a rental that will be one 
of the principal supports of the University 
in beneficent work during that long period. 
It has improved the property on Kinzie 
Street, Chicago, donated by William Deer- 
ing, and leased it for fifty years to a strong 
corporation at a very satisfactory rental. 
It has acquired the Tremont House at a 
cost of five hundred thousand dollars, as 
the future home of the Law School, the 
Dental School and the School of Pharmacy, 
devoting to these schools a space as great as 
that comprised by any three of the buildings 
on the college campus, and has still re- 
served the old parlor floor of the Tremont 
House for general University purposes, of- 
fices, parlors, alumni headquarters, and a 
small assembly hall, while still retaining 
the first floor as a source of revenue. 



11 



CHAPTER IX. 



SOME SIDE ISSUES 



Athletics and College Societies — Wo- 
men's Educational Associations — "The 
Settlement" and the University Guild — 
Dr. Rogers Resigns the Presidency in 
iSqq, and is Succeeded by Dr. Bonbright 
as Acting President — A Long List of 
Notable Friends of the University Who 
Have Passed Away — Tribute to Their 
Memory — Dr. E. J. James' Tzvo Years' 
Administration — He is succeeded by Dr. 
Abrani W. Harris. 

And what shall we say of College Athlet- 
ics that have flourished during these ten 
years, in spite of the fact that the expected 
donor of a great gymnasium has not come 
to view ? The old "Gym." has done a noble 
work, but it is confessedly a back number. 
Still, the students have made good use of 
it and the Athletic Field on the north cam- 
pus has been the scene of vigorous sport 
and rare athletic performances. It is largely 
within the last ten years that athletic sports 
have formed a prominent feature in the life 
of Western colleges, and during that period, 
Northwestern has often ranked with the 
best, and, even when defeated, has been 
undiscouraged ; and, in the trials of forensic 
and dialectic skill with the great institu- 
tions of the West, she has proved herself a 
foeman not to be despised. 

Y. M. and Y. W- C. A.— Other Societies. 
— In the religious work of the college, its 



general conduct in these later years has been 
in the hands of the Young Men's and the 
Young Woman's Christian Associations. 
The responsibility has been largely on the 
students, with the sympathetic aid of mem- 
bers of the faculty. A house has been occu- 
pied by the young men as an Association 
headquarters ; secretaries have been em- 
ployed, with University aid, by both Asso- 
ciations ; and the evangelistic spirit with 
marked results has attended both these 
associations. 

Greek Letter Societies have taken deep 
root in the University and detracted some- 
what from the vigor of the old debating 
societies that were of such educational 
value in the early history of the University. 
"Phi Kappa Psi" was founded in 1864, and 
the "Alpha Phi" in 1881. Now there are 
numerous other organizations, with their 
cliques and politics, and other redeeming 
features of good fellowship, that are among 
the pleasant recollections of college life. 

For a few years, beginning in 1893, the 
"University Record" was published, with a 
compendium of information of interest to 
the alumni and the public. Professor Cald- 
well and Professor Gray were editors, and 
performed their task well. The last issue 
was of June, 1895. The scheme will bear 
resurrection when some fit man with ade- 
quate support can give it attention. 

Collateral with the work of the Univer- 



93 



94 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



sity, and springing out of it, has been the 
work of the Woman's Educational Aid 
Association, of which, for many years, Mrs. 
J. A. Pearsons has been President, and with 
whom have been associated such elect ladies 
as Mrs. Cummings, Mrs. Morse, Mrs. Gage, 
Mrs. Townsend, Mrs. Clifford and others, 
in an effort to furnish a home for young 
women during their college life, where they 
can board cheaply, assisting in the work, 
and yet be provided with the comforts and 
elegances that are so desirable from an 
educational point of view. With the aid of 
Dr. Pearsons they have sustained the Col- 
lege Cottage for many years, which has been 
once enlarged ; and now, by the timely gift 
of thirty thousand dollars from the same 
philanthropic source, they have under their 
charge the new Chapin Hall, which was 
dedicated in the fall of 1901 by its generous 
donor, and where sixty young women are 
housed as a happy family in elegance and 
comfort. 

Another collateral institution has been 
that of "The Settlement," started and pre- 
sided over during her presence in Evanston 
by Mrs. Henry Wade Rogers, to minister, 
as such institutions do, to the life of the 
neglected poor in the Northwestern section 
of Chicago. There University graduates 
are in residence and University students 
help to carry on the various forms of life 
and service peculiar to the settlement. To 
carry on this work and erect their com- 
modious building, Mr. Milton Wilson gave 
the munificent sum of twenty-five thousand 
dollars, and the finished structure — with 
its perfect appointments, the property of 
Northwestern University — stands as a mon- 
ument of his interest in the welfare of his 
fellowmen. 

Another collateral institution founded by 
Mrs. Rogers was the University Guild, an 
association of women whose pursuit has 
been culture, and who, in a few years, have 



gathered together a beautiful collection of 
art treasures which are deposited in Lunt 
Library. These are now the property of the 
University, and may serve as the nucleus 
of an Art Museum, when these treasures, 
and those which Dr. Marcy gathered dur- 
ing his long career, are fitly housed. 

Resignation of President Rogers. — 
In 1899 Dr. Rogers resigned the Presi- 
dency of the University and returned to a 
law professorship at Yale University, and 
Dr. Bonbright was persuaded to take up the 
Acting Presidency during a brief inter- 
regnum, while the quest for a new presi- 
dent went on. The period ended in January, 
1902. It is not often in American life that 
a man is planted in a community to grow 
as a tree grows, from the sapling period 
to the period of advanced maturity, be- 
coming a landmark and a source of benefit 
to all passers-by. But all this is true of the 
Professor of Latin, Acting President of 
Northwestern University. Seized upon as 
a stripling tutor, rounded out in culture and 
methods by foreign study and observation, 
he has spent an ordinary lifetime in his 
chair ; devoted as a lover to a single love ; 
doing his part with a wisdom, thoroughness 
and grace that has left nothing to be desired 
as a teacher, gentleman, friend and inspirer 
of youth. 

From the very first date of graduations at 
Evanston he has seen the stream of students 
go by ; has known them all and taken a 
place in their memories as an integral part 
of their culture, their character and ideals. 
He has noted every step of progress, every 
movement of whatever sort that has gone to 
make up the traditions of Northwestern 
University, so that his were safe hands in 
which to entrust for any length of time 
the discipline, the growth, the care of the 
institution, with the assurance that the ad- 
ministration would be without caprice or 
doubtful experiment. Eager to escape pub- 




PRESIDENT ROOSEVEI/fS MSIT IX 1 



403 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



95 



licity and diffident under public gaze, he 
took up his pubHc cares with the easy grace 
of one born to the purple ; and, when pub- 
lic utterance was needed, he spoke with the 
charm of one accustomed to public address, 
with a play of fancy and with such aptness 
of illustration and vigorous marshalling of 
ideas, that we were made to wonder that 
these talents had been so long concealed. 
With all the honors that Northwestern 
could confer upon him, after the term of his 
Acting Presidency, he quietly returned to 
his class-room to preside with the same sim- 
ple dignity as of old, as if nothing unusual 
had happened in his career. 

Passing Away of University Founders. 
— The past ten years has been a time of 
harvesting of the ripened grain among the 
surviving toilers in the early years of Uni- 
versity history. John Evans, the first Presi- 
dent of the Board, at a ripe old age passed 
away in the distant State of Colorado, of 
which he had been Governor, and where he 
displayed the same enterprise and leader- 
ship in affairs that characterized him in 
Chicago and Evanston. He had been one 
of the University's chief benefactors, and at 
a time when gifts were most acceptable. 
Two principal professorships were named in 
his honor; and while he was in Evanston, 
the weight of his judgment was well-nigh 
preponderating in University counsels. He 
aided in founding another university in 
Denver, but the University at Evanston was 
the child of his youth and the pride of his 
old age. 

J. K. Botsford, too, passed away in this 
decade — the quiet hardware merchant on 
Lake Street, over whose store the meeting 
was held that launched the infant Univer- 
sity. An unobtrusive man who built up a 
good competence in honorable trade ; who 
loved the Church and all her enterprises ; 
who talked little and thought much ; who 
sat quietly in Trustee meetings, made no 



long speeches, and always voted right. He 
was the soul of honor, a good man for 
Treasurer and serviceable in any situation 
that required prompt action, integrity and 
discreetness. 

J. G. Hamilton was another of the old- 
time Trustees whose name was added to the 
death roll : Treasurer, Agent, Secretary of 
the Board, a prosperous and useful man in 
his time — so useful that, when misfortune 
and feebleness seized upon him, and he was 
left alone in the world and without re- 
sources, his fellow Trustees pensioned him, 
and gave him the honorable consideration 
that was due to the valuable and unselfish 
service he had rendered to the cause of 
education. 

Richard Haney was another who came to 
the councils of the Trustees with each re- 
curring year, till he could come no longer. 
A giant in stature, with the heart of a child 
— under his eye the institution had grown 
for nearly fifty years. Children whom he had 
baptized in infancy were filling important 
chairs in the University and, like a fond 
father, he smiled with joyful benignity upon 
the large heritage that had come to him and 
his comrades, most of whom had gone be- 
fore him to their reward. It was one of 
the features of the Trustee meetings of 
later years to listen to his opening prayer — 
for that was his assigned part — and, when 
the meeting closed, it was with his benedic- 
tion and with a farewell word that spoke of 
the joy of his heart over what God had 
wrought at the hands of his servants, and 
the assurance to his brethren that he could 
not expect to meet with them often in the 
future, perhaps never. He was waiting daily 
for his summons to ascend. Such incidents 
pertain to a distinctly Christian institution. 
They lift the business side of education out 
of the region of ordinary business, and in- 
spire those who toil therein with the thought 
that they are doing a God-like work in the 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



96 

world that will beget sweet memories, such 
as kindled in the heart of the old founder 
when he looked back on. his own labors and 
saw the work still going on, larger in vol- 
ume and with a far-reaching influence such 
as he had never drea^med it would attain. 
Then, too, Orrington Lunt, who suc- 
ceeded to John Evans as President of the 
Board, was another of the surviving group 
of founders that passed away, than whom 
no single man connected with the institution 
had given to the University more of his 
thought and attention, or sacrificed more for 
it. The library was his darling project, 
and to it, as already noted, he gave an 
endowment and a building. Without Or- 
rington Lunt, we cannot say what would 
have been done; but true it is, that the 
Trustees took no step in which he did not 
actively participate. No important com- 
mittee was complete without him. No dif- 
ficult negotiation could be carried on with- 
out his help. Wise, forceful, gentle, de- 
voted as he was, his colleagues caught his 
spirit and were braced by his example to a 
like fidelity and devotion. When disease 
prevented his meeting with them, they took 
their meetings to his home ; and when the 
end came he summoned them, one by one, 
to a sunny farewell. He loved them in the 
bonds of a common labor of love. Verily, 
when wc speak of the endowment of the 
University, though the things that might 
seem most important may be lands and 
buildings and securities, wt must not over- 
look, among its chief assets, the undying in- 
vestment of the prayers, and love and labor 
of such choice spirits as are reckoned among 
the men whose names adorn our history, 
among whom there was no whiter soul than 
Orrington Lunt. 

Then there was another Trustee, who 
does not rank with the founders, but who 
took his place naturally among the later 
Trustees who efficiently labored in the up- 



building of the institution— Robert M. Hat- 
field. In his time, a peerless pulpit orator, 
with a diction unsurpassed, an intensity and 
fervor that enthralled and possessed men, 
and a maste.y of scorn and invective that 
was a terror to all shams, injustice and de- 
ceit, his forceful speech and influence meant 
much for the University endowment. 

And there was David R. Dyche, who 
could drop his business cares any time to 
talk and plan for the University's good; 
who carried the burden of the four-mile 
limit on his heart ; who gave generously of 
his substance, as of his time and influence, 
and by his wisdom and his gentleness helped 
on the march of progress. 

And in March, 1899, Oliver Marcy, the 
grand old man who had been connected 
with the University for nearly forty years, 
finished his work. He had been twice Act- 
ing President; had taught an immense 
range of subjects, and had become the most 
striking figure in connection with the in- 
stitution. He did not grow old. His body 
failed, but his keen intellect retained its 
edge; his love for the things of nature 
never failed ; he wrought to the last in his 
dear museum, fondling his specimens as of 
old. They spoke to him of the mighty 
universe of which they were a part. They 
disclosed chapters of flood and fire that 
ordinary vision could not see in them, and 
which he delighted to reveal to any in- 
terested listener. His daily walk made us 
love him and the things he loved. It spoke 
to us of duty and devotion and joy in learn- 
ing. He was called of God to be an educa- 
tor, and he fulfilled his calling. His career 
is a part of the University's richest endow- 
ment. 

Julius F. Kellogg, too, long time Profes- 
sor of Mathematics, faded away in this de- 
cade, and was borne to rest by the loving 
hands of his old comrades, who knew him 
as a thorough mathematician, an excellent 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



97 



teacher and a simple hearted Christian. 
But I have played the role of Old Mortality 
long enough. These, and others of similar 
spirit, have served the University well, have 
^one to their reward and others have taken 
up their work. 

It would be difficult to reach an exact 
statement of the number of young men and 
women who have shared the educational 
opportunities furnished by the University 
since its organization. Like a stream rising 
in the mountains — a rivulet at first, then a 
river, with increasing tributaries and en- 
larging volume — so the stream of students 
has enlarged, from ten in number in 1855, 
to nearly three thousand in 1901. Very 
many, of course, have attended the insti- 
tution for a longer or a shorter course with- 
out graduating. Of those who have grad- 
uated, fifteen hundred have been from the 
College of Liberal Arts ; eighteen hundred 
and forty-four from the Medical School ; 
five hundred and fifty-nine from the 
Woman's Medical School ; eleven hundred 
and eighty-six from the School of Phar- 
macy ; sixteen hundred and five from the 
Law School ; and fifteen hundred and thirty- 
one from the Dental School — in all, eight 
thousand, two hundred and twenty-five men 
and women, who have given a good account 
of themselves in the varied walks in life, 
and some of whom have attained to conspic- 
uous positions and shed luster on their Alma 
Mater. 

College Administration of Today. — 
Little has been said of the labors of living 
men in connection with the history of the 
University, either in the faculty or the board 
of government. This much ought to be 
stated, however : that the body of teachers 
in the College of Liberal Arts are a de- 
voted, harmonious body of men and women, 
devoted chiefly to under-graduate work, and 
are hence confined largely to the work of 
instruction, though they do find time, now 



and then, to publish a volume in connection 
with their various specialties. 

In the large faculty of the College nearly 
every study that would be selected as a 
culture study is represented by a specialist 
who knows his work ; and, when they meet 
"in faculty assembled," according to the 
phrase adopted from Professor Godman of 
an early date, they are a distinguished body 
of men and women, keen in debate, deferen- 
tial to each other, and with a single eye to 
the interests ot the youth committed to their 
care. 

And it is with unusual restraint that I 
refrain from writing of the labors of the 
men who have cared for the material in- 
terests of the institution, and who still carry 
on that work ; men as conspicuous, able and 
devoted as any who have toiled in former 
generations, and who have finished their 
work and gone to their reward. When Or- 
rington Lunt ascended, William Deering 
took his place as primus inter pares, ad- 
ministering his office with a dignity and dis- 
creetness that commends him to the con- 
fidence and affection of his colleagues, and 
with such a knowledge of the situation, such 
solicitude for progress, and such generous 
liberality as to constitute him easily the 
chief patron in our history. Beside him 
are eminent men who take up his work when 
absence or illness interferes. 

And the able Secretary and Auditor, 
Frank P. Crandon, who has carried for- 
ward the work of the secretaryship since 
J. G. Hamilton laid down his pen, has put 
the University under a debt of obligation 
for service which it can never adequately 
reward. The volume of University busi- 
ness has become so great and its tran- 
sactions so important — all of which pass 
through a central office and must be scru- 
tinized from week to week — that it makes 
demands upon this officer that few appre- 
ciate as do those nearest his work, but to 



98 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



which he addresses himself with a constancy 
and painstaking fidelity that are beyond 
praise. I have referred to endowments that 
are not expressed in lands and buildings or 
notes of hand ; such labors as his enter into 
this list, and swell the wealth of the favored 
institution that has commanded such ser- 
vices as his without fee or reward. 

The Executive Committee are busy men 
of large private interests, but they are al- 
ways about the Trustees' table when called ; 
and they are regularly and irregularly 
called, and, without haste and after full 
discussion, they give all the time that is 
needful, in committee and out of committee, 
to carrying on their trust, with generous 
gifts of valuable time and other resources 
as they are able. 

Dr. James Two Years' Administration. 
— From small beginnings, by careful man- 
agement and timely benefactions, the Uni- 
versity has acquired a property conserva- 
tively valued at six million dollars, and has 
done its work for fifty years with increasing 
vigor and enlargement as the years have 
advanced. In the summer of 1902, Dr. 
Edmund J. James was selected to fill the 
vacant Presidency, and for two years car- 
ried on the work with great vigor and 
promise, infusing fresh life into all depart- 
ments of the institution. But in 1904, the 
claims of the Illinois State University upon 
him were too strong for him to resist, and 
he resigned to be succeeded by Prof. 
Thomas F. Holgate, as Acting President. 



The service of Professor Holgate as Dean 
of the College of Liberal Arts has fitted him 
well for the duties that have been thrust 
upon him, while his familiarity with the 
history and traditions of the University 
justify the belief that, under his guiding 
hand, the institution will maintain its steady 
and healthy progress, growing as the tree 
grows, nourished by the kindly care of the 
men and women who stand forth as its rep- 
resentatives — its Trustees, its Professors, 
its Alumni, and the great Church in whose 
name it was founded, and whose zeal for 
Christian culture it expresses. 

The University Finds a New President 
— On February 1, 1906, the Trustees of 
Northwestern University closed their 
long quest for a successor to President 
James, by the election of Abram W. 
Harris, LL.D., of Tome Institute, Mary- 
land, to the Presidency. Dr. Harris was 
born in Philadelphia, November 7, 18.58, 
graduated from the Wesleyan University, 
at Middletown, Conn., in 1880, and has 
followed an educational career since that 
time, except for a few years when he was 
in government service. His experience 
in University work and the secondary 
schools gives promise of great usefulness 
in his new field. His term of service was 
designated to commence July 1, 1906, vm- 
til which time the interests of the Univer- 
sity are presided over by Acting President 
Holgate, who has borne well the burdens 
and responsibilities of his office for near- 
ly two years past. 



CHAPTER X. 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL 

(By N. S. DAVIS, JR.. A. M.. M. D.) 



Object of its Organisation — Early Condi- 
tions and Methods of Medical Education 
—Dr. N. S. Daz'is Begins the Agitation for 
Graded Instruction and Longer Courses 
— Liiui Unii'crsity Establisltcd in iS^Q — 
Institution atfilia'ted zvith Northwestern 
University in i86g — Changes of Name 
and Location — Growth, Present Condi- 
tions and Methods of Instruction — South 
Side Free Dispensary — Hospitals: Mercy, 
Wesley, St. Luke's and Provident — 
Clinical and other Advantages — Influence 
of the Founders of the School Shown in 
its Groivth and Character of its Grad- 
uates — Positions Won by its Alumni. 

Northwestern L^niversity ]\Iedical School 
was founded to demonstrate the practica- 
biHty of what were admitted to be good 
methods of teaching the art and science of 
medicine. So long as this country was 
sparsely settled and means of rapid transit 
were wanting, it was difficult for physicians 
educated abroad to find communities of suf- 
ficient size or of such character as to tempt 
them to settle here. It was equally difficult 
for those of our own people inclined to study 
medicine to obtain suitable opportunities. 
For many years most practitioners of med- 
icine received their training from others 
to whom they were apprenticed. For half 
a century after the Revolutionary War the 
medical colleges, which were established, 



were regarded as not essential to the mak- 
ing of physicians and surgeons, but as use- 
ful places for the review of studies pursued 
under a preceptor and for the prosecution 
of practical studies in anatomy. The annual 
course in these schools was from four to 
five months in duration. During this time 
all the students attended all the lectures. 
These courses they repeated a second year, 
when they were granted a diploma. It is 
evident that such schools in no sense sup- 
planted the work of preceptors or general 
practitioners who received apprentices, but 
supplemented it. The colleges contained no 
laboratories, and few were connected with 
hospitals or attempted clinical teaching. 
During the next twenty-five years a gradual 
evolution took place ; clinics were estab- 
lished in most schools and a better quality 
of teaching was done. By both practition- 
ers and laymen colleges were regarded as 
of more importance for the acquisition of 
the knowledge which medical men must 
have. 

In the second decade of the last century 
Dr. N. S. Davis began to agitate the need 
of graded instruction in medical schools 
and of longer courses. This he did in med- 
ical societies and by writing a small treatise 
upon medical education. Later, in order to 
further this end, he induced the leading 
teachers and practitioners of various States 
to assemble to form a National Medical So- 



99 



100 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



ciety. He hoped that, by agitating the sub- 
ject in such a body, reforms might be in- 
augurated simultaneously in all the States. 
Although medical societies by numerous 
resolutions urged such reforms upon the 
colleges, they were not made. In 1859 a 
group of men, most of whom had been 
teachers in Rush College, Chicago, estab- 
lished a new school in that city, which was 
to demonstrate the feasibility of some of 
these long-needed reforms. Minimum re- 
quirements for entrance to the school were 
made ; three years of study, at least two of 
which must have been in a medical college, 
were demanded for graduation, and the 
studies were graded so that the most ele- 
mentary were taught first and the others 
followed in logical order. Clinical teaching 
was made a prominent feature of the in- 
struction from the beginning. Surprising 
as it seems, considering the evident need of 
these changes, it was nearly ten years before 
any other college in the country followed its 
example, and many more before it was 
followed by all. 

Originally this college was not a depart- 
ment of Northwestern University. In 1859 
Lind University was established and Doc- 
tors Hosmer A. Johnson, David Rutter, 
Edmund Andrews, and Ralph Isham or- 
ganized a medical department of it. N. S. 
Davis, William H. Byford and numerous 
other leading physicians of this small city 
were invited to form its faculty. Li-id Uni- 
versity soon went out of existence for want 
of sufficient financial support, but the med- 
ical school was re-organized under a charter 
of its own and was called Chicago Medical 
College. Under this name it made a per- 
manent reputation. In 1869 it was affiliated 
with Northwestern University, because it 
was thought that a university connection 
would enable it to stimulate students to pre- 
pare better for college and to maintain a 
higher grade of instruction itself. From 



tbis time until 1890 the institution was 
known as "Chicago Medical College" — the 
Medical Department of Northwestern Uni- 
versity. I In the latter year a close union 
with the University was effected, and the 
name was again changed, this time to 
Northwestern University Medical School. 

With each of these changes of title a 
change of location was made. Originally 
the college was housed in the Lind Block 
in the heart of the city ; later it moved into 
a building of its own on State Street near 
Twenty-second. In 1870 it was compelled 
to move, as its home was destroyed in the 
process of widening State Street. It then 
built anew at the corner of Twenty-sixth 
and Prairie Avenue, immediately adjoin- 
ing Mercy Hospital. Here it remained 
twenty years ; but the growth of the hos- 
pital in time necessitated abandonment of 
this site. New and entirely modern build- 
ings were constructed for its accommoda- 
tion in 1890 on Dearborn Street, between 
Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Streets ; 
and, in 1901, Wesley Hospital was built 
beside it. 

■While in material possessions the insti- 
tution has grown, it has also steadily ad- 
vanced, and even led, in most of the re- 
forms in teaching which have taken place. 
In 1868 it demanded attendance upon three 
annual courses of instruction in the college 
for graduation, and lengthened each course 
to six months. By 1870 the number of de- 
partments of instruction had been increased 
from eleven to thirteen, and, during the 
next twenty years, to eighteen. In 1890 
the annual term was lengthened to seven 
months, and four years of study in college 
were required for graduation. For several 
years before these changes were made a 
fourth year was offered but not required. 
In 1894 the annual term was made eight 
months. In 1892 Latin and physics were 
added to the entrance requirements and, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



lOI 



three years later, algebra, and in i8y6 sev- 
eral other branches of a high school course. 
A year later the requirements for entrance 
to the medical school were made the same as 
those of the College of Liberal Arts. 

Laboratory and clinical teaching were 
conspicuous elements of instruction from 
the inception of this college. When it was 
established, the only laboratory teaching 
done in medical schools was in chemistry 
and anatomy. Some years later a labora- 
tory of histology was opened. In 1886 lab- 
oratory instruction was given to all students 
in pathology. Bacteriology was taught for 
several years as an optional study, but work 
was required of all students in the bacterio- 
logical laboratory in 1891. In 1894 lab- 
oratories of experimental physiology and 
pharmacology were opened, although for 
several years prior to this, instruction had 
been given in physiological chemistry ; still 
more recently those of clinical pathology 
were established. This kind of practical 
teaching has so grown that it now consti- 
tutes the largest part of the work done by 
students in their first two years of medical 
study. The development of this kind of 
teaching, which is largely individual, has 
necessitated the employment of numerous 
teachers who devote their entire time to the 
school. In the earlier history of this insti- 
tution, these branches were taught by prac- 
titioners of medicine who devoted only a 
few hours per week to the work, a practice 
which is still continued by many colleges. 

Clinical teaching bears to the studies of 
the last two years the same relationship that 
laboratory teaching does to the first. It 
practically illustrates all instruction in the 
various departments of medicine, surgery 
and the specialties, and brings students in 
personal contact with patients and teacher. 
As laboratories have multiplied so have 
clinics, and in each the amount of teaching 
has been increased and improved. A few 



clinics are introduced into the second year 
course to illustrate methods of examina- 
tion, a subject taught at that time in order 
to prepare students for the study of disease 
which completely occupies their attention 
during the junior and senior years. The 
senior year is given up almost exclusively 
to clinical teaching. Northwestern Univer- 
sity offers its students much more clinical 
instruction than most other schools do, and 
especially a large amount of bedside instruc- 
tion to small groups of them. The clinical 
laboratory enables students to apply all 
kinds of scientific methods of research to 
the examination of patients. In it they 
make blood examinations, sputa examina- 
tions and analyze the other secretions and 
excretions of the body. The aim of this 
school is not simply to aflford students an 
opportunity to learn what is known of dis- 
ease, but to become intimately acquainted 
with it by contact with patients, to obtain 
experience by watching the course of dis- 
ease and the effect of remedial procedures. 
The unusual clinical facilities of this col- 
lege are made possible by the South Side 
Free Dispensary— which is in Davis Hall, 
one of the University buildings — by Mercy 
Hospital, St. Luke's Hospital, and by Wes- 
ley and Provident Hospitals. These hospi- 
tals together accommodate from eight hun- 
dred to one thousand patients. In the South 
Side Free Dispensary twenty-five thousand 
patients are prescribed for annually, and are 
treated, in many cases, by the best physi- 
cians, surgeons and specialists of the city. 
Rooms are arranged for the proper ex- 
amination and care of eye and ear, nose and 
throat, gynecological, skin, nervous, surgi- 
cal and medical cases, as well as of children. 
Trained nurses assist in several of these de- 
partments. This dispensary is not only an 
important educational institution, but one 
of the best philanthropies in Chicago. 
Davis Hall, in which the dispensary is 



102 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



housed, was constructed for its accommo- 
dation. The building is a well planned and 
commodious out-patient hospital. 

Mercy Hospital, which is the oldest and 
one of the largest public hospitals in the 
city, has been intimately associated with 
this school ever since its founding. The 
hospital consists of a series of buildings, 
with a total length of six hundred feet. 
It is located on the corner of Twenty-sixth 
Street and Calumet Avenue, and covers 
nearly half a block of land. It owns prop- 
erty adjoining its present buildings, which 
will enable it to grow and ultimately to 
cover nearly a square of land. A part of 
this vacant property is an attractive garden, 
which is much frequented by convalescent 
patients during the summer. 

There has recently been completed an ad- 
dition to the hospital devoted to a large oper- 
ating and clinic hall, which will accommo- 
date four hundred students. This is one of 
the most attractive and perfect operating 
rooms in the city. In connection with this 
are numerous small rooms for private opera- 
tions, for the care of instruments and sur- 
gical supplies, for preparing patients and 
for preparing operators and their assistants. 
These rooms are of the most modern and 
approved construction and contain t^he 
best equipment known. 

Mercy Hospital has also one of the best 
training schools for nurses in the city. In- 
struction and training is given them in the 
hospital by the staff, as well as by regular 
teachers devoting their time to the school. 

The attending staff of physicians and 
surgeons is selected from the Faculty of 
Northwestern University Medical School. 
Eight resident physicians and surgeons are 
chosen annually from the graduating class 
of the college, and serve for eighteen 
months in the hospital. During the college 
year from one to four clinics are given 
daily in this institution. 



The most notable recent addition to the 
equipment of the ]\Iedical School is Wesley 
Hospital. It is located beside the college 
building, and is connected with Davis Hall 
by an enclosed bridge. Neither expense nor 
time has been spared to make this one of the 
best equipped hospitals in the world. It is 
the last built in Chicago and contains all of 
the newest improvements in hospital con- 
struction. 

With its laboratories for sterilizing and 
preparing dressings and instruments, its 
amphitheatre, its clinical and pathological 
laboratories, drug-room and morgue ; with 
its sun-baths and suites of private rooms, 
and with its commodious, light and well 
ventilated wards, this institution would seem 
to have reached the highest inark in hospital 
construction and equipment. The staff of 
this hospital is also selected from the faculty 
of the college. Four resident physicians 
and surgeons are chosen annually from the 
graduating class. It also has an excellent 
training school for nurses. 

The instruction given to the students 
in Wesley Hospital makes a very important 
portion of their clinical course. This is 
naturally consequent upon the close relation 
of the two institutions — the hospital stand- 
ing beside the College Building and con- 
nected with it by corridors. 

St. Luke's Hospital is situated on Indiana 
Avenue, near Fourteenth street. Owing to 
its central location, it receives a large num- 
ber of accident cases, and its surgical clinic 
is, consequently, an extensive one. Clinics 
are given regularly in Medicine, Nervous 
Diseases, Surgery, Gynecology, and Diseases 
of the Eye and Ear. The clinics and autop- 
sies of St. Luke's Hospital are attended 
principally by the third year students. 

Provident Hospital, located at the corner 
of Thirty-sixth and Dearborn streets, has 
recently been much enlarged. Besides its 
loo beds, which can accommodate 800 to 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



103 



1,000 patients annually, there is a large dis- 
pensary in which about 6,000 ambulatory 
patients receive treatment each year. 

The students of the Northwestern Uni- 
versity Medical School have an opportunity 
to attend clinics by the Medical Staff and 
operations by the Surgical Staff, and are 
assigned, in small classes, to ward visits in 
Surgery and Gynecology. 

The college possesses, in addition to the 
equipment of its laboratories and clinics, 
a fine collection of pathological and anatom- 
ical specimens. Its present museum is 
crowded and more space is needed. It also 
has an excellent reference library, which 
is in constant use by the students. This is 
in charge of a librarian who devotes her en- 
tire time to it. 



The inspiration which its founders gave 
thii school, to maintain in it the most thor- 
ough and complete instruction possible, has 
never been lost. Its success is shown by its 
growth and, best of all, by the character of 
its graduates. For a number of years past 
from one-third to one-half of each grad- 
uating class has received hospital appoint- 
ments, in which they obtain from a year to 
eighteen months of practical post-graduate 
training. Many of its alumni are filling im- 
portant professorships in colleges from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific coasts. They are 
found leaders in the communities in which 
they live and in the societies of their pro- 
fession. 



CHAPTER XI, 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL 



(By F. B. CROSSLEY, LL. B.) 



Historical Sketch — Lazv School Founded in 
i8^p — Hon. Thomas Hoyne Leads in 
Endowment of First Chair — Only Three 
Lajv Schools then West of the Alleghen- 
ies — First Faculty — Notable Members of 
Faculty of Later Date — Union College of 
Law Result of Combination of North- 
zi'estern and University of Chicago — 
First Board of Managers and First 
Facidty Under New Arrangement — Uni- 
versity of Chicago Suspended in 1866 
and Northwestern Assumed Entire Con- 
trol of Lazv School in i8pi — Subsequent 
History — Changes in Requirements of 
Supreme Court as to Law Course — 
Present Home and Conditions — Acquisi- 
tion of Gary Collection — Present Out- 
look. 

The present Northwestern University 
Law School was founded in 1859 through 
the generosity of the Hon. Thomas Hoyne, 
who contributed five thousand dollars to the 
.original University of Chicago to endow 
a "chair of International and Constitutional 
Law" which contribution enabled the Uni- 
versity to establish a Law Department. 

At that time there were but three other 
law schools west of the Allegheny Moun- 
tains, and the need of an institution that 
could offer a better legal training than could 
be obtained in a law office, was becoming 



more and more apparent with the growth 
of the city. 

The School was first opened for instruc- 
tion in i860, with Honorable Henry Booth 
and Judges John M. Wilson and Grant 
Goodrich as professors. Dr. Booth was 
the first to be called as a professor and to 
serve as Dean, and continued in that joint 
capacity for thirty-two years, retiring as 
Dean Emeritus in 1892. The inauguration 
ceremonies of the School took place in Met- 
ropolitan Hall, the chief address being made 
by the Hon. David Dudley Field, of New 
York; the Chief Justice of the Supreme 
Court of Illinois, Sidney Breese, and sev- 
eral other Judges of prominence being 
present and assisting. 

The School was conducted continuously 
by the University of Chicago until 1873, 
becoming better known throughout the 
United States each year for the thorough 
character of its instruction and the high 
standard of scholarship set for its grad- 
uates ; and though the dominating control 
of the School has changed several times 
from the date of its organization, the policy 
outlined by Dean Booth and his co-work- 
ers has been followed, and at no time has 
the School lost in influence or prestige 
through any attempt by the different in- 
terests to lower the quality of its instruction 
or the standard of its scholarship. The 



105 



io6 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



faith of these different interests in the pol- 
icy of its first Dean and his fellow-labor- 
ers is illustrated by the long tenure of 
office and the service on the Faculty of 
one of Evanston's best known citizens, the 
Hon. Harvey B. Hurd, who became a Pro- 
fessor in the Law School in 1862, and re- 
mained in active service until May 23, 1902. 
when he retired as Emeritus Professor of 
Law. 

In 1873, for the purpose of strengthening 
the School and adding a department of law. 
Northwestern University entered into an 
agreement with the University of Chicago 
whereby the Law School came under the 
joint control of the two Universities. By 
the terms of this agreement the School was 
placed under the direct management of a 
"Joint Board," "comprising an equal num- 
ber of persons from the Board of Trustees 
of each University," the announcement of 
the change setting forth that "it should not 
be overlooked by any of the graduates of 
the Law School of the University of Chi- 
cago, that this School is a legitimate off- 
spring and successor to its claims, and, as 
such, is entitled to receive all the honors 
and support of the large number of those, 
fast rising into professional eminence, who 
acquired the rudiments of their legal learn- 
ing within the walls of this School." The 
joint agreement provided that the School 
should be known as the Law Department of 
both Universities, "with full right to each to 
publish the same in all catalogues and cir- 
culars, as its law department ; that diplo- 
mas should be signed by the President and 
Secretary of both Universities, under the 
seal of each, and that, "as far as practicable, 
the graduating exercises of the law classes 
shall be held in the name of, and attended 
by, the Trustees, officers and Faculties of 
both Universities" ; that, "for the purpose 
of placing said Law School upon a sure and 



substantial financial basis," each University 
should pay annually towards its support not 
less than two thousand dollars and, in case 
of default for six months, the party in de- 
fault should forfeit its interest and control 
in the School. 

Northwestern University was represented 
on the first Board of Alanagement, as 
above provided for, by Hon. Grant Good- 
rich, Wirt Dexter, Esq., Robert F. Oueal, 
and Rev. Charles H. Fowler, President of 
the University. 

The first Faculty under joint control of 
the two Universities was composed as fol- 
lows: Hon. Henry Booth, Dean and Pro- 
fessor of the law of Property and of Plead- 
ing : Hon. Lyman Trumbull, Professor of 
Constitutional Law, Statute Law, and Prac- 
tice in the LTnited States Courts ; Hon. James 
R. Doolittle, Professor of Equity Jurispru- ' 
dence, Pleading and Evidence ; Van Buren 
Denslow, Esq., Professor of Contracts and 
Civil and Criminal Practice; Philip Myers, 
Esq., Professor of Commercial Law ; Hon. 
James B. Bradwell, Lecturer on Wills and 
Probate : Dr. Nathan S. Davis, Lecturer on 
Medical Jurisprudence. 

The School was now known as the Union 
College of Law, and was located at this 
time ( 1873) in the Superior Block, fronting 
the Court-House. Sixty regular students 
were registered during the year 1872-73 — 
and, after three years of joint management, 
one hundred and thirty students were en- 
rolled in one year. The requirements for ad- 
mission at this time were low in all law 
schools, this School requiring merely a com- 
mon .'•chool education, but recommending a 
college training, and during the year 1876 — 
or three years after Northwestern Univer- 
sity assumed partial control — almost one- 
third of the students in the Law School pos- 
sessed academic degrees. The course, as in 
nearly all the better schools, covered a pe- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



107 



riod of two years and the diploma of the 
School admitted to the bar of Ilhnois. 

The joint management was continued 
imtil 1886, when the original University of 
Chicago ceased to exist actively, and later 
surrendered its charter. For a period of 
about five years (1886 to 1891) the control 
of the Law School was still exercised by a 
"Joint Board," but in 1891 Northwestern 
University assumed entire control and the 
School received its present name. The 
agreement under which the Northwestern 
University assumed exclusive control of the 
Law School was made July i, 189 1, with 
the LTnion College of Law represented by 
Hon. Oliver H. Horton and William V. 
Farwell ; Northwestern L^niversity being 
represented by Orrington Lunt, its Vice- 
President. This agreement, among other 
provisions, set forth that the School should 
thereafter be known as Northwestern Uni- 
versity Law School, with the privilege to 
continue the name "Union College of Law" 
in brackets, and that "all persons who are 
alumni of Union College of Law are hereby 
made alumni of Northwestern University 
Law School." 

Since Northwestern L^^niversity obtained 
sole control of the Law School, its position 
among the foremost in the country has been 
maintained and the School has led in all 
attempts to raise the standard of legal edu- 
cation and of the legal profession in the 
West. An academic training equivalent to 
that of a graduate of a high school was soon 
made a requirement for admission, and, in 
1897. the required period of study in the 
School of all candidates for a degree was 
extended to three years, although at that 
time the Supreme Court of Illinois required 
but two years' study for admission to prac- 
tice within its jurisdiction. This change in 
the requirements for graduation was soon 
followed by a new rule of the Supreme 
Court of Illinois, governing admission to 



the bar and requiring an academic training 
equivalent to that of a high school graduate, 
and three years' study of law of all appli- 
cants for admission to practice. A change 
was also made in the Law School in the 
method of instruction by the adoption of 
the case system instead of the text, the 
curriculum was greatly enlarged and the 
Faculty increased. 

The policy of the University toward the 
Law School has been, at all times since its 
assumption of executive control, one of 
commendable liberality, and because of it 
the School has been able to keep up its 
progress and maintain its prestige. To do 
this, because of the large gifts of money 
contributed in recent years to Universities 
throughout the country other than North- 
western, and the consequent increase in 
efficiency and equipment of their various 
departments, the University found it neces- 
sary, in 1902, to increase very largely its 
annual financial contribution to the Law 
School, and this was done by adding there- 
to the income from a quarter of a million 
dollars and, in addition, an appropriation 
of ten thousand dollars for the im- 
mediate increase of the library ; so 
that, when the School ceased its mi- 
gratory career and moved into its 
present permanent home in Northwest- 
ern LTniversity Building, purchased and 
equipped at a cost of nearly one million 
dollars by the L^niversity, as a home for its 
professional Schools other than Medical, it 
possessed a Faculty of six professors giving 
the whole or the substance of their time to 
the School, besides an excellent staff of in- 
structors and lecturers, and a library of over 
12,000 volumes. The present home of 
the School, in what was widely known for 
more than half a century as the "Tremont 
House," is well adapted to its needs. It 
occupies the entire third floor of North- 
western University Building, in the heart of 



io8 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



the business section of Chicago. The 
twenty-three thousand square feet of floor 
space is divided into well equipped library, 
lecture, study and court rooms, and offices. 
The library reading room will accommodate 
450 students at its tables. The students' 
assembly room provides pleasant quarters 
for rest and conversation. The walls of the 
School are hung with an interesting collec- 
tion of portraits of prominent Judges, and 
legal writers, teachers, and lawyers of all 
countries — a collection that is probably not 
equaled in the United States. The equip- 
ment throughout, aside from the library, 
was made possible by generous money 
contributions from alumni, Trustees and 
other friends of the School upon its removal 
to its permanent home. 

Through the generosity of Hon. Elbert 
H. Gary, '67, the School in 1903 acquired 
the Gary Collection of Continental Juris- 
prudence. This Collection, the most com- 
plete of its kind this side the Atlantic, 
comprises an extensive collection of the laws 
and jurisprudence of all the countries of 



Continental Europe. It is of incalculable 
practical value to Chicago and the North- 
west, and to students of the law in this coun- 
try interested in the study of comparative 
laws. Judge Gary has also made it possible 
for the School to greatly increase its collec- 
tion of English and American laws and 
treatises, and placed it (1905) in a position 
for the first time to compare favorably in 
this respect with the best law school 
libraries in the country. 

After forty-six years of existence the 
Law School stands for the best in legal 
training. During the past it has occupied 
constantly a high place as one of the best 
law schools, although greatly handicapped 
by lack of proper equipment and insuffi- 
cient financial support. Today, with its 
large body of alumni, many of whom are 
of State and National reputation, scattered 
over thirty-five States and Territories, with 
its excellent equipment and its increased 
financial support, the future of this depart- 
ment seems almost assured. 



CHAPTER XII. 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY DENTAL SCHOOL 

(By O. V. BLACK, M. D., D. D. S.. LL. D.) 



Dental Education as a Distinct Branch of 
Professional Training — First Dental 
School Established in i8jp — Development 
Due to State Legislation — Dental Schools 
in Eastern Cities — Chicago College of 
Dental Surgery Graduates its First Class 
in iS8j — Dr. Thomas L. Gilmer Leads 
Movement for Establishment of North- 
ivestcrn University Dental School — Con- 
solidation zi'ith Anierican College of 
Dental Surgery — Dr. Theodore Menges 
Chief Promoter — First Faculty of the 
Consolidated School — Present Condi- 
tion ■ — It Finds a Permanent Home in 
Historic Trcmont House Building. 

In order tfl understand the conditions in- 
fluencing the growth of the Northwestern 
University Dental Scliool, it seems necessary 
to intermingle with the more direct account 
of it, a brief explanation of some of the gen- 
eral conditions peculiar to dental education 
which have had so large an influence on its 
development. 

Dental education, as a distinct branch of 
activity in the development of science and 
art, began in 1839, when Dr. Chapin Harris 
and his colleagues, who had been teaching 
oral surgery in a medical school in Balti- 
more, withdrew and founded an independent 
school of dentistry, establishing the degree 
of Doctor of Dental Surgery as earned by a 
definite course of studv. The effort was so 



successful that since that time dental edu- 
cation in America has been on a separate 
basis from general medical education. Yet 
it has always been regarded as a branch of 
the healing art, having much in common 
with general medicine, and especially as 
requiring similar preparation in the funda- 
mental branches, viz : anatomy, physiology, 
histology, pathology and chemistry. Dental 
schools made slow progress, however, in the 
earlier years of their existence. It had 
been the custom that one desiring to engage 
in the practice of dentistry became a student 
in the office of a practitioner, and, when 
considered sufficiently proficient, entered 
upon the practice independently without 
question. So firmly fixed was this practice 
that, for a time, few students entered the 
dental schools; though from year to year 
they increased in numbers and new schools 
were organized and operated successfully in 
several of the larger cities. 

About 1870 there was a general move- 
ment for the better education of dentists. 
The need for the better education of phy- 
sicians was being urged, and laws for the 
regulation of the practice of medicine, and 
incidentally requiring improvement in edu- 
cational qualification, were being enacted 
by the dififerent State Legislatures. Den- 
tistry followed, and laws were also rapidly 
adopted regulating the practice of den- 
tistry. These laws have been sustained by 



109 



no 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



the sentiment of the people for whose bene- 
fit they were drawn, by the profession and 
by the courts of law. Those entering upon 
the practice of dentistry then found that 
the easier way to obtain an education that 
would satisfy the State Boards of Dental 
Examiners, was by attending the dental 
schools. This brought about a very rapid 
increase in the number of students, and also 
a similar increase in the number of dental 
schools. In 1870 there were eight dental 
schools in operation, from which were 
graduated 140 students. This, with the con- 
ditions of graduation then prevailing, would 
indicate a total attendance of but little over 
200 students. In 1901 there were fifty-four 
dental schools and from these about 2,300 
students were graduated. This would indi- 
cate a total attendance of about 7,000 stu- 
dents. 

This seemingly extreme educational activ- 
ity in dentistry was also accompanied by a 
similar activity in the development of den- 
tal science and practice. Many active men 
were coming forward with new facts and 
with new thought for the betterment of the 
treatment of dental diseases. The people 
were gaining confidence in dental opera- 
tions and making larger demands on the 
dental profession, and increased numbers of 
dentists were required to satisfy these de- 
mands, thus giving substantial support to 
the educational impulse. Baltimore and 
Philadelphia were the earlier seats of dental 
educational work, though successful dental 
schools were being developed in other cities. 
In Chicago the first dental school in actual 
operation (some charters for dental schools 
were obtained earlier) was Chicago College 
of Dental Surgery, which graduated its 
first class in 1885. In the activity of the 
time many efforts failed, or were imperfect- 
ly organized and continued but a short 
time. 

Dr. Thomas L. Gilmer inaugurated, and 



was principally instrumental in carrying 
through, the initial movement which result- 
ed in the organization of the present North- 
western University Dental School. In 1890 
there were a number of men in Chicago 
who had obtained some prominence as 
teachers in dentistry who were not then en- 
gaged in teaching. Having noted this, and 
having carefully studied the conditions. Dr. 
Gilmer gave a dinner at the Leland Hotel, 
to which Drs. George H. Gushing, Edgar D. 
Swain, Edmund Noyes and W. V-B. Ames 
were invited, and to whom he opened the 
subject of the organization of a new dental 
school. There were at the time several den- 
tal schools in the city that were not doing 
well, and the question of the reorganization 
of some one of these was discussed, with 
the result that Dr. Gilmer was authorized 
to investigate the advisability of the pur- 
chase of the American College of Dental 
Surgery, then under the control of Dr. 
Clendenen. At a subsequent meeting Dr. 
Gilmer reported adversely to the purchase 
of that school. Chicago University was 
then in process of organization, and an in- 
terview was had with President Harper 
with reference to the organization of a 
dental school as a department of that uni- 
versity, but at the time they were not ready 
for such an undertaking. The discussion 
of various schemes continued from time to 
time until the resignation of the faculty of 
the University Dental College seemed to 
create an opening in that direction. 

The University Dental College was 
finally organized under a charter grant- 
ed from the State of Illinois in 1887. 
The first session was held in the win- 
ter of 1887-88, with a class of six students, 
the dental faculty consisting of W. W. All- 
port (Emeritus), L. P. Haskell, R. F. Lud- 
wig, John S. Marshall (Dean), A. E. Bald- 
win, Charles P. Pruyn, R. C. Baker and 
.\rthur B. Freeman. An agreement was 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



III 



effected between President Cummings of 
Northwestern University, Nathan S. Davis, 
Dean of Chicago Medical College, and the 
faculty of the new Dental College, by 
which the students should take lectures in 
anatomy, physiology, histology, materia 
medica, pathology and surgery with the 
medical classes; but this agreement in- 
volved no further connection with the Med- 
ical College. Also the connection with 
Northwestern University was nominal and 
prospective only, the University assuming 
no responsibility for the Dental College. 

The new college was located on Twenty- 
sixth Street, Chicago, near the Medical Col- 
lege. The students were required to take a 
course of three years, of seven months 
each, before graduation. This was the first 
dental college to make this requirement, and 
this fact operated very much against its suc- 
cess in obtaining students ; so that its 
classes remained very small. There were 
only eleven students at the end of the sec- 
ond year. At the beginning of the third 
year the three-year course was made op- 
tional, and the students were allowed to 
elect to take a two years' course. At the 
end of the fourth year the class numbered 
nineteen. The college could not continue to 
meet its expenses on the income derived 
from this number of students and, at the 
end of the year, the Faculty resigned, as has 
been noted above. 

At that time Dr. Henry Wade Rogers 
had recently become President of North- 
western University, and was actively en- 
gaged in bringing the professional schools, 
which had previously but a nominal connec- 
tion with the University at Evanston, into a 
closer relationship. He was seen by Dr. 
Gilmer with regard to the reorganization of 
this college, and he actively favored it. 
After a number of conferences between the 
parties interested, which included especially 
Drs. Chas. P. Pruyn, I. A. Freeman, A. B. 



Freeman and A. E. Matteson, of the old 
faculty, the officers of Chicago Medical Col- 
lege, and Drs. T. L. Gilmer, E. D. Swain, 
Geo. H. Cushing, Edmund Noyes, W. V-B. 
Ames and others, an organization was ef- 
fected under the charter of Northwestern 
University, and the charter of the Univer- 
sity Dental College from the State allowed 
to lapse. In making this change the word 
college was dropped and the word school 
substituted, in accord with a policy of the 
University, in which the teaching organiza- 
tions under its jurisdiction are called 
"schools" rather than colleges. The new 
school took the name Northwestern Univer- 
sity Dental School. The Chicago Medical 
College also came into closer relationship 
with the University and took the name 
Northwestern University Medical School. 
The new dental faculty was composed of 
Edgar D. Swain, Dean ; Edmund Noyes, 
Secretary ; G. V. Black, George H. Cush- 
ing, J. S. Marshall, Charles P. Pruyn, Isaac 
A. Freeman, Thomas L. Gilmer, Arthur B. 
Freeman, B. S. Palmer, W. V-B. Ames, 
Arthur E. Matteson, E. L. Clifford, G. W. 
Haskins, D. M. Cattell and H. P. Smith. 
Arrangements were made with the medical 
school by which the dental students took 
lectures on the fundamental subjects with 
the medical classes. The school was re- 
moved to more commodious quarters on 
Twenty-second Street, but near enough to 
be convenient to the Medical School, which 
was also moved to new quarters on Dear- 
born Street, near Twenty-fourth. In the 
summer of 1891 the National Association of 
Dental Faculties passed an order which re- 
quired all schools affiliated with it to ex- 
tend the course of study to three terms of 
not less than six months each, in separate 
years before graduation. This order was 
complied with at once, and the new organi- 
zation began its first session with a class of 
fifty-three students, only six of whom came 
from the old school. 



112 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



The National Association of Dental Fac- 
ulties was formed in 1884, having as its ob- 
ject the improvement of the methods of den- 
tal education and harmony of action among 
the separate schools. The National Associa- 
tion of Dental Examiners had been formed 
a year earlier, having for its object the pro- 
motion of harmony of action among the 
separate Examining Boards of the different 
States. These associations, while remain- 
ing distinct, have, for the most part, 
worked in unison, both having for their 
prime object the better education and pro- 
fessional qualification of young men for the 
practice of dentistry, and their influence has 
been too important to be passed without 
some consideration. It must be understood 
that, before; this time, dental schools were 
without law or rule other than such as each 
might adopt at will, and there was little 
harmony of action among them. Some were 
graduating students on a single course of 
six months. There was no standard of edu- 
cational requirement for matriculation, etc. 
The object of the Faculties Association was 
to bring about harmony and establish rules 
regarding all such matters. 

Perhaps the best definition of the objects 
and purposes of this organization will be 
expressed in its first official acts. It was 
agreed by the association at its first meeting 
that, after the close of the sessions of 1884- 
85, each college belonging to the Associa- 
tion would refuse to allow a candidate to 
come up for final examination who had not 
attended two full courses of lectures, the 
last of which should have been spent in the 
college where the candidate for graduation 
proposed to take the degree. A preliminary 
examination of all students not possessing 
an academic or high school education was 
also ordered to go into effect at the same 
time. It was ordered that an examination of 
junior students should take place at the end 
of their first course, and that certificates 



should be issued showing their fitness to en- 
ter the senior class of any one of the chain 
of colleges, and that no college belonging to 
the Association would allow a student to 
enter the senior class who did not exhibit 
such a certificate of qualification, and this 
class of legislation has since been continued. 
This organization quickly gathered into its 
membership all of the dental schools re- 
garded as reputable ; and, although a purely 
voluntary organization, it has attained such 
power through the general support of the 
dental profession that its edicts have the 
force of law. 

It was under these general conditions that 
the new school began its work. After two 
years in its location on Twenty-second 
Street, the school was moved into new build- 
ings erected on Dearborn Street, between 
Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Streets, 
and was housed with the Medical School ; 
each, however, having its own rooms, clinic- 
al outfits and laboratories. In this location, 
and with these arrangements, the school 
was fairly prosperous and the number of 
students increased so that, in the fall of 
1895, the whole number was one hundred 
and twenty-eight. With this number in the 
Dental School and the continued increase 
in the Medical School, the space was over- 
crowded, so that it became necessary to 
procure additional buildings outside for a 
portion of the laboratories of the Dental 
School. This arrangement proved very un- 
satisfactory, as it required much running to 
and fro, and it became clear that something 
else must be done in order to accommodate 
the increasing demands. The extension of 
the course to three years instead of two, as 
had been the former custom, had not served 
materially to diminish the number of appli- 
cants for matriculation. 

In the meantime the American College of 
Dental Surgery, previously mentioned, had 
been purchased bv Dr. Theodore Menges 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



"3 



and others, its equipment had been im- 
proved, it was being put in better condition 
for giving instruction and its classes were 
rapidly increasing in numbers. Dr. Menges, 
who was showing much energy and tact, 
especially in gaining students, proposed in 
the winter of 1895-96 the consolidation of 
these two schools. After numerous confer- 
ences usual in such proceedings, this was 
effected during the following spring on 
terms which, for the time, left the principal 
management of the school in the hands of 
Dr. Menges, but provided for the ultimate 
complete ownership by the University. The 
faculty was again reorganized, a part of 
each of the old faculties being retained. 
The new faculty at the beginning of 1896- 
97 was composed of Edgar D. Swain 
(Dean), G. V. Black, George H. Gushing, 
Thomas L. Gilmer, J. S. Marshall (Emer- 
itus), B. J. Cigrand, A. H. Peck, E. H. 
Angle, Edmund Noyes, I. B. Crissman, W. 
E. Harper, G. W. Haskins, James H. Proth- 
ero, G. W. Swartz, William Stearns, 
Charles B. Reed, F. B. Noyes, T. B. Wig- 
gin, W. T. Eckley, L. B. Haymen, George 
Leininger, C. E. Sayre, V. J. Hall, with 
Theodore Menges as Secretary and Busi- 
ness Manager. The Dental School was re- 
moved to the building that had been occu- 
pied by the American College of Dental 
Surgery, on the corner of Franklin and 
Madison Streets, where it has since re- 
mained. In this building additional space 
could be had from time to time for indefi- 
nite expansion. In this arrangement the 
American College of Dental Surgery went 
out of existence, and, as its graduates would 
have no ahna mater, it was agreed that those 
students who had graduated in 1891 and 
since should be made alumni of the North- 
western University Dental School. 

Northwestern University Dental School 
now undertook to teach all of the depart- 
ments, including the fundamental branches, 



by its own professors and instructors, thus 
separating it entirely from the Medical 
School. The work was now with much 
larger classes than had before been as- 
sembled in dental schools, and, as the year 
passed, it was seen that, while the general 
methods of instruction in vogue were well 
adapted, much improvement in the system- 
atization of the work of the teaching force 
was desirable. At the end of the year the 
Dean, Dr. Edgar D. Swain, resigned. Dr. 
G. V. Black was then appointed Dean, and 
was charged especially with the systemati- 
zation of the methods of instruction. Each 
of the departments of instruction was grad- 
ually brought under the control of a single 
responsible professor, who controlled the 
methods of presentation of the subjects in 
his field of work by those associated with 
him, and the courses of study were so 
graded that the classes of each year re- 
mained separate in the class room. Per- 
sonal teaching was provided for by the sep- 
aration of classes into sections and the ar- 
rangement of quiz-masters and demonstrat- 
ors for special duties, so that the individual 
student could, at any time, obtain a person- 
al answer to his question or the demonstra- 
tion of a technical procedure. 

In following out these arrangements, sub- 
jects that had been divided among different 
members of the faculty were grouped under 
one head and managed by a single profes- 
sor with the aid of assistants, so that the 
faculty was reduced in number and the as- 
sistant teachers, demonstrators and quiz- 
masters increased. In 1899-1900 the faculty 
was composed of Greene V. Black (Dean), 
Thomas L. Gilmer, John S. Marshall (Em- 
eritus), Adelbert H. Peck, Edmund Noyes, 
William E. Harper, James H. Prothero, 
Frederick B. Noyes, Twing B. Wiggin, 
William T. Eckley, Vernon J. Hall, George 
A. Dorsey. Theodore Menges (Secretary 
of the Faculty) and James N. McDowell. 



114 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



This faculty was assisted by about thirty 
assistants, teachers, demonstrators and quiz- 
masters. 

Northwestern Dental College, a small 
school also located in Chicago, had given 
much annoyance on account of the similari- 
ty of name, especially in the confusion it 
caused in the delivery of mail. In 1898 this 
was purchased, the college closed, and its 
plant added to the Northwestern University 
Dental School. This arrangement included 
the recognition of the recent graduates of 
the Northwestern Dental College as alumni 
of Northwestern University Dental School. 

The school as thus organized prospered, 
and the classes steadily increased until, in 
1899-1900, they numbered six hundred stu- 
dents — the largest number ever collected in 
one dental school. Additional space in the 
building was obtained from time to time 
for new laboratories and class rooms. In 
1899 an entire floor was added to gain addi- 
tional space for necessary class rooms, lec- 
ture rooms and laboratories, and also to pro- 
vide space for a library, museum and read- 
ing room. It has been found particularly de- 
sirable that students should be provided with 
well-arranged space in the'fechool building, to 
which they could go during any leisure hour 
for the purpose of reading and study, or 
which they could occupy at regular hours 
and where they could find books upon any 
topic in dentistry. The work of assembling 
a library and museum of comparative den- 
tal anatomy and dental pathology was act- 
ivelv undertaken, and the material has been 
rapidly brought togeth >r, so that, at the 
present time, these may be justly regarded 
as excellent and as quite fully supplying the 
needs of a dental school. To these members 
of the profession have contributed books, 
journals and specimens liberally, and have 
in this way very materially aided in the 
gathering of the collection. This work is 
still in progress. Members of the profes- 



sion are also permitted to make use of this 
library and museum. 

On the first of June, 1900, Dr. Theodore 
Menges, Secretary and Business i\Ianager 
of Northwestern University Dental School, 
died of appendicitis, after an illness of a lit- 
tle less than one week. He was thus cut off, 
seemingly before his time, in the midst of a 
robust manhood and mental vigor, while in 
the active prosecution of the work that 
seemed to have been allotted him to do. 
His sudden death threw a wave of grief 
over all connected with the school, upon its 
alumni, the dental profession and all who 
knew him and the work he was doing. He 
was an active, energetic and persistent 
worker, devoting liis life to the upbuilding 
of the dental profession. 

With the death of Dr. Menges the dental 
school became completely the property of 
Northwestern University. Dr. W. E. Har- 
per was appointed Secretary and the school 
went regularly forward with its work with- 
out other change in its faculty. Its a'umni 
now number about fourteen hundred. 

In 190 1 the University purchased a new 
buikhng at a cost of half a million dollars, 
which two years since became the perma- 
nent home of the Dental School, as also of 
the schools of Law and Pharmacy. This 
building — formerly the "Tremont House," 
for more than fifty years one of the most 
widely known hostelries in the cit}' of C'lii- 
cago — IS located at the corner of Lake and 
Dearborn Streets, within the downtown loop 
of the elevated roads, is convenient of ac- 
cess from all lines of travel, both general 
and suburban, and furnishes especially com- 
modious quarters for the uses of the school. 
It has a frontage of 180 feet on Dearborn 
Street and 160 feet on Lake Street, and 
since it came into the possession of the Uni- 
versity, has undergone thorough reconstruc- 
tion, fitting it for the several departments 
there located. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



"5 



The several schools in this building are 
entirely separate and distinct from each 
other in their respective rooms, equipment 
and special work — as much so as if in sepa- 
rate buildings — so situated as to have a 
much closer community of interest and of 
helpfulness with reference to each other 
than had previously existed. The annual 
sessions of the Dental School are held in 
this new building, and there is every reason 
to believe that in its new and permanent 
home the Dental department has entered 
upon a new period of increasmg prosperity 
and usefulness. 

ADDEXDUM 

Since the above was written Northwest- 
ern University Dental School has gone reg- 
ularly forward with its educational work. 
Dr. Elgin MaWhinney has been appointed 
to fill the place made vacant by the resigna- 
tion af Dr. A. H. Peck. A vacancy occur- 
ing through the resignation of Dr. E. H. 
Angle is filled by Dr. Ira B. Sellery. Sec- 



retary Dr. W. E. Harper resigned and his 
place was filled by the appointment of Dr. 
C. R. E. Koch. Also three of the younger 
men who had been serving the school as 
Demonstrators and Lecturers, have been 
appointed Asistant Professors to the chair 
of Operative Dentistry and Bacteriology. 
These are Dr. E. S. Willard, in charge "of 
Bacteriology ; Dr. F. W. Gethro, in charge 
of Dental Anatomy and Operative Tech- 
nics ; and Dr. A. D. Black, in charge of the 
Junior work in Operative Dentistry. 

The annual session has been lengthened 
to include thirty-two weeks exclusive of 
holidays, teaching six days per week, mak- 
ing the actual work of instruction equal to 
the full nine-months" academic course. The 
educational requirements for registration 
have also been advanced to graduation 
from a recognized high school or an equiv- 
alent preliminary education. 

The school continues in a prosperous 
condition. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PHARMACY 

(By PROF. OSCAR OLDBEBG, Pharm. D.. Dean) 



Founding of the School of Pharmacy in 
Connection zvith Northwestern Universi- 
ty — Promoters of the Movement — School 
Opened in 1886 — Its Extensive Equip- 
ment — Instruction Rooms and Labora- 
tories — Number of Students in Eighteen 
Years — They arc Draxcn from Practically 
All the States and Territories — Present 
Location of the Institution — Library and 
]\ihtc of Equipment — Annual Expendi- 
tures — Faculty of 1905. 

The Executive Committee of the Board 
of Trustees of Northwestern University, 
upon the motion of Dr. David R. Dyche, at 
its regular meeting April 10, 1886, adopted 
a resolution favoring the establishment of a 
School of Pharmacy and invited the co-op- 
eration of friends of sound pharmaceutical 
education in the project. Associated with 
Dr. Dyche in this movement were Messrs. 
Ezekiel H. Sargent, Theodore H. Patterson, 
Wilhelm Bodemann, Henry S. Maynard, 
Oscar Oldberg and John H. Long. The or- 
ganization of the school was completed and 
the addition of this department of the Uni- 
versity was formally approved by vote of 
the Board of Trustees in June. The new 
school was opened to students on the first 
day of October, 1886, with a more extensive 
equipment than that of any other American 
pharmaceutical school existing at that time. 
In addition to its other instruction rooms 



the School of Pharmacy of Northwestern 
University provided four laboratories. One 
of these — and the first of its kind in the 
history of pharmaceutical education — was 
a special laboratory for systematic practical 
training in the work of preparing and dis- 
pensing medicines in accordance with phy- 
sicians' prescriptions. This "dispensing 
laboratory " proved to be one of the most 
important and useful features of the new in- 
stitution. The other laboratories were a 
chemical, a microscopical, and a manufac- 
turing laboratory. 

During the first eighteen years of its ca- 
reer, from 1886 to 1904, the School of Phar- 
macy of Northwestern University has had 
an annual attendance averaging 215 stu- 
dents. These students have come from all 
the States and Territories of the United 
States except Nevada and Delaware. De- 
grees have been conferred by this school 
upon 1,516 graduates up to the end of the 
academic year 1 903- 1904. The number of 
students in attendance in 1903- 1904 was 
284. 

The School of Pharmacy is now housed 
in Northwestern University Building, cor- 
ner of Lake and Dearborn streets, Chicago, 
where it occupies all of the fourth and part 
of the fifth floor, the twenty-six rooms used 
exclusively by this school having a total 
floor space of about 27,000 square feet. It 
has now seven laboratories, with an aggre- 



ii8 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



gate floor space of 10,780 square feet and 
provided with over 300 individual work' 
tables, enabling that number of students to 
be concurrently at work. There are two lec- 
ture rooms, one capable of seating 184 pu- 
pils and the other 96. 

The library of this school contains about 
1,000 bound volumes, of an estimated value 
of not less than $3,400 (March, 1905). The 
museum contains over 2,000 selected speci- 
mens of drugs, pharmaceutical and chemical 
products, industrial materials, etc. 

The value of the furniture, fixtures, ap- 
paratus, instruments, books, museum speci- 
mens and other educational equipment and 
materials is not less than $26,500 ("March, 

1905)- 

The annual expenditures, including sal- 
aries, furniture, apparatus, materials and 
other necessary current school expenses, 
amount to about $29,000. It should be re- 
membered that this sum does not include 
any rent. 

The teaching staff of the School of Phar- 
macy in 1905 embraced the following 
names : 

Thomas Franklin Holgate, Ph. D., .\cting President of 
the University. 

Oscar Oldberg, Pharm. D.. Dean. Professor of Phar- 
macy and Director of the Pharmaceutical Laboratories. 

William Edward Quine, M. D., Emeritus Professor 
Physiology, Therapeutics and Toxicology. 

Harry Mann Gordin, Ph. D., {University of Berne. 
Switzerland). Professor of Organic Chemistry and Di- 
rector of the Organic Chemical Laboratory. 



Theodore Whittelsey, Ph. D. (University of Goettingen, 
Germany), Professor of Inorganic and Analytical Chem- 
istry, and Director of the Inorganic Chemical Labora- 
tories. 

Raymond H. Pond, Ph. D. (University of Michigan), 
Professor of Botany, Microscopy, Pharmacognosy and 
Bacteriology, and Director of the Microscopical and 
Bacteriological Laboratories. 

Maurice Ashbel Miner, Pharm. M. (University of Mich- 
igan), Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, in charge of the 
Manufacturing Laboratory. Curator. 

Charles Waggener Paterson, Sc. B., Ph. C. (North- 
western University), .\ssistant Professor of Organic Ana- 
lytical Pharmaceutical Chemistry, in charge of the Or- 
ganic Chemical Laboratory. Registrar. 

Harry Kahn, Pharm. M. (University of Michigan), 
M. D. (Northwestern), Assistant Professor of Phys- 
iology and Materia Medica. 

David Charles Eccles, Sc. B., A. M. (Columbia Uni- 
versity), Instructor in Pharmacy, in Charge of the Dis- 
pensing Laboratory, Secretary of the Faculty. 

Gustave E. F. Lundell, Sc. B. (Cornell University), In- 
structor in the Inorganic Chemical Laboratories. 

Gerhard H. Jensen, Sc. B. (Cornell University), In- 
structor in Botany and Pharmacognosy. 

John Ferd. Fischnar, Ph. C. (Northwestern), Assistant 
in the Pharmaceutical Laboratory. 

William Henry Harrison, Ph. C. (Northwestern), As- 
sistant in the Chemical Laboratories. 

Ernest Woollett. College Clerk, Instructor in Book- 
keeping and Business Methods. 

Lee R. Girton. Ph. G., Lecture Assistant in Inor- 
ganic Chemistry. 

All these teachers devote their time to 
the School of Pharmacy exclusively, with 
the exception of the Professor of Physiolo- 
gy and Materia Medica, who has no labora- 
tory courses under his charge. 

The professors are provided with private 
offices and laboratories for the effective per- 
formance of their duties under the most 
favorable conditions and for research work. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



THE WOMAN'S MEDICAL SCHOOL 

(By ELIZA H. ROOT, M. D.) 



Demand for Higher Education for Women 
— First Steps in Founding Woman's Med- 
ical College — Promoters of Movement in 
Chicago — "Woman's Hospital Medical 
College" Founded in i8yo — First Faculty 
— Story of "The Little Barn" — Career of 
Dr. Mary H. Thompson, Drs. Byford, 
Dyas and Others — Some Notable Gradu- 
ates — A Period of Struggle — Institution 
Reorganised in iSjy as Woman's Medical 
College — President Byford Dies in i8go 
— Institution Affiliated with Northzvest- 
ern University — Is Discontinued in lom 
— Graduates in Foreign Missionary and 
Other Fields — Alumnae Organisation. 

About the middle of the nineteenth cen- 
tury there was a great awakening alona: 
lines of intellectual freedom. It spread like 
a tidal wave over the country, and it trav- 
eled into the frontier West in "the prairie 
schooner." The slave question became a 
burninc: one, and one that required courage 
to attack openly. Women caught the spirit 
of the times and began to enter their own 
claims for greater freedom. Equal suf- 
frage came to the front, enlisting men as its 
champions, and brought women before the 
public with a most unprecedented frequency 
and prominence. The question of a more 
liberal education for women became a ques- 
tion of fervent heat, permeating every walk 
of life. Women began to teach in our pub- 



lic schools and to plead for better prepara- 
tion for their work. 

No question, perhaps, has enlisted the 
championship of noble, free-minded men 
and women more than did the question of 
admitting women to our colleges and uni- 
versities on the same terms as men. Among 
the innovations of that time was the urgent 
appeal made to the medical colleges by wo- 
men seeking a medical training. There 
was no use in trying to evade the question ; 
it was up and sides must be taken, and were 
taken. Men of noble stamp took the affirma- 
tive and advocated the right of women to a 
medical education. Men of equally noble 
stamp, but less liberal in their views, took 
the negative, and would lock all doors of 
learning against the importuning woman. 
In the eastern part of our country medical 
schools were approached, but no entrance 
was obtained until Dr. Elizabeth Black- 
well succeeded in gaining entrance to the 
Geneva Medical School in New York, from 
which she graduated in 1849. In Philadel- 
phia the movement met with an opposition 
that led to the founding, in 1850, of the 
Woman's Medical College of Pennsylva- 
nia, which is still a prosperous school of 
medicine. In the Middle West women were 
repeatedly asking for admission to the Med- 
ical Colleges of Chicago and elsewhere. 

In 1852 Emily Blackwell attended a 
course of lectures in Rush Medical College. 



119 



I20 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



She was denied admission the second year 
and went to Cleveland, Ohio. 

There are very incomplete records of this 
case, but referring to this period of inquiry 
that led to the founding of the Medical Col- 
lege for Women in Chicago, the late Pro- 
fessor Charles Warrington Earle says: 
"This much, however, is known ; the Illinois 
Medical Society, saturated with the then 
prevailing prejudices against female medi- 
cal education, censured the college for ad- 
mitting women to its institution." 

Six or eight years after this Dr. Mary H. 
Thompson came to Chicago and entered 
upon practice. The city had poor hospital 
facilities at this time, and when the Civil 
War broke out between the North and the 
South, many women — soldiers' wives — were 
left with children helpless and nearly desti- 
tute. To meet the demands for medical care 
made by these women and their children 
and the poor generally, the Chicago Hospi- 
tal for Women and Children was founded 
in 1865. This hospital, founded on the basis 
of a charitable institution, soon won a cli- 
entele among the poor, its dispensary and 
wards being well patronized. The clinical 
advantages afforded by the hospital conse- 
quently provided the nearest approach to 
an institution for medical instruction that 
was open to women in the West seeking a 
medical education. Applications were made 
to the hospital for clinical instruction ; but 
while the hospital could furnish excellent 
clinical advantages, there was no place pro- 
vided for giving didactic instruction, and no 
properly organized body to bestow a medi- 
cal diploma when the course was finished. 

Dr. Mary H. Thompson, who took an 
active part in founding the hospital, asked 
at two different times for the admission of 
women into Rush Medical College and was 
refused. In the meantime she became ac- 
quainted with Dr. William Heath Byford, 
of the Chicago ]\Iedical College, which was 



then, as now, the Medical Department of 
the Northwestern University. Dr. Byford 
espoused the cause of the women who were 
asking for admission to medical lectures. 
He laid the matter before his Faculty, giv- 
ing the measure his hearty support. This 
college consented to admit women, but only 
four entered. The remainder of the appli- 
cants, pending the discussion and aware of 
the uncertainty of what the decision might 
be, had gone East to the Woman's Medical 
College in Philadelphia, to New York, or 
had given up the idea of studying medicine. 
The four women who entered the Chicago 
Medical College — one of the number being 
Dr. Thompson herself — attended lectures in 
that institution for one year. Dr. Thomp- 
son, already a graduate in medicine, re- 
ceived the diploma of the institution, which 
was granted, after some hesitancy and warm 
discussion upon the propriety of granting 
the degree of Doctor of Medicine to a wo- 
man. Dr. Thompson was thus the first and 
only woman, for years, to hold a diploma of 
the Northwestern University Medical Col- 
lege of Chicago. 

The following year "mixed classes" were 
found to be objectionable, and women were 
refused further admission. This refusal, to- 
gether with the increasing number of appli- 
cations, determined the founding of the 
Woman's Hospital Medical College in 1870. 

Once decided upon, the despatch with 
which this college started, notwithstanding 
the lack of money for the enterprise, is re- 
markable, and is characteristic of the ener- 
gy and push that existed among the citizens 
of a young and growing city. 

Dr. Byford was the instigator, by sugges- 
tion and generous aid, of the establishment 
of the new college. He was, in fact, its 
founder. 

"The first meeting," according to the rec- 
ords, "was held at Dr. Byford's office, at 
No. 60 State Street, Chicago, August 2, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



121 



1870." This meeting was held "for the pur- 
pose of considering the expediency of the 
organization of a Woman's Medical College 
in Chicago." There were eight physicians 
present at that first meeting: Drs. William 
H. Byford, Mary H. Thompson, Eugene 
Marguerat. R. G. Bogue, Norman Bridge, 
Charles Warrington Earle, Addison H. Fos- 
ter and T. D. Fitch. A Faculty was formed, 
in part, that night, and was composed of 
those present at the meeting, with Dr. Wil- 
liam Godfrey Dyas added to the list. Of 
this original number, only three are now liv- 
ing (March, 1905), Drs. Marguerat and 
Foster, both now weighted with years, and 
men who have followed an active pioneer 
practice that has been crowned with achieve- 
ments that have contributed to the making 
of modern methods in medical education 
and practice possible, and Dr. Normsn 
Bridge, now of Pasadena, Cal., who has 
won an honorable and honored place in 
the medical profession and who is widely 
known as an authority on tuberculosis and 
climatology. 

At this same meeting — a most important 
one in its relation to the medical training 
of women in the West — committees were 
appointed for the purpose of procuring a 
place m which college work could be com- 
menced. 

A little band of nine physicians, without 
means and without professional sympathy 
or approval, was now a college without a 
home. But this difficulty was soon over- 
come. By October i. 1870, the faculty was 
completed and a home secured. 

The records are very meager in regard to 
this important event. But it is evident that 
some ceremony was observed, for Dr. Bv- 
ford was chosen on September 12, 1870, 
"for the opening address to be given in a 
public hall." At this same meeting a "time 
table" was adopted, and a committee on an- 
nouncement was appointed. 



The college was founded under the name 
of "The Woman's Hospital Medical Col- 
lege of Chicago," with Dr. Byford as its 
President. Drs. Byford, Thompson and 
Dyas (with his noble and high-minded 
wife, Miranda B. Sherwood Dyas) were 
active promoters of the new college and 
the hospital ; in fact, the hospital was more 
than once saved from rum by the energy, 
influence and faith in the cause by Mrs. 
Dyas. 

In an address delivered February 27, 
1879, Dr. Dyas said of the school's origin: 
"Whatever merit attaches to the project — 
whether in its inception, in its further- 
ance, or in its subsequent progress — can be 
claimed by no one to the same extent as by 
Professor Byford." Just and true as this 
tribute is, to one who gave so much of his 
life to this institution, it must not be for- 
gotten that Dr. Dyas himself, and his wife, 
took no small part in promoting the college, 
especially in its early history and its strug- 
gles against adversity, prejudice and fire. 

The first regular course of lectures began 
with seventeen students, and was given in 
the building occupied by the hospital re- 
ferred to above, then situated at 402 North 
Clark Street, Chicago. The session was a 
greater success than the most sanguine 
friends of the movement had dared to hope. 
The year closed with the first graduating 
exercises (1871). A class of three were 
given diplomas by the college. All three of 
these ladies had had a first year's course in 
some other college — two of the number — 
Mrs. Kent and Julia Cole-Blackman — hav- 
ing taken theirs in the Chicago Medical Col- 
lege the year before. 

A spring course, from April i to July 
I, 1871, was held, and was attended by fif- 
teen students. The second session began 
October 3, 1871. in rooms fitted up at Nos. 
I and 3 North Clark Street, near the bridge, 
with the following named Faculty, which 



122 



NORTHWESTERN' UNIVERSITY 



was practically the same as that for the first 
year: William H. Byford, M. D., Presi- 
dent of the Faculty and Professor of Clin- 
ical Surgery of Women ; William G. Dyas, 
M. D., F. R. C. S. I., Professor of Theory 
and Practice of Medicine ; A. Fisher, M. D., 
Professor Emeritus of Surgery ; R. G. 
Bogue, M. D., Treasurer of the Faculty and 
Professor of Surgery; T. D. Fitch, M. D., 
Secretary of the Faculty and Professor of 
Diseases of Women ; Eugent Marguerat, 
M. D., Professor of Obstetrics ; Charles G. 
Smith. M. D., Professor of Diseases of 
Children ; Mary H. Thompson, M. D., Pro- 
fessor of Hygiene and Clinical Obstetrics 
and Diseases of Women : Samuel C. Blake. 
M. D., Professor of Diseases of the Mind 
and Nervous System; G. C. Paoli, M. D., 
Professor of Materia Medica and Thera- 
peutics ; S. A. Mc Williams, M. D., Profes- 
sor of Anatomy; Charles W. Earle, M. D., 
Proftssor of Physiology ; Norman Bridge. 
M. D., Professor of Pathology; A. H. Fos- 
ter, M. D., Professor of Surgical Anatomy 
and Operations in Surgery; M. Delafon- 
taine. Ph. D., Professor of Chemistry; 
Samuel Cole, M. D., Professor of Ophthal- 
mology and Otology ; P. S. MacDonald, M. 
D., Demonstrator of Anatomy. Six of this 
Faculty were clinical instructors at the Chi- 
cago Hospital for Women and Children 
,-ind at the Cook County Hospital. The 
Board of Trustees was chosen from the 
Faculty and from the Hospital Board (see 
second annual announcement 1871-72), 
which united the two institutions, ostensibly 
in oneness of purpose, if not in harmony. 

The work of the young College was 
scarcely well begun when the Great Fire 
of October 9, 1871, swept away the college 
and hospital, with all their material belong- 
ings. The fire swept away the larger part 
of the city, including its entire business por- 
tion. Desolation and ruin were complete 
throughout the city. Although three- 



fourths of the Faculty had lost their homes, 
their offices and libraries, the members con- 
vened on the loth of October, amid the 
smoking ruins of a destroyed city, and de- 
cided that the College should be continued. 
The scattered students were notified and 
lectures were resumed on the West Side — 
the only considerable portion of the city that 
had escaped the fire. A residence at ,^41 
West Adams Street aflforded shelter to the 
College, while the hospital was re-established 
at another residence, 600 West Adams 
Street, which is still standing. To this loca- 
tion the College was soon again moved. In 
1872 the College was moved again, this time 
to a home of its own, the first in its hither- 
to checkered existence. This home is known 
in the history of the institution as "The Lit- 
tle Barn." This barn was of mean propor- 
tions, situated in the rear of the lot occu- 
pied by the hospital — and on which the hos- 
pital now stands — on the corner of Adams 
and Paulina Streets. The barn, as it stood, 
was offered gratuitously by the hospital au- 
thorities to the Faculty for a college build- 
ing. Enough money was expended upon 
this shabby old barn, built of wood, to make 
a fairly comfortable and moderately con- 
venient Woman's Medical College. On the 
first floor was a small lecture room, which 
served as a library, faculty room and mu- 
seum. The second floor was used for prac- 
tical anatomy. 

There were five classes graduated from 
"the little barn," the members of which 
have attained to honor and able distinction 
in the medical profession. Among those 
most successful may be mentioned the fol- 
lowing: 

Dr. Julia Cole-BIackman, of Geneva, 111., 
whose life has been devoted to matters per- 
taining to medicine, as the wife of one of 
the leading surgeons of Kane county. 111., 
and the only surviving member of her class. 
She was the first woman to become a mem- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



123 



ber of the Fox River \'alley Medical So- 
ciety, and has been an active and honored 
member for years. 

Dr. Rosa Engert, of the class of 1873 
(there was no class graduated in 1872), 
was of German birth and practiced medicine 
in Chicago for many years, when she re- 
tired to private life. She came to Chicago 
after receiving a training in a German 
school of midwifery. She was not satisfied 
with the limits to which this training con- 
fined her, so she entered the College and 
became one of its honored graduates. She 
was at one time attending surgeon at the 
Chicago Hospital for Women and Children, 
and connected with the College as instructor. 
She also established the Engert Prize for 
the best work with the microscope and 
maintained it for several years. Dr. Alar- 
garet E. Holland, of the same class, served 
the Chicago Hospital for Women and Chil- 
dren, as interne, for one year after gradua- 
tion, and then went to Houston, Texas, 
where she still is in practice. She has done 
praiseworthy pioneer work for the medical 
woman, winning the respect and confidence 
of the medical profession of a conservative 
.Southern city and a practice that has 
brought her a fitting competency. She has 
served in various positions in which her 
work has promoted the public health and 
welfare. 

Of the class of 1874 Dr. Lucinda Corr, of 
Carlinville, 111., has won distinction as a 
physician of skill and as an active philan- 
thropist. She has always been an active 
member of the Illinois State Medical So- 
ciety, taking active part in its proceedings, 
and has won an honorable place in the 
ranks of the. profession in Illinois, where 
she stood shoulder to shoulder with her 
husband, a broad-minded man of ability 
and endowed with an enterprising public 
spirit. Dr. Lettie Mason Quine, of the same 
class, was the first medical missionarv sent 



to China from this College and the third 
medical woman sent to China by the Wo- 
man's Foreign Missionary Society of the 
.Methodist Episcopal Church. After her re- 
turn to America she became the wife of Dr. 
William E. Quine, of Chicago, and contin- 
ued active in missionary society work and 
never lost her interest in the medical mis- 
sionary. She died an honored and valuable 
member of the Xorthwest Branch of the M. 
E. Woman's Foreign Mission Board. 

Last, but not least of this class, may be 
mentioned Dr. Sarah Hackett Stevenson, 
who is widely known and who has won 
place and position in college, hospital and 
society excelled by none and equaled by few. 
After graduation in medicine with honors, 
she was appointed to the chair of Physiolo- 
gy in her Alma Mater, which slie filled un- 
til 1 88 1, when she resigned this chair to 
take that of Obstetrics, which she filled un- 
til 1894, when she resigned from the Fac- 
ulty. While a member of the Facultv she 
was, for a time, its Secretary. Pier vote 
on questions of standards is found record- 
ed in favor of the highest, even when ex- 
pediency demanded a medium policy. She 
founded the Chicago Maternity Hospital, 
an unique institution, in that it has con- 
nected with it a training school for nursery 
maids. She was the first woman to secure 
membership in the American Medical Asso- 
ciation. 

Of the class of 1875 Dr. Edith A. Root, 
of Denver, Colo., may be mentioned as the 
most prominent figure. She has practiced in 
Denver, where she first located over thirty 
years ago, and has done her share of pio- 
neer work in winning confidence for the 
medical woman. Of t"he class of 1876 Drs. 
Margaret Caldwell of Waukesha, Wis., and 
Harriet E. Garrison of Dixon, 111., are 
both conspicuous examples of successful 
achievements attained by medical women. 

Leaving the alumnae of "the little barn" 



124 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



and returning to the history of the College 
proper, we approach a new epoch in the 
history of the institution. As early as 1873 
there began a growing dissatisfaction 
among students and Faculty regarding "the 
little barn" as a properly equipped college 
building. Many means of escape from the 
increasing dilemma were thought of, chief 
among which was a new building. Union 
with the Northwestern University was also 
discussed, and a committee was appointed 
as early as 1875 to confer with the Universi- 
ty regarding the matter. Nothmg more than 
a report "of progress" ever came of this 
committee's efforts. There was no money 
for University affiliation nor for the new 
building; still the idea of a new college 
building was'not lost sight of by the more 
interested and progressive members of the 
Faculty who were anxious to put the Col- 
lege upon a more substantial footing. Dur- 
ing this same year several resignations from 
the Faculty took place; the office of Corre- 
sponding Secretary was created and Dr. 
Mary H. Thompson was elected to fill the 
position ; some amendments to the constitu- 
tion and by-laws were enacted for the pur- 
pose of improving the existing standard for 
entrance upon the study of medicine and 
for graduation, and Dr. Sarah Hackett 
Stevenson was appointed to the chair of 
Physiology. The new building remained a 
matter of prime importance in the minds of 
those who strongly favored the movement, 
while others as strongly opposed it. believ- 
ing it to be "an unwarranted venture." The 
prospects for further progress were cer- 
tainly not very encouraging ; finances were 
low, and some of the most desirable mem- 
bers of the Faculty were threatening to re- 
sign if the building was undertaken. As an 
indication of the financial standing we find 
these figures for the year 1874: "Receipts, 
$758; expenditures, $958, with but few as- 
sets and a debt on the present building." 



Notwithstanding these gloomy and discour- 
aging conditions, there were those on the 
Faculty who firmly believed that the means 
for a new building were within reach, if a 
proper plan could be agreed upon. While 
desirable progress must remain at a stand- 
still, for awhile at least, the college course 
must be provided for. Vacancies, caused 
by resignations, were filled ; the course 
(1874) was made to consist of twenty-one 
weeks ; holiday vacations were provided 
for and the summer courses were continued. 

During this period of the College historv. 
Dr. William Godfrey Dyas was President 
of the Faculty; he was elected in April, 
1873, and served until the year 1877, Dr. 
Byford meanwhile remaining President of 
the Board of Trustees and on the list of 
teachers. In 1876 finances were a little 
easier. The total receipts for that year 
were $1,105; expenditures, $893.93, with 
assets $533.57; liabilities, $555.50. This 
year the munificent sum of $25 was appro- 
priated for the Department of Chemistry, 
to which Dr. Plymon S. Hayes had been 
appointed to succeed Dr. Delafontanic. re- 
signed. The facilities for teaching were 
seriously affected by the financial stringen- 
cy, and students naturally complained. 
"The little barn" was uncomfortably small 
and wholly inadequate for proper class 
work. 

In May, 1876, a committee was appointed 
on a new building, progress was slow and 
conditions began to be desperate. At a 
meeting held early in 1877, we find it re- 
corded that, "Professor Earle delivered the 
same old speech on a New College." This 
year proved a revolutionary year in the 
history of the College. In February and 
March of this year of 1877, it became im- 
perative that something be done. The num- 
ber of students was falling off ; the restrain- 
ing conservatism of a large number of the 
Faculty, together with the half-hearted in- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



125 



terest they took in the worK of "teaching 
women," blocked all progress. A commit- 
tee was appointed, composed of Professors 
Byford, Dyas and Bartlett, to investigate 
the institution in all its bearings upon 
medical instruction. This committee re- 
ported that, for the future life and progress 
of the school, it was indispensable to secure 
a better building and apparatus for teach- 
ing purposes, and that the poor attendance 
and half-hearted interest on the part of 
the Faculty was working great harm to 
the institution. To build or rent a building 
was now the question. The latter would 
involve a large expenditure of money and 
add little or nothing to the property hold- 
ings of the College. This step was advo- 
cated by some and opposed by others. The 
new building idea was strongly he'd to by 
a few devoted and progressive members of 
the Faculty, and it was strongly opposed 
by those who held illiberal and pessimistic 
views on the cause they had practically 
espoused. It was impossible to arrive at 
any agreement. Affiliation with the North- 
western University was again considered, 
but there were financial reasons on both 
sides that made affiliation impracticable. 

At a meeting held March 27, 1877, Dr. 
Byford spoke warmly of the lack of ap- 
paratus, and means of illustrating lectures, 
the tardiness and want of interest shown 
by the Faculty, and the extreme poverty 
of the College. Something must be done 
or close the College. At this meeting a 
committee of three was appointed with Dr. 
William H. Byford, Chairman, for the 
purpose of suggesting a name for a new 
College, to be reorganized "on some basis 
which would insure better facilities for 
teaching and a better place to teach in." 
A motion prevailed at this meeting that 
every member of the Faculty, except the 
committee on reorganization, resign. Res- 
ignations were handed in and Dr. Dyas 



vacated the chair, which was now occupied 
by the Chairman of the Reorganization 
Committee. 

The Faculty as reorganized con^iisted of 
William Heath Byford, A. M., M. D., Pres- 
ident and Professor of Obstetrics ; T. Davis 
Fitch, j\l. D., Secretary of the Faculty and 
Professor of Gynecology; Charles War- 
rington Earle, A. M., M. D., Treasurer 
and Professor of Diseases of Children; 
Isaac Newton Danforth, A. M., M. D., 
Professor of Pathology; John E. Owens, 
M. D., Professor of Surgery; Henry M. 
Lyman, A. M., M. D., Professor of Theory 
and Practice of Medicine; Daniel Roberts 
Brower, A. M., M. D., Professor of Ma- 
teria Medica, Therapeutics and Nervous 
Diseases; Sarah Hackett Stevenson, M. D., 
Corresponding Secretary and Professor of 
Physiology; David Wilson Graham, A. M., 
M. D., Professor of Anatomy; Plymon S. 
Hays, M. D., Professor of Chemistry. Dr. 
Mary H. Thompson was invited to the chair 
of Clinical Medicine, but refused to accept. 
This was certainly a missed opportunity, 
for the doctor had absolute control of the 
clinical material at the Chicago Hospital for 
women and children, the one institution 
where women could or should have been 
able to receive bedside instruction — a priv- 
ilege decidedly limited in the men's colleges 
at that time. The new Faculty organized, 
it now became necessary to form a plan 
that would secure the means needed for 
building. 

This new organization began business 
with the sum of ten dollars in its treasury. 
Nothing daunted, it organized a stock com- 
pany, in June, 1877, under the name of the 
Woman's Medical College of Chicago, sev- 
ering all organized connection with the Chi- 
cago Hospital for Women and Children. 
A fair-sized modern residence, at ^^j and 
339 South Lincoln Street, was bought and 
remodeled into a very complete College 



126 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



building. This building contained two 
amphitheaters, a comfortable anatomical 
laboratory, and a fairly well equipped chem- 
ical laboratory. It was a vast improvement 
on the previous accommodations. Indeed, 
it placed the Woman's Medical College of 
Chicago among the recognized Colleges 
of Medicine. Classes doubled in size. The 
increase in requirements and demands for 
better opportunities soon made it necessary 
to erect a new and larger building, which 
was completed in 1890. The old building 
was remodeled for laboratory and dispen- 
sary purposes, and was connected directly 
with the new one. 

The new building had two amphitheaters 
with a seating capacity each of one hundred 
and fifty, new laboratories and other ad- 
ditional conveniences. From a poor, pen- 
niless and despised institution, the Woman's 
Medical College had grown to a well 
equipped institution with valuable property 
holdings, and its earnings allowed all run- 
ning expenses and a fair dividend rate on 
the money invested. The year that marked 
the completion of the second and entirely 
new building also marks the death of Dr. 
Byford, which was a great shock to the 
College and to the profession at large. He 
died on May 21, 1890, after his life-work 
and hope had been realized. A noble, 
strong and practical friend had been called 
home, but another who had been equally 
devoted, and who had worked hard for 
the accomplishment of these results, re- 
mained to us, namely, Charles Warrington 
Earle, who was elected President by the 
Faculty, to succeed his life-long friend and 
co-worker. 

With the change that had taken place 
in public sentiment concerning the admis- 
sion of women to higher educational insti- 
tutions, and the high standing which the 
College itself had attained, it now seemed 
practicable, on the part of the Northwest- 



ern University and on the part of the Col- 
lege, that the two institutions should be- 
come allied. This question of alliance 
had been considered before, but was never 
taken up with the same seriousness of pur- 
pose as now. In 1892, the College was 
made a department of the University, and 
assumed the name "Northwestern Univer- 
sity Woman's Medical School." The for- 
mer graduates of the College, "by the ac- 
tion of the Universities Authorities, were 
made Alumnas of the University." The 
University made additions to the College 
building, at considerable expense, which 
were equipped as a chemical laboratory and 
commodious and convenient dispensary 
rooms. 

The school continued prosperous for a 
few years, when the number of students 
began to fall off in consequence of co-edu- 
cation being adopted in many of the lead- 
ing medical colleges of the country, .^.s 
a financial investment it began to fall be- 
hind — there being a small deficit each year 
— and the University sold the property and 
closed the school in June, 1902. 

Dr. Byford served the College, except 
for an interval of about four years, from 
its organization in 1870 until his death in 
1890. He was succeeded by Dr. Charles 
Warrington Earle, first as President of the 
Faculty and later as Dean, serving until his 
death in November, 1894. Dr. I. N. Dan- 
forth was then appointed Dean by the Uni- 
versity authorities, and continued in office 
until 1899, when he resigned and was suc- 
ceeded by Dr. Marie J. Mergler, a graduate 
of the class of '79, who held the office until 
her death in May, 1901. Dr. Eliza H. Root, 
also a graduate of the school (class 1882), 
was appointed Dean by the University 
Trustees, and went out of ofiSce with the 
closing of the school. Dr. John Ridlon 
succeeded Dr. Mergler as Secretary of the 
Faculty and its Executive Committee, in 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



127 



1899, and continued in office until the school 
was closed. 

The school was built up, maintained and 
its welfare promoted at the expense of 
much energy, faithfulness and self-sacrifice 
on the part of its most interested friends. 
For many years it was necessary for the 
Faculty to assume large financial respon- 
sibility, which was, in fact, assumed chief- 
ly by Drs. By ford and Earle. The work 
accomplished by the school has not been 
a small or an insignificant work. 

Early in its history, missionary societies 
began to inquire for terms for the education 
of their students designed for the medical 
mission field in foreign countries. Fees 
were reduced one-half for these students 
when the institution needed money, and each 
member of the Faculty was doing the work 
assigned him or her without pay or price. 
The training which these students received 
made it a desirable and profitable measure 
for the missionary societies to establish 
scholarships for the education of their med- 
ical missionaries. 

In 1884 a scholarship — "The Grace 
Chandler Scholarship" — was created by 
Mrs. Chandler, of Detroit, Michigan, for 
the Woman's Presbyterian Board of Mis- 
sions of the Northwest. This scholarship 
was secured through the influence of Dr. 
Sarah Cummings-Porter, a graduate of the 
School and, for many years, medical mis- 
sionary in Japan, and Dr. D. W. Graham, 
a loyal friend of the institution from the 
time that he came onto the Faculty in 1877. 
Other scholarships were founded from time 
to time as follows : 

Nos. 2-3. "The Emily W. N. Scofield 
Scholarship," by Mrs. Scofield, of Elgin, 
III, for the Northwest Branch of the Wo- 
man's Foreign Missionary Society of the 
M. E. Church. 

No. 4. "The IVoinan's Board of Mis- 
sions of the Interior" (of the Congrega- 
tional church). 



No. 5. "The Woman's Presbyterian 
Board of Missions of the Southwest." 

No. 6. "The Elisabeth Skelton-Danforth 
Memorial Scholarship." 

This scholarship was founded by Pro- 
fessor I. N. Danforth, in memory of his late 
wife, and in recognition of her long and 
active interest in all that related to the edu- 
cation of women. 

The "Lucy S. Jugals Prise Scholarship" 
was founded by Professor E. Fletcher In- 
gals, long a member of the Faculty, and 
who served the institution as Treasurer 
for several years. This scholarship was 
founded for the purpose of encouraging or- 
iginal work in Medical Science and to 
promote higher medical education. It was 
conferred as a prize for excellent original 
work done in some branch pertaining to 
tlje Science of Medicine. 

Five of these scholarships were purely 
missionary, while another was at the dis- 
posal of other students when a missionary 
student was not offered as a beneficiary. 
Consequently, the Alumnse of this school 
have furnished some fifty women medi- 
cal missionaries who are working, or who 
have worked, in India, China, Japan, Ko- 
rea, Persia, Africa, Mexico and Alaska. 
China alone has been supplied with twenty- 
two women medical missionaries from this 
school. Dr. Lettie Mason-Quine, previous- 
ly mentioned, was the first one sent out 
from this school ; Dr. Anna D. Gloss, of 
Pekin, China, class of 1885, has been in 
the mission field since her graduation, and 
is still there doing heavy medical work. 
Dr. Gloss was sent out to aid Dr. Estelle 
Akers-Perkins, of the class of 1881, who 
is still in Pekin. Boxer uprisings, plague 
or famine have in no way deterred these 
women from the work in which they have 
engaged heart and soul. Of the number 
sent out, so far as we know to date, only 
two have died in the field: Dr. Anna Lar- 
son, in China, and Dr. Yasu Hishekawa. 



128 ' 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



in Japan. The latter was a native Japanese 
woman who was sent to America by one 
of the school's alumnae, a medical mission- 
ary to Japan, for the purpose of receiving 
a medical education in this school. Two 
have died since their return home. These 
medical missionaries are all in charge of 
hospitals where they practice general sur- 
gery and medicine and are training na- 
tive women as "helpers" in their work, 
caring for the sick and afflicted natives. 

Drs. Ellen M. Lyons, in Foochow, China, 
and Izilla Ernsberger, in India, are ex- 
amples of the faithful and persevering 
work that is being carried on by medical 
missionaries sent our from the Woman's 
Medical School by Methodist, Presbyterian, 
Baptist and other Foreign Missionary So- 
cieties. 

Turning from the foreign field to the 
home-workers, we find that a large per- 
centage of the graduates have filled, or 
are filling, hospital and college positions 
that involve responsibility and skill. 

The graduates of this school have been 
the first and only women, so far (1905), to 
secure, by competitive examinations, the po- 
sition of interne in Cook County Hospital. 
Dr. Mary E. Bates, now of Denver, Colo., 
was the first, receiving her appointment 
in 1881. She has been followed by seven 
others, all of whom filled their terms of 
service with credit. 

Positions in State and other institutions 
and in other States of the Union, have been 
won by these earnest women. Colorado, 
Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Texas, and Mas- 
sachusetts are among the States, outside 
of Illinois, where they are filling responsible 
positions in State institutions. One has 
been a member of the Colorado Legisla- 
ture and one was at one time Railroad Sur- 
geon for a road in the West, and the first 
woman to fill such a position. Others 
have been and are members of Boards of 



Health. The first woman to pass the exam- 
ination for the position of interne in the 
public institutions at Dunning, Cook Coun- 
ty, Illinois, was Marie J. Mergler, of the 
class of 1879. She passed with high credit, 
was recommended for appointment, but was 
never indorsed by the County Commission- 
ers because she was a woman. 

"We believe that nothing in the entire 
history of the College was so conducive to 
the high rank which it attained, as the 
persistent efforts on the part of the students 
to be given an opportunity to fairly test 
their ability by entering into the competitive 
examinations, and by insisting on equal 
privileges with the men in holding positions 
in their public institutions." (Dr. Mergler.) 

A total of 575 women were graduated 
from the school. The large majority have 
been and are successful members of the 
medical profession. Death has claimed a 
considerable number. Chief among these, 
we find the name of our lamented friend. 
Dr. Marie Josepha Mergler, who by means 
of persistent, hard and faithful work, won 
a place among the foremost surgeons of 
the West, and who enjoyed the confidence 
of the medical profession. She stood high 
with her colleagues, and was an active 
member of local and State Medical Socie- 
ties. She began teaching in her Alma Ma- 
ter after she graduated, in the Spring 
Course. The following year she studied 
abroad, and further prepared herself to fill 
the chairs of Histology and Materia Medi- 
ca. Later she succeeded Dr. William H. 
Byford, at the time of his death in 1890, to 
the chair of Gynecology, which she held 
at the time of her death. She was Secretary 
of the Faculty from 1885 to 1899, when 
she was appointed Dean of the Northwest- 
ern University Woman's Medical School 
(her Alma Mater) by the Trustees of the 
University, on the nomination to the posi- 
tion by the Faculty of the School. She 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



129 



won a lucrative practice and left at her 
death a competent estate. She was prompt 
and faithful to duty and never betrayed a 
trust or confidence. During her lifetime 
she held several important hospital posi- 
tions, retaining them luitil her death. 

The writer, Eliza H. Root, matriculated 
in 1879, graduated in 1882, doing her first 
teaching in the school in the Spring Course 
of the same year. From the day of matric- 
ulation to the closing of the school, her 
connection with it was never severed. She 
served her Alma Mater as Assistant, Pro- 
fessor (State Medicine and Medical Juris- 
prudence, later on Obstetrics and Clinical 
Obstetrics) and as Dean. 



There is an organization of the Alumnae 
known as the Alumnre of the Woman's 
Medical School (nee College). This 
Association placed a portrait bust of 
Dr. Byford in the College building, 
founded a Charles W. Earle Memorial Li- 
brary that had accumulated over 600 vol- 
umes at the time of the school's closing. 
In 1896 it issued a history of the "Alumnae 
of the Woman's Medical College of Chi- 
cago — 1870 to 1896." The organization 
still exists and is the only organized body 
representing what was once one of the lead- 
ing and prosperous institutions of the City 
of Chicago and the Middle West. 



CHAPTER XV. 



UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC 

(By PROF. P. C. LUTKIN, Mus. D.) 



Sphere of Music in Higher Institutions — 
Its Influence on Character and as the 
Hand-Maid of Religion — Higher Aspects 
of the Art — Its Grozi'th in the Universi- 
ties — History of its Connection with Ev- 
anston Educational Institutions — North- 
western Female College Merged into 
Evanston College for Ladies in i8ji — 
Two Years Later the Latter becomes a 
Part of the Nortlnvestern University — 
Struggles, Changes and Groivth of Later 
Years — Some Notable Teachers — In- . 
crease in Roll of Pupils — Need of Ampler 
B uildings — Music Festii 'als. 

Universities and colleges have been 
rather tardy in recognizing the proper 
sphere and scope of music in the economy 
of intellectual and psychical development. 
It has been looked upon as a graceful ac- 
complishment and a more or less fascinat- 
ing and attractive art, but its far-reaching 
influence on character, its importance to 
many of the practical relations of life, its 
complexity as an art, its discipline as a 
study, its manifold demands upon the intel- 
lectual, physical and spiritual faculties, and 
its vital relation to the emotions, religious 
and otherwise, are all matters that have 
been but little appreciated or understood. 

That music has a definite influence in 
molding and developing character there can 
be no doubt. Beginning witli the cradle. 



the mother's lullaby soothes the restless 
babe, and the songs of childhood have a 
direct bearing on the ethics of the young. 
In the school-room, music lessens the te- 
dium of study and can be made the vehicle 
for inculcating good morals and awaken- 
ing a love for the beautiful, both in verse 
and music. An- appreciation of the emo- 
tional qualities of music tends to keep alive 
the gentler states of feeling, and the finer 
intuitions of youth, which are only too 
often blunted, if not entirely destroyed, by 
contact with the selfishness and sordidness 
of social and commercial amenities in later 
life. Song is the core and essence of col- 
lege spirit, and the only concrete and ade- 
quate expression of that spirit. It is the 
only means by which unity of sentiment or 
feeling can be jointly and satisfactorily 
manifested. It heightens our joys and 
pleasures, lessens our griefs and sorrows, 
increases our aftections and incites to wor- 
thy endeavor. 

But it is principally' as the hand-maid 
of religion that music has its greatest value. 
From the street-corner rally of the Salva- 
tion Army to an oratorio performance in 
cathedral walls, music voices and intensi- 
fies every shade of religious emotion. Here 
again it forms the one medium of expres- 
sion in which rich and poor, saint and 
sinner, join in common utterance of praise 
or supplication. It is hard to conceive of 



132 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



the services of the church without the aid 
of music. It is equally indispensable at 
the revival meeting or the most elaborate 
ceremonial, at the wedding, or at the fun- 
eral service, for the joy of Christmas or 
Easter, or for the sorrow of penitential sea- 
sons. Sermons can be preached with migh- 
ty eloquence in the musical settings of the 
Crucifixion, the Nativity or the Resurrec- 
tion, but no spoken sermon can replace the 
hymns of the church. 

In its higher aspects as an art, music 
is a world of unceasing delight to the ini- 
tiated, a world devoid of cares and anxie- 
ties and free from evil associations or sug- 
gestions. Far beyond the power of words 
it depicts the finest gradations of feeling 
and the subtlest shades of expression. It 
has logic, proportion, order and symmetry, 
in the highest degree. To infinitely more 
rhythmic possibilities than exist in poetry, 
it adds the warm color of painting, the 
beauty of outline and dignity of sculpture, 
and the structural principles of architec- 
ture. No other study combines, to the 
same degree, the esthetic and the mechani- 
cal, the spiritual and the physical. The 
science of music is an extremely complex 
and intricate matter. It has to do with 
elements that are inexhaustible in their 
rhythmic, melodic and harmonic combina- 
tions, even when confined to a single instru- 
ment, such as the piano or organ. When 
they are applied to works for chorus and 
full orchestra, the element of tone color is 
added with its infinite possibilities, and the 
command of all this material only comes 
after years of study involving harmony, 
counterpoint, form and instrumentation. 
Even if these are mastered, they count for 
little without the saving grace of artistic 
intuition and a keen sense of esthetic 
values. 

In the study of music as an applied art, 
totally dififerent factors come to light. Phys- 



ical dexterity is a prerequisite and, to this 
foundation, a long and arduous schooling 
is necessary before the demands of a mod- 
ern technique are approximated. This rigid 
disciplining of brains and fingers in mus- 
cular and nerve control, often means the 
deliberate sacrifice of much that is attractive 
in the social or intellectual life, and gives 
rise to perplexing problems in the process 
of elimination. Be this as it may, the fact 
remains that the study of music alone, in 
any wide sense, is a liberal education in it- 
self, calling upon a fine perception of math- 
ematical niceties, logical development, ar- 
tistic symmetry and emotional expression. 

The study of music, theoretically, is rap- 
idly finding its way into all of our leading 
universities. For a number of years, 
courses in harmony, counterpoint, fugue, 
musical form and musical history have ex- 
isted at Harvard in charge of Professor 
John Knowles Paine. The result has been 
that Boston comes nearer giving us a dis- 
tinctive school of American composition 
than any other city in the country. Yale 
followed the example of Harvard by install- 
ing Horatio W. Parker in a chair of music, 
a few years ago. Professor Parker is un- 
questionably the greatest American com- 
poser of large choral works with orchestral 
accompaniment. His oratorios are given 
at the prominent English musical festivals, 
where they are most highly esteemed and 
considered quite on a par with similar pro- 
ductions from any living composer. Not 
only is credit allowed at Yale for theoreti- 
cal studies as at Harvard, but also for pro- 
ficiency in performing ability as well. An- 
other gifted American composer, Edward 
A. MacDowell, was appointed to the re- 
cently endowed chair of Music at Colum- 
bia College. Professor MacDowell has 
written some important orchestral composi- 
tions, but his fame lies principallv in his 
works for the piano. In this regard he is 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



133 



a conspicuous figure among modern com- 
posers. His works possess a rare and dis- 
tinct personality, and his workmanship is 
characterized by extreme finish and deH- 
cacy. 

This tendency to make room for our most 
gifted tone-poets in our leading universi- 
ties is most commendable and is full of 
.promise for the future. It is only through 
freedom from the harassing cares of the 
ordinary professional connection that a man 
can give himself up to the creation of the 
larger and more pretentious works of art. 
A generously endowed chair, with a limited 
amount of routine duties, gives opportunity 
for the necessary abstraction and concentra- 
tion, and the university environment will 
be an additional incentive to scholarly work. 

Under its cultured Professor of Music, 
Hugh A. Clarke, the University of Pennsyl- 
vania has won an enviable reputation with 
its theoretical courses in the higher mathe- 
matics of music. Professor Clarke has per- 
fected a system of instruction by mail that 
has largely extended his sphere of influ- 
ence. Cornell and Princeton have not as 
yet made official recognition of music, but 
Syracuse University has a finely developed 
School of Fine Arts, which not only em- 
braces music, but painting, sculpture and 
architecture as well. It ranks next to the 
College of Liberal Arts in numbers and im- 
portance, and each department has its own 
faculty. 

The University of Michigan maintains 
a chair of theoretical music, ably filled by 
Professor Albert A. Stanley, who is also 
Director of an affiliated "University School 
of Music," which supplies excellent instruc- 
tion in all branches of music. Professor 
Stanley has evolved and developed a series 
of May Festivals, which are the event of the 
college year at Ann Arbor, and which bring 
the masterpieces of musical art before 
large and enthusiastic audiences. His ex- 



ample is followed on a smaller scale by a 
number of Western State Universities, 
where provision for the study of music is 
made, both theoretically and practically. 

A school that has had a notable influence 
for good is the Conservatory of Music at 
Oberlin, Ohio. It is the largest and most 
widely known of the departments of Ober- 
lin College. It is finely housed in a hun- 
dred-thousand-dollar building, the gift of 
an Oberlin graduate who has since come 
to fame and fortune. Its success and pros- 
perity are almost entirely due to the fore- 
sight, good judgment and abiding faith of 
its late director. Professor Fenelon B. Rice. 

These facts are very encouraging, and 
all this artistic activity must have a direct 
and important bearing on our national de- 
velopment. We sadly need the counter- 
balancing influence of art in these days of 
intellectual and commercial expansion. It 
is the best antidote for materialism, realism 
and anaichy. The appreciation of Ihe beau- 
tiful !S not a question of birth, of wealth, 
of social position or even of intellect or edu- 
cation. It is the common ground on which 
all innately refined and sensitive souls meet 
in a brotherhood of mutual love and kindly 
feeling. 

The first definite record of musical in- 
struction in connection with Evanston edu- 
cational institutions is found in the cata- 
logue of the Northwestern Female College 
in the year 1865. Instruction in music had 
doubtless been given previously to this date, 
and in all probability from the founding 
of the College in 1855 • but printed informa- 
tion to that effect is missing. In 1865 Nich- 
olas Cawthorne is mentioned in the annual 
catalogue as teacher of the piano, organ and 
voice. He was organist of the First Pres- 
byterian church in Chicago. He had an 
assistant instructor, James A. Doane. The 
following quotation from the catalogue will 
give an idea of the advantages offered : 



134 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



"The course of study in the Department 
is intended to furnish a solid musical edu- 
cation, both in practice and theory. In- 
struction will be given in the following 
branches: System of Notation, Harmony, 
Composition with reference to Musical 
Forms, and Instrumentation, Practice in 
Chorus singing, Pianoforte and Organ. A 
complete course of study will extend 
through four years, a new class openmg 
each term. Diplomas certifying proficiency 
and qualifications as artists or teachers will 
be given to those finishing the entire course. 
Each student receives two hours' instruction 
per week and has the use of a piano for 
private practice one and one-half hours 
daily. The rudiments of music are taught 
and chorus singing practised in classes. 

■ PIANOFORTE COURSE. 

"first Year. — Richardson's Methods and 
pieces by Baumbach, Grove, etc. 

''Second Year. — Studies by Duvernov 
and Czerny, and pieces like 'Monastery 
Bells,' Wely ; 'Carnival of \'enice,' Bel- 
lak, etc. 

"Third Year. — Czerny studies. Dr. Call- 
cott's Musical Grammar, Zundel's Har- 
mony, Overtures to Stradella and Der 
Freischutz. 

"Fourth F^ar.— Cramer studies, .Sonatas 
of Beethoven and Clementi, Marx Musical 
Composition." 

Mr. Cawthorne remained in charge for 
another year when he was succeeded by 
Oscar Mayo, who came highly recommend- 
ed from the Ohio Wesleyan Female Col- 
lege. With the advent of Mr. Mayo the 
following announcement was made : "The 
Music Department of the College oflfers ex- 
traordinary facilities to students of the Pi- 
ano, Organ or Vocal Music. The Depart- 
ment is under the supervision of Professor 
O. A. Mayo, an educated and scientific 
musician, a thorough teacher and a brilliant 



performer of classic as well as modern 
Piano and Organ music." Mr. Mayo was 
to appoint his own assistants and the fol- 
lowing courses were announced : 

Organ Course. — Zundel and Rink. 

Piano Course. — Rudiments, practice of 
easy exercises. Mason's Technics, Heller 
studies. Etudes of Chopin, Mendelssohn, 
etc. 

As assistant. Professor Mayo had Count 
Laurent de Fosso, who also taught French, 
Spanish, and Italian. Piano, organ, me- 
lodeon and guitar were the branches taught, 
and from sixty to seventy students took 
music. 

In 1871 the Northwestern Female Col- 
lege was merged into the Evanston College 
for Ladies, with Miss Frances Willard as 
President. Professor Mayo continued in 
charge of the Music Department, and there 
are evidences of an attempt to improve and 
enlarge the musical advantages. Only ten 
names appear as music students on the cata- 
logue this year, but these obviously studied 
music to the exclusion of other studies, 
while previous student lists included these 
who had taken music as a supplementary 
study as well. 

In 1873 the absorption ot the Evanston 
College for Ladies by the Northwestern 
University was announced, together with 
plans for the formation of a Conservatory 
of Music on the European plan. This went 
into effect with the completion of the present 
Willard Hall, and the top story was devot- 
ed to the study of art and music. An at- 
tempt was evidently made to secure a good 
faculty, as arrangements were made with 
some of the best known musicians of that 
date in Chicago. Professor Mayo remained 
at the head. Mr. Silas G. Pratt, a pianist 
and composer of attainments, who had re- 
cently returned from his studies in Berlin, 
appears to have been head instructor of the 
piano. Mr. Pratt organized the present 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



135 



Apollo Club in the city, and was later chief- 
ly instrumental in promoting the movement 
which resulted in the Auditorium Building 
and the Orchestral Association. James 
Gill, who was for many years the most 
prominent baritone in Chicago, was en- 
gaged as instructor in voice culture, and 
Hans Balatka, the veteran chorus and or- 
chestral conductor, had charge of chorus 
and quartette classes. The following year 
Mr. Pratt's name disappeared from the cat- 
alogue and later Mr. Balatka's, their places 
being filled by musicians of less celebrity. 
Eighty-eight students appeared on the list 
after the installation of the Conservatory 
of Music, but catalogues of the succeeding 
three years are missing. In 1876 Professor 
Mayo was succeeded by Oren E. Locke and 
the Conservatory of Music appears for the 
first time in the University Catalogue. Pro- 
fessor Locke had been a student in both 
the Leipzig and Boston Conservatories, and 
introduced the so-called "Conservatory Sys- 
tem" into the school. The characteristic 
feature of this system was the teaching of 
piano, voice and orchestral instruments in 
classes instead of private individual instruc- 
tion. The University catalogue gives but 
thirty-three students in the Conservatory at 
the end of Professor Locke's first year, and 
the attendance increased but slowly for the 
three succeeding years. In 1880-81 mat- 
ters improved materially, one hundred and 
si.xteen students being enrolled, and the 
number steadily increased until the maxi- 
mum of two hundred and thirty-one was 
reached in 1886-87. James Gill was the 
only faculty member left over from the 
previous regime. From time to time Pro- 
fessor Locke had associated with him E. S. 
Metcalf, voice instructor; Joseph Singer, 
instructor of violin; Professor R. L. Cum- 
nock, instructor of elocution ; Professor A. 
S. Carhart, lecturer on the laws of sound ; 
Warren Graves, instructor of piano and or- 



gan, and C. M. Hutchins, instructor of band 
instruments. In 1880 and 1881 the present 
Dean of the School of Music was instructor 
of piano and organ, prior to his departure 
for Europe for a three years' course of 
study in Berlin, Vienna and Paris. In 
June, 1884, Professor Locke, in a printed 
report to the Board of Trustees, makes 
mention of nine thousand lessons having 
been given during the year, of fifteen pianos 
being in use. and calls attention to the 
growth and future possibilities of the 
school. Three students were graduated this 
year and the following courses were in 
operation : 

Course i. Piano. 
Course 2. Voice. 
Course 3. Organ. 
Course 4. Orchestral Instruments. 
In the year 1887-1888 the numerical 
prosperity of the school declined and con- 
tinued to do so until 1890-91, when Pro- 
fessor Locke resigned, leaving the affairs of 
the school in a somewhat chaotic condition. 
There was a strong sentiment in favor of 
discontinuing the Conservatory of Music, 
but yielding to the wishes of Miss Nina 
Gray Lunt, an effort was made to continue 
the study of music in the University. At 
her suggestion Peter C. Lutkin, of Chicago, 
was put in charge, and gave a portion of his 
time to the reconstruction of the music de- 
partment. A faculty was hastily organ- 
ized, of which the principal members were : 
J. Harry Wheeler, a widely known vocal 
instructor, formerly a prominent member 
of the New England Conservatory of Mu- 
sic. Boston ; Allen Hervey Spencer, a well- 
known concert pianist and teacher of Chi- 
cago; Joseph Vilim, violin instructor, and 
William Smedley, choir-master of St. James' 
Church, Chicago, as instructor of choral 
singing and sight-reading. A Glee Club 
was organized for the first time in the 
University, and also a Cecilian Choir for 



136 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



the young women. Eighty-nine students 
attended during the year, and a creditable 
concert was given at its close in the First 
Methodist Episcopal Church, in which the 
advanced piano and voice students, the 
Glee Club, and the Cecilian Choir took part. 
Three students were graduated. 

This first year's work was looked upon 
as tentative and, at its completion, a formal 
proposition was made by the Director, 
which included a professorship in the Col- 
lege of Liberal Arts, and the severing of 
his city connections in order to devote his 
entire time and energies to the up-building 
of the music school. Largely upon the 
recommendation of Mr. James H. Raymond, 
the then chairman of the committee on the 
Conservatory of Music, the Executive Com- 
mittee accepted the proposition of Profes- 
sor Lutkin. The official appellation of the 
school was changed from "Conservatory 
of Music" to "Department of Music," and 
the courses were rearranged so as to mark 
a distinction between those studying as 
amateurs and those studying professionally. 
Diplomas were not issued at all and cer- 
tificates only to those completing the Pro- 
fessional Course. One hundred and twenty- 
eight students attended this second year and 
the income of the school increased about 
seventy-five per cent. 

The financial stringency of the year 1893- 
94 was felt to the extent that the attendance 
and income were practically at a standstill. 
Several changes were made in the faculty. 
Harold E. Knapp, who had recently re- 
turned from two years of study at the re- 
nowned Leipzig Conservatory of Music, 
succeeded Joseph Vilim as instructor of the 
violin. William H. Knapp, as instructor 
of voice and 'cello ; William H. Cutler, as 
instructor of piano ; and William Hubbard 
Harris, as instructor of piano and harmony, 
were added. A choral society, confined to 
students of the University, had been organ- 



ized and gave two concerts at the Congre- 
gational Church. The works performed 
were Gaul's' cantata of "Israel in the Wil- 
derness" and Haydn's "Creation." In both 
cases the solo parts were nearly all taken 
by members of the University. An impor- 
tant event was the formation of a String 
Quartette, of which the personnel was as 
follows : 

First Violin, Harold E. Knapp. 

Second Violin, Joseph Bichl. 

Viola, Caspar Grilnberger. 

Violoncello, William H. Knapp. 

This organization permitted us to give 
five recitals of Chamber Music, which add- 
ed greatly to the interest of the school year. 
Sixteen recitals were given by the students 
and four were graduated from the Profes- 
sional Course. 

The year 1894-95 saw a large increase 
in the attendance and prosperity of the 
school. The number increased from one 
hundred and twenty-nine to two hundred 
and three, and the graduates from four to 
eight. Mrs. George A. Coe, who had re- 
cently returned from extended studies in 
Berlin under Heinrich Barth and Moritz 
Moskowsky, was added to the faculty as 
instructor of the piano, and instruction in 
wind instruments was provided for. Eigh- 
teen recitals were given by the students, and 
at the eight faculty recitals, many important 
works by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Dvorak, 
Schubert, Chopin, Goldmark and Weber 
were given with the assistance of the Uni- 
versity String Quartette. The Director 
gave a number of lectures analyzing the 
thematic structure of important works 
given by the Thomas Orchestra. 

As the attempt to establish a good choral 
society within the University had not been 
altogether successful, owing to the constant 
shifting of membership. Professor Lutkin 
assumed the conductorship of the Evanston 
Musical Club, in the hope that the larger 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



137 



field would give more favorable results. In 
this he was not disappointed, and the history 
of that organization will be found elsewhere 
in these pages. Membership in the Club 
has always been open to students of the 
University, and the privilege has been taken 
advantage of, more particularly by the 
members of the Department of Music. The 
theoretical courses were greatly e.xtend- 
ed this year, and arranged on a four-year 
plan to confonn to the courses in the Col- 
lege of Liberal Arts. The student recitals 
presented, in an excellent manner, a higher 
grade of compositions than haxl ever been 
given before, notably piano concertos by 
Beethoven, Mozart and Mendelssohn. A 
small pipe organ was added to the equip- 
ment of the school, which greatly increased 
the study of that instrument. The Depart- 
ment had now reached a point where its 
self-maintenance was fully assured, and it 
was sadly in need of larger and better quar- 
ters. 

In the following year (1895-96) the of- 
ficial title of the school was changed from 
"Department of Music" to "School of Mu- 
sic," thus putting it upon the same basis 
as the other professional schools of the 
University. Mr. J. Harry Wheeler was 
succeeded by Karleton Hackett as Director 
of the Vocal Department. Mr. Hackett had 
recently come to Chicago after three years' 
study with Vincenso Vannini, the famous 
voice instructor of Florence. He had for- 
merly studied singing with Cornelius Chen- 
ery of Boston, and theory under Professor 
Paine while a student at Harvard. Miss 
Carlotta M. Glazier was added as instructor 
of piano. The various courses were con- 
siderably strengthened, and the theoretical 
study of music was made the kernel of all 
graduating requirements. The theoretical 
studies embraced harmony, musical history, 
counterpoint, and musical form. The 
ground was taken that mere technical facil- 
itv, even v^-hen allied to distinct musical 



talent, was not sufficient to complete a 
course in a University school, but rather a 
comprehensive understanding of the na- 
ture and material of music, and the funda- 
mental principles of good art. The scholar- 
ly aspects of music are thus emphasized, 
and the endeavor is to graduate well- 
equipped musicians rather than superficial 
and showy performers. The same theoreti- 
cal studies are required of all candidates for 
graduation, be he pianist, organist, singer 
or violinist. 

Professor Lutkin was appointed Dean 
of the reconstructed school, the other 
members of the faculty ranking as Instruc- 
tors. As the Dean was also .Professor of 
Music in the College of Liberal Arts, the 
theoretical classes in the School of Music 
were open to the College students as elec- 
tives in their various courses. Owing to 
the prevailing financial stringency there 
was but a slight increase in the attendance 
this year. The number of graduates re- 
mained the same. Fifteen student recitals, 
two student concerts with orchestra, eight 
chamber music recitals and four faculty 
concerts were given. A student or- 
chestra of twenty-five had been or- 
ganized, which gave very creditable per- 
formances. One of the chamber music re- 
citals was devoted exclusively to serious 
works by various members of the faculty, 
including a String Quartette by Harold 
Knapp, part of a Trio for Piano, Violin 
and 'Cello, by P. C. Lutkin, and songs by 
Hubbard W. Harris. Among important 
works brought out were the Brahm's Quin- 
tette for Piano and Strings, Op. 67, in 
which Mrs. Coe assisted the University 
String Quartette, the Dvorak Quintette, Op. 
81, and Quartettes by Schumann and Bee- 
thoven. Under Mr. Harold Knapp the 
violin department greatly increased in num- 
bers, and furnished an excellent nucleus for 
the school orchestra. 

In his annual report to the Board of 



138 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



Trustees, President Rogers called attention 
to the urgent need of providing a suitable 
building for the School of Music, adding 
that after the Academy — which had been 
provided for — it was the next most desir- 
able acquisition. The recommendations of 
President Rogers bore fruit more promptly 
than was expected. The lack of accommo- 
dations for the school in Woman's Hall, 
the poorly adapted rooms for instruction 
and practice, not to mention the unavoidable 
annoyance to college students by the inces- 
sant playing and singing, rendered it all but 
imperative that other quarters should be 
supplied. Although the finances of the Uni- 
versity were in a somewhat crippled condi- 
tion owing to the temporary loss of income 
from the Grand Pacific property, it was 
decided to erect a building for the special 
and exclusive use of the School of Music. 
A site was decided upon immediately to the 
north of Woman's Hall, and ground was 
broken during the summer of 1896. The 
building was completed during the following 
fall and winter, and taken possession of at 
the beginning of the spring term, in 1897. 
In Woman's Hall fourteen rooms had been 
in use by the school. Music Hall, as the 
new structure was named, provided us with 
nineteen rooms and a small recital hall, 
seating about three hundred. Seventeen of 
these rooms were at once put into service, 
and the year's records showed an increase 
from 207 to 218 students. The dedication 
of the new building was marked by two 
faculty concerts and a students' recital. At 
the first of them a chorus from the Evan- 
ston Musical Club and the School of Music 
Orchestra assisted in the following program, 
given on the evening of April 26, 1897: 

Chorus, "The Heavens Are Telling" Haydn 

Prayer by President Henry Wade Rogers. 

Aria. "Rejoice Greatly" Handel 

Miss Helen Buckley. 
Address by Professor P. C. Lutkin. 

Overture, "The Marriage of Figaro" Mozart 

Orchestra. 



Andante for Violin and Orchestra P. C. Lutkin 

Mr. Harold E. Knapp. 
Songs, "The Broken Lyre," "Shepherd of 
Israel," "From the Bosom of Ocean 

I Seek Thee" Hubbard W. Harris 

Miss Buckley. 

Quartette for Strings, C major Harold E. Knapp 

The University String Quartette. 

Sanctus, from Messe Solonelle Gounod 

Mr. W. F. Hypes, Chorus and Orchestra. 

After the concert a reception was held 
and the building was thrown open for in- 
spection. On the following evening a 
Chamber Music Recital was given, in which 
Mrs. George A. Coe, pianist. Miss Mabel 
Goodwin, soprano, and the University 
String Quartette took part. The program 
was as follows : 

Trio for Piano, Violin, and 'Cello, Op. 97. .. .Beethoven 

Songs, La Serenata Tosti 

Ecstasy Beach 

May Morning Denza 

Quartette for Strings, G Minor Grieg 

Nine students were graduated this year 
in the Normal Course, and one from the 
advanced, or Artist's Course. Twenty-four 
recitals and five concerts, with orchestra, 
were given by the students, and six chamber 
music recitals and four concerts by the fac- 
ulty. The student orchestra assisted the 
Evanston Musical Club in their perform- 
ances of Handel's Messiah and Haydn's 
Creation. In all directions the year showed 
substantial progress. 

The first complete year in the new build- 
ing (1897-98) found its capacity tested to 
the utmost. The attendance increased from 
218 to 293. The theoretical courses were 
extended by the addition of classes in 
Analysis and Sight-reading. The recita- 
tions in Musical History under the charge 
of Mrs. Coe were doubled. The classes in 
Sight-reading were thrown open to students 
of the Garrett Biblical Institute, and the 
latter part of the year was devoted to hymn 
music with the object of demonstrating the 
fundamental principles of good church 
music. A good pipe-organ, with two man- 
uals and pedals, and blown by a water- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



139 



motor, was erected in the recital hall. Miss 
Carlotta M. Glazier was succeeded by Miss 
Una Howell, a graduate of the advanced 
course of the school, and Mr. Franz Wag- 
ner of the Thomas Orchestra, succeeded 
Mr. W. H. Knapp in the University String 
Quartette, and was added to the faculty as 
Instructor of Violoncello. Mr. Walter 
Keller was also added as Instructor of 
Piano. The usual student and faculty con- 
certs were given and the commencement 
concerts presented a distinct advance on 
previous efforts, both in the selections and 
in the performance of the same. Twelve 
students were graduated from the Normal 
Course. Doubtless the added dignity and 
importance given to the school by being 
housed in its own building had much to 
do with the general prosperity. 

The succeeding year was a repetition of 
the previous experience, that a very decided 
gain in one year was followed by a slight 
reaction in the following. The scholastic 
year 1898-99 showed a decrease of nine stu- 
dents, but a gain of ten per cent in the in- 
come. The discrepancy between the loss in 
attendance and the gain in income meant 
that a larger percentage of students re- 
mained through the year, and that there was 
a corresponding decrease in the unsatisfac- 
tory patronage, composed, for the most 
part, of triflers who enter and remain but 
a term or two. 

The basement of Music Hall had been 
originally designed for a gymnasium for 
women, and the prospect of soon having a 
properly equipped plant was hailed with 
much delight and enthusiasm by those in- 
terested. It was a keen disappointment to 
many when it was decided to sub-divide the 
ground floor to make space for the im- 
perative demands of the music school. The 
results of this change added ten practice 
rooms and a much-needed class room, seat- 
ing seventy-five, to the equipment of the 



school, and temporarily relieved the pres- 
sure for more space. 

The student recitals averaged one per 
week and evidenced a very good standard 
of attainment. Nine students were grad- 
uated from the Normal Course, and three 
from the Advanced Course. The usual 
series of chamber music concerts was in- 
terrupted by the loss of the viola player 
in the University String Quartette, owing 
to his departure from the city. 

The year 1899- 1900 exhibited an in- 
crease of about five per cent in the attend- 
ance (the total number being 297) and of 
fifteen per cent in the income of the school. 
The largest class in the history of the 
school was graduated, ten in the Normal 
Course and three in the Advanced Course. 
The most important event of the year was 
the rearrangement of courses, requiring 
four years for graduation. The theoretical 
requirements consist of ten terms of har- 
mony, four terms of musical history, four 
terms of sight-reading and musical dicta- 
tion, eight terms of counterpoint, two terms 
of musical form, eight terms of analysis 
and four terms of ensemble playing. In 
addition the candidate is required to show 
distinct talent as a performer in the Prac- 
tical School, or as a composer in the The- 
oretical School. In the former case, two 
programs are required of standard classical 
compositions. Students creditably finishing 
two years of this course are entitled to a 
certificate, but a diploma is given only for 
the longer course. These requirements are 
equaled by but few schools in the country. 

Mr. Arne Oldberg, who had recently re- 
turned from extended studies in Europe, 
was added to the faculty as Instructor of 
Piano. Mr. Oldberg studied piano in 
Vienna with Leschetitzky and, later, com- 
position in Munich with Rheinberger. His 
abilities, both as a pianist and composer, 
have attracted the favorable attention of 



140 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



the profession in Chicago. Mr. Day Wil- 
Hams, one of the most gifted of local 'cel- 
lists, succeeded Mr. Franz Wagner both in 
the String Quartette and as instructor of the 
violoncello. Mr. Walter George Logan suc- 
ceeded Mr. Caspar Grilnberger as assistant 
in the violin department, and Mr. Frank 
Lee Robertshavkf was put in charge of the 
sight-reading classes. The regular faculty 
of the school now consisted of fifteen mem- 
bers, of whom six taught piano, two violin, 
two voice culture, two organ, two theory, 
and one each, musical history, composition, 
violoncello, flute, clarionet, oboe, bassoon, 
cornet, French horn and trombone. 

The first decade of the music school 
under its present head was completed with 
the year 1900-01, and the event was 
marked by several matters of interest in the 
development of the school. A decided in- 
crease in attendance crowded the capacity 
of the building to the utmost, and forced 
many students to make arrangements for 
their practice at private houses. The total 
number of students for the year was 348 — a 
gain of fifty-one over the previous year. 
For the first time a fi.xed sum per term was 
charged for the regular courses, instead of a 
graduated scale depending upon the indi- 
vidual instructor. This charge was thirty- 
five dollars per term, and included private 
instruction from the principal instructors 
in instrumental or vocal music, and the 
privilege of attendance at the required 
classes. Considering the advantages of- 
fered and the quality of instruction given, 
the charge was put at a very reasonable 
figure. In fact, the results at the end of 
the year proved that the sum was hardly 
sufficient to cover the expenses of the 
course, and a recommendation to increase it 
to forty dollars per term was put into effect 
the following year. 

The record for the ten years showed an 
increase in attendance from eighty-nine to 



348, and, in income, of over 400 per 
cent. Six members of the faculty give 
their entire time to the school as 
against none in 1890-91. Extended and 
comprehensive courses have been developed 
and the reputation of the school is such as 
to bring a better class of students each year. 
Graduate students from the smaller music 
schools come to us and expect, as a matter 
of course, that much of their work is not up 
to our requirements. In fact, there are 
very few who are able to enter the second 
year's work. 

The following changes took place in the 
faculty : Walter G. Logan was succeeded 
by Lewis Randolph Blackman, a young 
violinist of excellent reputation in Chicago. 
Mr. John Harlan Cozine, an experienced 
and well known voice specialist and choral 
conductor, and Mr. Anthony Stankowitch, 
an instructor of the Clavier method, were 
added to the list of instructors. During the 
year an interesting series of historical reci- 
tals was given by various members of the 
faculty, beginning with a lecture on Primi- 
tive Music, with illustrations, by Mrs. Coe. 
This was followed by Bach, Mozart, Bee- 
thoven, Schubert, Schumann and Chopin 
programs, in which various members of the 
faculty assisted. The University Strmg 
Quartette had a number of outside engage- 
ments which brought forth a number of 
flattering press notices of their excellent en- 
semble work. This was notably the case at 
Cleveland, where Mr. Oldberg assisted in 
the performance of a new Trio of his own 
composition for piano, violin and 'cello. 
During the year the Dean of the school was 
honored with the degree of Doctor of Music 
by the Syracuse University. 

Some five years ago a Preparatory De- 
partment was formed for giving tho'-ough 
and systematic instruction to beginners in 
music. The instructors are drawn from the 
more talented graduates of the school, the 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



141 



present list including Mr. Louis Norton 
Dodge, Director; Mrs. Nina Shumway 
Knapp, Miss Elizabeth Raymond, Miss 
Mabel Dunn, Miss Edna Eversz, Miss Kath- 
erine Hebbard, Miss Laura Case Whitlock 
and Mr. Curtis A. Barry. This department 
has been very prosperous. It has its own 
solo classes and recitals which stimulate 
ambition and emulation, and it produces far 
better results than the usual private home- 
training of young children. It also prepares 
the more gifted ones for the regular courses 
and accustoms them to public appearances. 

The year 1901-02 was signalized by ad- 
vancing to professorships Mrs. Coe, Mr. 
Oldberg and Mr. Harold E. Knapp, in their 
respective specialties of piano and musical 
history, piano and composition, and violin 
and ensemble playing. In other regards the 
faculty remained the same, with the excep- 
tion of Miss Una Howell, who resigned at 
the middle of the previous year, and was 
replaced by Miss Margaret Cameron, a pupil 
of Leschetitsky, who has won an enviable 
position as pianist and teacher in the city. 
The registrations numbered 366 for the 
year, and the income exceeded that of 
the previous year by about 20 per cent. 
Some ten students completed the Certificate 
Course, while three were graduated from 
the Diploma Course. Of the thirty-five or 
more student recitals, thirteen were indi- 
vidual recitals, giving many important musi- 
cal compositions and, for the most part, the 
programs were memorized. Advanced 
students played the following concertos : 
For piano, the Beethoven C minor, Men- 
delssohn G minor, Rubinstein D minor, 
Grieg A minor and St. Saens G minor ; for 
violin, the Beethoven D major (first move- 
ment), Mendelssohn E minor and Vieu.x- 
temps A minor. 

Advanced classes have done very credit- 
able work in eight-part counterpoint, as well 
as in double and triple counterpoint, fig- 



ured chorals and fugue up to four parts. 
Many typical works by Bach and Beethoven 
have been analytically dissected and also 
concertos, chamber music and symphonies 
from full score. Capable students have as- 
sisted at the meetings of the musical section 
of the Woman's Club, the Thomas Orches- 
tral Class, local concerts, and have given bi- 
monthly Sunday afternoon entertainments 
at the University Settlement. Two impor- 
tant compositions of Professor Oldberg's 
have received their first performance at the 
faculty concerts, a Trio for piano, violin and 
'cello, and a String Quartette. This latter 
work was repeated at a concert of the Chi- 
cago Manuscript Society, of which Profes- 
sor Oldberg is President. Other numbers 
on the same occasion were the Finale from 
a String Quartette by Professor Knapp, and 
a sacred solo for contralto with violin obli- 
gato by Professor Lutkin. 

A matter of congratulation has been the 
steady increase in the interest and appre- 
ciation of the Chamber Music Recitals by 
our faculty. Works of this character are the 
most difficult to comprehend in all musical 
literature, and many of the greatest com- 
posers have confided their loftiest inspira- 
tions to this most refined form of composi- 
tion, calling, as it does, upon a company of 
individual artists for its proper representa- 
tion. The patience, devotion and zeal neces- 
sary to produce a good ensemble of con- 
certed instruments is something enormous, 
and the school and the community are very 
fortunate in having professional musicians 
of such high ideals and ambitions. For the 
sake of those interested, a list is appended of 
the works given during the past seven sea- 
sons, a number of which are but rarely per- 
formed : 

Bach, Concerto for two Violins. 

Bargiel, String Quartette No. 3. Op. 15. 

Trio for Piano, Violin, and 'Cello, Op. 6, No. 1 
Trio for Piano, Violin, and 'Cello, Op. 6, No. 3. 



142 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



Beethoven, String Quartette, Op. 15, No. 1. 
String Quartette, Op. 18, No. 2. 
String Quartette, Op. 18, No. 6 
String Quartette, Op. 59, No. 1. 
String Quartette, Op. 59, No. 3. 
String Quartette, Op. 18, No. 2. 
String Quartette, Op. 18. No. 4. 
String Quartette, Op. 95. 
String Quartette, Op. 74. 
String Trio, Op. 9, No. 3. 
Trio for Piano, Violin, and 'Cello, Op. 97. 
Serenade for Violin, Viola, and 'Cello, Op. 8. 
Serenade for Flute, Violin, and Viola, Op. 25. 
Septette for Clarionet, Bassoon, Horn, and 
Strings, Op. 20. 

(Four movements. The wind instruments 
supplied upon the organ.) 
Concerto for Violin, Op. 61. 

(First movement with Leonard Cadenza.) 
Sonata for Piano and Violin, Op. 47. 
Borodine, Serenade Espagnole for Strings. 
Brahms, Quintette for Piano, two Violins, Viola, and 
'Cello, Op. 34. 
Sextette for Strings, Op. 18. 
Chopin, Polonaise for 'Cello and Piano, Op. 3. 
Dvorak, String Quartette, Op. 51. 

Quintette for Piano, two Violins, Viola, 'Cello, 

Op. 81. 
Bagatelles for two Violins, 'Cello, and Organ, 

Op. 47. 
Bagatelles for two Violins, 'Cello, and Organ, 

Op. 95. 
String Quartette, Op. 96. 
Cesar Franck, Sonata for Piano and Violin. 
Foote, Arthur, Quintette for Piano, two Violins, Viola 

and 'Cello, Op. 38. 
Gade, Trio for Piano, Violin, and 'Cello, Op. 42. 
Godard, Trio for Piano, Violin, and 'Cello, Op. 72. 
Goldmark, Quintette for Piano, two Violins, Viola, and 

'Cello. Op. 30. 
Golterman, Concertstueck for 'Cello, Op. 65. 
Grieg, Sonata for Piano and V^iolin, Op. 45. 
Sonata for Piano and V^iolin, Op. 13. 
String Quartette, G. minor. 
Hubbard W. Harris, Sonata for 'Cello and Piano. 

(Second and third movements.) 
Handel, Sonata for Piano and Violin, A. major. 
Haydn, String Quartette. Op. 77. No. 1. 

Variations from Kaiser Quartette. 
Hofifmann, Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op: 67. 
Harold E. Knapp, String Quartette in C major. 
Liadow, Scherzo for Strings. 

P. C. Lutkin. Trio for Piano, Violin, and 'Cello, Op. 1. 
(Second movement.) 
Andante for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 6. 
(Orchestral part arranged for strings and organ.) 
Mendelssohn, String Quartette, Op. 12, No. 1. 

Trio for Piano, Violin, and 'Cello, Op. 66. 
Sonata for 'Cello and Piano, Op. 45, No. 1. 
Mozart, Quintette for Clarionette and Strings. 

String Quartette No. 14. 
Arne Oldberg, String Quartette, C minor. 

Trio for Piano, V^iolin and 'Cello, E minor. 
String Quartette, D major. 



Rubinstein, Sonata for 'Cello and Piano, Op. 18. 
(First movement.) 
Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 13. 

(First movement.) 
String Quartette, Op. 17, No. 3. 
Charles Schubert, Andante and Caprice for 'Cello. 
Schubert, String Quartette, Op. 29. 
(Two movements.) 
String Quartette. D minor. 

(Two movements.) 
String Quintette. 

Trio for Piano, Violin, and 'Cello, Op. 90. 
Trio for Piano, Violin, and 'Cello, Op. 100. 

(Two movements.) 
Quintette for Piano, Violin, V^iola, 'Cello, and 
Bass, Op. 114. 
Schumann, String Quartette, Op. 41, No. 2. 

Quintette for Piano, two Violins, Viola, and 

'Cello. Op. 44. 
Quartette for Piano, Violin, Viola, and 'Cello, 
Op. 45. 
Saint Saens. Quintette for Piano and Strings, Op. 14. 
Svendsen. Allegro Scherzando. 
Tschaikowsky, String Quartette. Op. 11. 

Trio, for Piano, Violin and 'Cello, Op. 50. 
Wathall, A. G., Suite for Strings. 
Weber, Concerto for Clarionet. Op. 7o. 

(Orchestral part arranged for Organ and Strings.) 
Weber, Josef Miroslav, String Quartette in B minor. 

It is with difficulty that the business of 
the School is properly attended to in its 
present inadequate quarters. Thirty rooms 
with as many pianos, are in constant use for 
instruction and practice. Ten more would 
only relieve our immediate necessities. A 
concert hall, with larger seating capacity, 
and a good-sized organ are also much need- 
ed. That the conditions exist in Evanston 
for the development of one of the largest 
and most influential schools oi music in the 
country, there can be no doubt. Students 
have been registered from China, East India, 
South America, Mexico, France, England, 
Newfoundland, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba 
and twenty-eight of the United States. Each 
year brings us a more talented and desirable 
class of students, as our reputation expands. 
\^ery capable students have been graduated 
and at least three prominent Chicago 
churches have been supplied by us with 
organists, where the duties are as exacting 
as any churches in the West. A gifted 
violin student, who has received his entire 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



143 



training in the school, recently played for 
one of the most capable judges in the coun- 
try, and his work was most highly com- 
mended and a brilliant future for him pre- 
dicted. Alfred G. Wathall, one of our grad- 
uates in theory, has written the music to a 
light opera in conjunction with George Ade, 
and it has had an unprecedented run at the 
Studebaker in Chicago. Our piano grad- 
uates have appeared professionally with 
success and many have established good 
teaching connections and send capable stu- 
dents to us every year. Another has gone 
to Madison, Wis., where he is instructor in 
the University of Wisconsin, has the most 
important church position and conducts two 
choral societies, one of which he organized. 
These instances are cited to show some of 
the practical results of the School. 

A crying need in the musical education 
of America is a more thorough training in 
the theory of composition in music. With- 
out this we can never attain to artistic 
prominence in the world of art, as far as 
original work is concerned. The average 
American composer has a smattering of 
harmony and, possibly, a faint idea of strict 
counterpoint. With this limited equipment 
he rushes into print with the hope of meet- 
ing the popular taste and gaining notoriety 
and wealth. C)f the exacting discipline that 
would place the material of musical com- 
position at his ready command, the close 
stud_v of the masters, the comprehension 
of the subtle laws of esthetics, of propor- 
tion, balance and contrast, of even the 
mechanical outline of musical forms, he 
knows little and cares less. 

A University School of Music should 
strive to supply this great lack and to estab- 
lish not only a high standard of musical 
learning, but of general c-.ilture as well. It 
should guard against the one-sided tenden- 
cies of professional education and add to 
it such elements as will serve to broaden the 



vision, enlarge the sympathies, and sharpen 
the intellect and understanding. Scholarli- 
ness and thoroughness should characterize 
its teachings and its faculty should stand for 
the highest ideals of art. Of equal, if not 
greater, importance should be its moral tone 
and influence. The sensitive and emotional 
nature associated with the artistic tempera- 
ment should be safeguarded in every possi- 
ble way. In large cities there is, unhappily, 
a tinge of the moral laxity prevalent in 
European capitals among professional men. 
It is by no means confined to musicians. 
It is a most dangerous and pernicious en- 
vironment for the young in their formative 
years, and not infrequently ends most dis- 
astrously. Against these lamentable possi- 
bilities the wholesome surroundings of 
Evanston offer a marked contrast. Its 
churches and Christian associations, its 
freedom from saloons and questionable re- 
sorts, together with its educational facilities 
and attractive location, make it an ideal 
home for the pursuit of a musical educa- 
tion. 

Evanston, with its beautiful homes and 
cultured residents, should take a peculiar 
pride in the cultivation of the fine arts, and 
should loyally support all educational ef- 
forts in that direction. The School of 
Music has grown steadily from small be- 
ginnings and its one advertisement has been 
its own work. It has drawn to itself an able 
faculty thoroughly in accord with Univer- 
sity ideals. It has an unusual proportion of 
men actively engaged in composition of the 
better sort. It attracts talented students 
and holds them to such an extent, that, in 
several instances, the entire family have 
changed their. mode of life in order to live 
in Evanston, so that the student could 
reap the full benefit of the advantages of- 
fered by continuous residence here. With 
its Preparatory Department it has given op- 
portunity to a number of its capable grad- 



144 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



uates to make a start professionally. Its 
faculty and student recitals have been open 
to the public without charge, and they 
have formed, together with the concerts of 
the Evanston Musical Club, by far the 
larger and more important part of the musi- 
cal attractions in Evanston. Concert pro- 
grams that are arranged to please the aver- 
age audience are rarely of real educational 
value. The school has consistently and 
persistently held to the highest standards, 
and the value of such a rigid policy is not 
always readily recognized, but the wisdom 
of it has been amply justified by the steady 
increase in attendance and appreciation. 
There is no surer gauge of real refinement 
and culture than the measure of esteem in 
which good music is held in a community. 

But Evanston should not confine its 
ambition or interest to the welfare of a Con- 
servatory of Music. Great possibilities exist 
here for the development of the art outside 
the scope of a good music school. Music 
Festivals, after the plan of Cincinnati or 
Worcester, are quite feasible here. They 
are managed successfully, both from an ar- 
tistic and a financial point of view, at such 
small places as Ann Arbor, Mich., and 
Oberlin, Ohio, where they have but a frac- 
tion of our advantages or facilities. Still 
they contrive to have good choruses and 
orchestras and to engage really great artists. 
We are more fortunately situated here, in 
that we have better choral resources, and 
that an unsurpassed orchestra can be ob- 
tained without the great expense that is 
entailed by transportation and hotel accom- 
modations in places remote from large 
cities. The only essential lack in Evanston 
is a suitable hall. The rest is merely a 
matter of enterprise and ambition. 

The music festival presents peculiar con- 
ditions for the effective performance of 
music — conditions that are almost a neces- 
sity for a satisfactory rendition of certain 
great works. These works require an enthu- 



siastic and responsive state of feeling as re- 
gards the audience, and this condition is 
difficult to arouse without the festival spirit. 
The stimulating atmosphere of excitement, 
the cumulative effect of successive perform- 
ances, the concentration of artistic talent, 
the relaxation from the ordinary daily 
pursuits, all tend to put the hearer in a 
receptive and appreciative attitude. All 
these elements react upon the performers 
and, as a consequence, results are realized 
which would be quite impossible at isolated 
concerts. 

The permanent establishment of annual 
or biennial festivals would give Evanston 
an artistic prominence obtainable in no 
other manner. With its great University 
and its superior moral surroundings, it al- 
ready enjoys a most enviable reputation as 
an educational center. Add to this the 
attraction and distinction of notable musi- 
cal festivals, and Evanston will be unique 
among the cities of the West as an artistic 
and literary community. And the larger 
portion of gain would not be to the residents 
of our favored town, but to the student 
hailing from the farm or the country village. 
What an education it would be to him if, in 
the course of his college life, he would have 
the opportunity to hear the great master- 
works of music given under inspiring and 
uplifting conditions ! Coming, as they do, 
from all quarters of the Union, many of 
them would return to their homes as so 
many musical missionaries, fired with an 
ambition to do what they could for good art. 
Hundreds would go forth from us every 
year with their esthetic sense stirred 
and enlarged, with a wholesome respect for 
the great names in music and an apprecia- 
tive familiarity with the standard oratorios 
and orchestral works. The seeds of nuisical 
culture, thus sown, would bear fruit in 
scores of communities, and would play no 
small part in the higher development of our 
country. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



145 



Events of 1902-03. — The year 1902-1903 
was made notable by an increase of an 
even hundred students in attendance and 
of over six thousand dollars in income. 
Courses in English language, English 
literature and modern languages were 
added to the graduating requirements 
with the result of bringing to the Uni- 
versity a better class of students, as far 
as general education was concerned. A 
series of eight concerts, known as the 
".\rtists' Series," was begun, given alter- 
nately by members of our own faculty and 
by visiting artists. The latter included 
Minnie Fish-Griffin in a song recital ; Ar- 
thur Hochman, of Berlin, in a piano reci- 
tal ; Bruno Steindel in a 'cello recital, and 
Glenn Hall, of New York, and Allen 
Spencer, of Chicago, in a joint song and 
piano recital. These concerts attracted 
a large attendance, both on the part of 
the students and the town people. 

Additional quarters for the kindergar- 
ten work of the Preparatory Department 
were acquired in the Y. M. C. A. building, 
and the school was unable to supply all 
the non-resident students with pianos for 
their practicing. The graduating con- 
certs brought brilliant performances of 
the Schumann A minor, and the Rubin- 
stein D minor piano concertos, and the 
Pagannini concerto for violin. Four di- 
plomas and thirteen certificates were added 
to our list. 

Enlarged Attendance of 1903-04. — The 
year 1903-1904, brought the attendance 
just over the five hundred mark and the 
income up to $35,000, with eight gradu- 
ates in the diploma course and eighteen 
in the certificate course. The first con- 
cert in the Artists' Series was a decided 
novelty in the way of a programme of 
chamber music for piano and wood-wind 
instruments, participated in by Messrs. 
Starke. Meyer, Demare, and Kruse of the 
Thomas Orchestra and Professor Oldberg 



of our faculty. Later there was a song re- 
cital by Gvvylim Miles, a violin recital by 
Leopold Kramer, concert-meister of the 
Thomas Orchestra, and a piano recital by 
Augusta Cotlou. As usual, the Univer- 
sity String Quartette, under Professor 
Knapp, gave four excellent concerts, while 
Miss Cameron, Miss Hull, Mr. Blackman, 
and Mr. Williams of the faculty all ap- 
peared on interesting programmes. Pro- 
fessor Stanley of the University of Michi- 
gan gave a most entertaining lecture on 
early Venetian opera, and Gustav Holm- 
quist gave a most artistic recital of Scan- 
dinavian songs. A further matter of in- 
terest was the first performance of an 
elaborate quintette for piano and string, 
by Professor Oldberg, which proved to be 
a work of unusual scope and worth. 

Five of the advanced students and grad- 
uates went to Europe at the end of the 
school year to continue their work in 
Leipzig, Berlin and Paris, and several of 
them at once won prominence by reason 
of their talents and the schooling they had 
received in Evanston. Over fifty student 
recitals were given during the year, and 
many hundred compositions for piano, or- 
gan, violin and voice were performed. A 
house opposite Music Hall was rented and 
filled with pianos for practicing purposes. 

Conditions of 1904-05. — The year 1904- 
1905 again showed a recoil in attendance 
after successive gains of the previous 
years, the enrollment dropping to 466. 
The loss in income was not relatively so 
great, as a large proportion of students re- 
mained through the year. As usual, a 
number of inquiring students failed to ap- 
pear upon learning that the official board- 
ing places could not accommodate them ; 
as they or their parents objected to board- 
ing in town, principally upon the score of 
expense. The graduates were four in the 
graduate class and fifteen in the certifi- 
cate class. 



146 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



The Artists' Series of concerts was a 
notable one. \\'ith the co-operation of 
the Thomas Study class and the Evan- 
ston Musical Club, famous artists and or- 
ganizations appeared. The first of these 
was the celebrated Kneisel Quartette of 
Boston, who gave us a fine program, re- 
markable for its charm of tone, refine- 
ment of shading, and artistic interpreta- 
tion. This was followed by a song re- 
cital by Muriel Foster, the greatest con- 
tralto now upon the concert stage. On 
the evening previous to her recital, Miss 
Foster appeared with the Evanston Mus- 
ical Club in Dvorak's "Stabat Mater" 
and upon the same occasion Professor 
Oldberg played for the first time his new 
symphonic concerto for piano and orches- 
tra, a brilliant and most difficult work, in 
which he scored a great success both as 
composer and pianist. 

In February the Pittsburg Symphony 
Orchestra, under the magnetic baton of 
Emil Paur. gave Beethoven's Overture to 
Egmont, the same composer's Emperor 
Concerto for piano and orchestra with 
Mr. Paur at the piano, Tscharkowsky's 
Pathetic Symphony and Wagner's Vor- 
spiel to the Meistersaenger. The concert 
provoked the utmost enthusiasm, due to 
the energy and virility of Mr. Paur's con- 
ducting. 

The last concert by visitors was an 
evening of old-time music by Arnold Dol- 
metsch's party, performed upon the in- 
struments for which the music was orig- 
inally written, such as the spinet, harpsi- 
chord, dulcimer and viola of various 
kinds. In the four concerts given by our 
own faculty a number of standard classi- 
cal string quartettes were played, and a 
first performance of a Quintette by Cxsar 
Franck, in which Mrs. Coe supplemented 
the University Quartette at the piano. 
With the assistance of Mrs. Lida Scott 



Brown as reader, ]\Irs. Coe gave a per- 
formance of her popular melodrama, 
"Hiawatha," before a large and apprecia- 
tive audience. The musical themes for 
this work are largely drawn from Indian 
sources, and are judiciously and effective- 
ly applied as a back-ground to the recita- 
tion of this famous poem. 

The Outlook of 1905-06. — The present 
year (1905-1906) bids fair to be the most 
prosperous of all in a material sense, and 
the school shows, in man}' ways, the 
benefits accruing from fifteen years of en- 
deavor to establish an institution for 
musical instruction upon a worthy aca- 
demic basis. A new department of Pub- 
lic School Methods was inaugurated in 
the fall, designed to fit candidates for the 
position of supervisor of music in the 
public schools. There is but one school 
in the \\'est that specializes to any con- 
siderable extent in this branch of work, 
and it would seem that such a depart- 
ment, with the collateral advantages of a 
College of Liberal Arts and a well-equip- 
ped School of Music, would be very at- 
tractive. This department is in the very 
capable charge of Miss Leila M. Harlow, 
supervisor of music in the Evanston grade 
schools. 

The Artists' Series brought the Knei- 
sel Quartette for its second appearance 
here and a song recital by George Ham- 
lin, and will include a chamber music re- 
cital of wood-wind instruments, at which 
a new Quintette for piano, oboe, clari- 
net, French horn and bassoon of Profes- 
sor Oldberg's will receive its first pro- 
duction, and a piano recital by Emil 
Paur. 

That there is a coterie of ardent and 
sincere music lovers in Evanston is evi- 
denced by the increasing interest taken 
in chamber music. The concerts of the 
Kneisel Quartette have been patronized 



H 



HISTORY OF EVAXSTON 



147 



to an extent which puts Chicago to the 
blush, and the keen and discriminating 
appreciation for string quartette music is 
largely due to the unceasing efforts of 
Professor Harold Knapp in this direction. 
He has labored for the cause in season 
and out of season, with unflagging zeal 
and enthusiasm, despite discouragements 
and lukewarm interest, and it is pleasant 
to chronicle that his high ideals and abid- 
ing faith in the best in art have at last 
won recognition. His capable quartette 
has played repeatedly in the homes of our 
music lovers and chamber music in every 
sense of the term has come to its. own. 
Professor Knapp's able colleagues are 
Messrs. Lewis R. Blackman, Charles El- 
ander and Day Williams. 

Changes in Teaching Force. — The well- 
known contralto, Mrs. Eleanor Kirkham, 
was added to the vocal force of the fac- 
ulty and, upon her removal to New York, 
was succeeded by IVIrs. Lillian French 
Read. Provision for the study of the harp 
was made by the appointment of Mrs. 
Clara Murray, who was succeeded by 
Walfried Singer of the Thomas orches- 
tra. Mr. Walter Keller and Mr. Anthony 
Stankowitch resigned, the latter to ac- 
cept charge of a large music department 
in a Southern school. Mr. Alfred G. Wat- 
hall, a graduate of the school who had 
been appointed instructor in harmony, 
and who played viola in the L'niversity 
String Quartette, resigned in order to pur- 
sue his studies in London. The Evan- 
ston Musical Club performed a very cred- 
itable cantata of Air. \\'athairs, entitled 
"Alice Brand," for chorus, soli, and full 
orchestra. His undoubted ability as a 
composer has enlisted the active interest 
of Sir Villiers Stanford and Sir Frederick 
Bridge, of the Royal College of Music, 
London. 

John Skelton was succeeded by Charles 



S. Horn as instructor of band instru- 
ments, and also took charge of the Uni- 
versity Band. Mrs. Elizabeth Raymond 
\Voodward, Mrs. Nina Shumway Knapp, 
and Miss Bertha A. Beeman were ad- 
vanced from the Preparatory Department 
to the regular faculty. Mr. Irving Ham- 
lin was appointed Secretary of the school 
in 1902, and greatly improved the busi- 
ness relations of the school, which had 
formerly been in the hands of inexper- 
ienced students. 

The following names appear on the fac- 
ulty of the Preparatory Department 
since 1902: William E. Zench, ]\Irs. Car- 
rie D. Barrows, Grace Ericson, Elizabeth 
L. Shotwell, Mrs. Hila Verbeck Knapp, 
Sarah Moore, Juliet Maude Marceau, Nel- 
lie B. Flodin and John M. Rosborough. 
The last five mentioned are still upon the 
faculty. 

Necrology of the Year. — The sad dutv 
remains of making record of the death 
of two who were intimately connected 
with the school — the one as teacher 
and the other as student. Mrs. Saidee 
Knowland Coe, Professor of Piano and 
Musical History, and wife of Professor 
George A. Coe, of the College of Liberal 
Arts, died at Alameda, Cal.. August 24, 
1905. Mrs. Coe was a member of the 
faculty of the School of Music for eleven 
years and performed her duties with great 
fidelity and success. As a pianist, teacher 
and lecture recitalist Mrs. Coe had an ex- 
tended reputation, and she was particu- 
larly interested in bringing forward new 
or comparatively unknown works. The 
courses in the History of Alusic were 
greatly extended under her direction and 
compared favorably with those of our 
greatest schools and universities. Her lec- 
tures on the music of the American In- 
dians and on the Wagner music-dramas 
were especially noteworth}-. ]\Irs. Coe 



148 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



had resigned her position in the School of 
Music and had been appointed as a spe- 
cial lecturer on music in the College of 
Liberal Arts. Her plans for a year's vaca- 
tion in Europe for recreation and study 
were rudely shattered by her sudden 
death. A large circle of friends and pupils 
mourn her loss and untimely end. 

Earle Waterous, for ten years a violin 
student under Professor Knapp, died at 
his home in Evanston November 15, 1905. 
Evincing signs of unusual ability as a 
mere child, he was given a thorough 



schooling and before he was out of his 
'teens had acquired a very unusual tech- 
nical mastery of his instrument. Inter- 
ested friends sent him to Europe and he 
immediately took a commanding posi- 
tion in the Leipszig Conservatory, elicit- 
ing the most flattering comments from the 
local press and winning predictions of 
high rank as a virtuoso from his teachers. 
With every promise of a brilliant career 
he was seized with a dread disease and 
barely reached his home ere he passed 
away. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ORATORY 



Professor Cumnock as Founder — Grozvth 
and Standing Due to his Labors — First 
Class Graduated in 1881 — Its Aim and 
Branches Taught — Building Erected — Is 
Dedicated in 1895 — Location and Descrip- 
tion — Advantage over Private Institu- 
tions of Like Character — Training in 
English Composition and Rhetoric — En- 
rollment According to Last Catalogue — 
Promising Outlook for the Future. 

The existence, growth and high standing 
of the School of Oratory of the North- 
western University (generally known as the 
Cumnock School of Oratory), is largely the 
outcome of the life and labors of Prof. 
R. L. Cumnock. Entering the service 
of the University in the fall of 1868, he 
labored for ten years, doing the work as- 
signed him in the curriculum of the College 
of Liberal Arts. In the fall of 1878 an 
urgent demand for advanced work in vocal 
expression and interpretation resulted in 
the organization of a special department 
known as the School of Oratory. The first 
class was graduated in 1881. The special 
purpose involved in the organization of 
this new department was to furnish instruc- 
tion and training in three subjects, viz: 
Elocution, English and Physical Culture. 

The chief aim of the school was to pre- 
pare young men and women to teach these 
subjects in colleges, academies, high and 



normal schools. For many years the stu- 
dents in this department were accommo- 
dated in the College of Liberal Arts. From 
1890 to 1894 the applications for admission 
to the school were so numerous that many 
could not be accepted by reason of the 
meager accommodations in University Hall. 
In the spring of 1894 Professor Cumnock 
secured from the Trustees a site on the 
University campus and assumed the entire 
responsibility of erecting a building for the 
special use of the School of Oratory. The 
building, with its equipment costing $30,- 
000, was, at its dedication on May 16, 1895, 
handed over to the President of the Univer- 
sity by Professor Cumnock, entirely free 
from debt. 

The building was named the Annie May 
Swift Hall, in memory of one of Professor 
Cumnock's former pupils, whose father, 
Gustavus F. Swift, of Chicago, generously 
contributed to its erection. It stands just 
northeast of the Liberal Arts Building, near 
the lake shore. Many of the windows look 
directly upon the water, and from every 
point the view is beautiful. The building is 
of the Venetian style of architecture. The 
basement is of rock-faced Lemont lime- 
stone, and the upper stories are a buff-col- 
ored Roman brick and terra cotta. The 
roof is of red tile. There are three main 
entrances, the one on the south leading to 
the broad corridor that opens into the audi- 



149 



ISO 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



torium, and the other two on the east and 
west sides of the building. 

The auditorium, though not large, is the 
handsomest room in any of the University 
buildings. No pillars obstruct the view, 
as the roof is supported by iron trusses 
stretching from the roof girders. The floor 
has a gentle incline to the stage from the 
sides and rear of the auditorium, so that 
from every seat an excellent view may be 
obtained. This building gives the depart- 
ment the best facilities of any school of 
oratory in America, and enables it to offer 
special advantages to all students pursuing 
its course of study. 

The unique feature in the organization 
of the work of the school is the emphasis 
placed upon private training. Two private 
lessons in elocution are given, weekly, to 
each student during the entire course. Be- 
ing free from rent and taxes, which other 
schools of like character are compelled to 



pay, the management can aftord to provide 
this personal training which other schools 
of oratory cannot, or do not, offer. 

In a large measure the same personal 
training is carried on in English composition 
and rhetoric. The number enrolled in the 
last catalogue of the school is 214, and the 
patronage is increasing slowly, but steadily. 
The graduates of the school are filling im- 
portant positions in many of the leading 
colleges and schools of the Middle West, 
while a flourishing school of oratory, named 
after the Director and managed by one of 
the former teachers of this Department, is 
located at Los Angeles, California. 

It is safe to say that the future of this 
Department is secure, and that students, as 
they come to learn the high grade and qual- 
ity of the work done here, will enroll them- 
selves, where the highest art in public 
speaking and writing are essential condi- 
tions for graduation. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS 

(By PKOF. J. SCOTT CLARK, A. M., Lit. D.) 



Evanston Lifc-Sazing Creiv — Tragic Fate 
of the Steamer "Lady Elgin" Leads to 
Its Organi::ation — Its First Members — 
List of Notable Rescues — Service Re- 
warded by Issue of Medals to the Crew 
by Act of Congress — Baseball History — 
The Old Gymnasium — Tug of _ War 
Teams — Football Records — Athletic Field 
and Grand Stand — Track Athletics and 
Tennis Games. 

The noblest and the most interesting 
chapter in the history of athletics at North- 
western University grows out of the fact 
that its founders selected for the University 
a site near what had long been known to 
lake mariners as a dangerous point on the 
shore of Lake Michigan. As the determin- 
ation of this site settled the site of Evanston, 
so the configuration of the shore at this point 
made it inevitable that, sooner or later, there 
should be established here a life-saving sta- 
tion. Long before the days of football 
teams, coaches, trainers, and the like — long 
before a gymnasium was even asked for, 
a volunteer band of Northwestern students 
made themselves immortal and won the 
praise of the nation by their heroic rescue 
of passengers from the ill-fated steamer, 
the "Lady Elgin." On the 8th day of 
September, i860, a merry company of four 
hundred souls set out from Chicago for an 



excursion trip. The story of the rapid de- 
struction of the steamer by fire and the 
death by drowning and otherwise of all but 
98 of the passengers, is one of the tragic 
episodes in the history of Chicago. As the 
terrified victims came floating toward the 
shore line of the L'niversity campus, cling- 
ing to bits of the wreckage, only to be 
tossed cruelly back by the breakers, while 
horrified friends who lined the bluff 
shrieked in agony, several students, led by 
Edward W. Spencer, of the class of 1861, 
stepped out from the crowd, attached ropes 
to their waists, and plunged into the surf, to 
risk their lives in an effort to save drowning 
women and children. Again and again 
they made their way through the angry 
waves and deposited in safety some fainting 
victim of the disaster. It was only when 
their own strength gave out completely that 
they desisted. Spencer was carried to his 
room in a fainting condition. He is still 
living (1903) in California, and it is as- 
serted on apparently good authority that 
his health, throughout his long life, has 
been seriously affected by his voluntary ex- 
posure in behalf of the victims of the "Lady 
Elgin" disaster. 

The wide interest excited by the action 
of the Northwestern students in connection 
with the burning of the "Lady Elgin" re- 
sulted in the organization, in October, 1872, 



152 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



of a volunteer crew of five men from the 
Senior class of the College of Liberal Arts. 
The members of this crew have since be- 
come well known in high circles in the 
Central West; they were L. C. Collins, 
George Lunt, E. J. Harrison, Eltinge El- 
more, George Bragdon, F. Roys, and M. D. 
Kimball. Soon afterward Dr. E. O. Haven, 
then President of the University, received 
from Commodore Murray, then in charge of 
the United States life-saving service, a pres- 
ent of a fine life-boat, and Dr. Haven com- 
mitted the boat to the care of the Senior 
class, from whose members the crew were 
selected. The boat was presented with the 
provision "that proper care will be taken of 
it and that it will be officered and manned 
by students, who will train themselves and 
do their best, if an emergency arises, to 
help any craft that may be in danger on the 
coast of the University." We find no record 
of any immediate provision for housing the 
boat; but, in 1873, the students petitioned 
that the life-boat be taken from the ex- 
clusive control of the Senioi' class and be 
placed in charge of a crew selected from all 
classes, according to their best physical and 
moral qualifications. No action seems to 
have been taken during 1874, but in 1875 
the boat was placed in the hands of such a 
crew as was called for by the petition. 

In December, 1876, it was announced that 
an agreement had been reached with 
the Federal Government, by the terms 
of which a life-saving station was to 
be immediately erected by the Gov- 
ernment on the University campus, and 
that a crew of five was to be selected 
from the student body, irrespective of 
classes, which was to be captained by an 
experienced seaman paid by the Govern- 
ment. 

In April. 1877, E. J.. Bickell, '"JJ. was ap- 
pointed captain of the new crew, and sixty 
other students applied for the subordinate 



positions. They were to receive $40 per 
month during the season and $3 extra for 
every wreck trip. In the followmg June the 
college faculty nominated as members of 
the crew : Warrington, '79 ; Hobart, '79 ; 
King, '79; Piper, '80; Shannon, '81; and 
M. J. Hall of the Preparatory School, and 
these students were duly accepted by the 
Government. For a time the life-boat was 
housed in a temporary structure on the 
beach, but in 1876 the Government erected 
the eastern two-thirds of the present Life- 
Saving Station at a cost of about six thou- 
sand dollars. The site selected was on 
ground now covered by Fisk Hall. Prior 
to the erection of the latter building, in the 
summer of 1899, the station was removed to 
its present site on land then newly made 
near the water's edge. 

Since the formal organization of the 
Evanston life-saving crew, in 1877, as a 
regular part of the government service, over 
four hundred lives have been saved by its 
agency. The following tabular statement 
is taken from the records somewhat at ran- 
dom, and is typical of the work of the crew 
since 1883. To such rescues as these must 
be added scores of cases where vessels have 
been relieved from awkward or dangerous 
situations, but where it was not found neces- 
sary to remove either passengers or crews. 
Besides the aggregate of over four hundred 
lives the local life-saving crew has saved 
property amounting to millions in value : 

Name and No. Brought 

Date. Class of .\shore in 

Vessel Surf-boat. 

May 9. 1883. Schooner, "Kate E. Howard." 8 
Sept. 19, 1886. Schooner, "Sodus." 5 

June 19, 1887. Schooner, "Sunrise," 7 

Nov. 24, 1887. Schooner, "Halstead," 10 

Oct. 22, 1889. Schooner, "Ironton." 8 

Nov. 28, 1889. Steamer, "Calumet," 18 

May 18, 1894. Schooner, "Lincoln Ball," 4 

May 26. 1895. Schooner, "J. Emory Owen." 27 

Nov. 20, 1895. Steamer, "Michigan," 9 

Of these, the rescues from the vessels 
"Calumet," "Owen," and "Michigan," are 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



'OJ 



the most noteworthy. By reference to the 
dates it will be seen that two rescues 
were made very late in November, nearly 
a month after the crews were ofif from reg- 
ular summer and autumn duty. In both 
cases the rescues were made in the teeth 
of fierce gales and blinding snowstorms. 
Both involved tremendous and heroic exer- 
tion on the part of the crew, in order to get 
the surf-boat launched at the points opposite 
the wrecks. The "Calumet" was stranded 
at the very unusual distance of one thousand 
yards from the shore. The aggregate value 
of the three vessels, with their cargoes, 
was over $252,000. Not a life was lost in 
any of the rescues enumerated in the fore- 
going table. Mention should also be made 
of the large number of persons who have 
been rescued from capsized row-boats and 
of the rescued children who have fallen 
from the piers. 

The present captain, Patrick Murray 
(1904), was appointed July 18, 1903, after 
having served as surfman seven years at the 
North Manitou Island station, two years at 
Muskegon station, and five years at Evan- 
ston. 

Captain Lawrence O. Lawson, who made 
such a worthy record for twenty-three years 
at the head of our station, was born in Swe- 
den in 1843, and began the life of a sailor 
at the age of eighteen. He came to Amer- 
ica in 1861, and sailed on the Great Lakes 
during the following three years. He be- 
came a citizen of Evanston in 1864, engaged 
in fishing for a time, and was appointed Cap- 
tain of the crew in 1880. In addition to his 
services in aiding to save nearly five hun- 
dred lives, Captain Lawson originated the 
system of righting the Beebee-jMcCIellan 
surf-boat, which has since been adopted by 
the Govemrrtent for use by all the crews of 
the service. In rescuing the "Calumet," as 
already described, Captain Lawson and his 
crew manifested such courage and endur- 



ance that Congress awarded to each man a 
gold medal for "saving life from the perils 
of the sea." The medal consists of a gold 
bar from which hangs a broad ribbon sup- 
porting a golden eagle, sustaining in his 
beak a heavy disk of gold. The medal com- 
plete weighs about four ounces. In a circle 
on the face of the medal are the words 
"United States of America — Act of Con- 
gress, June 20th, 1874." In high relief is a 
representation of a crew in the act of saving 
a drowning person. On the obverse, in a 
circle, are the words : "In memory of heroic 
deeds in saving life from the perils of the 
sea." In relief is a tablet, surmounted by 
an eagle, with a woman's figure on the left, 
while on the right are an anchor and seals. 
Each medal is inscribed to its owner: "For 
heroic services at the wreck of the "Calu- 
met,' Nov. 28, 1889." In addition to Cap- 
tain Lawson, the crew who thus honored 
Evanston in honoring themselves were : W. 
M. Ewing, F. M. Kindig, E. B. Fowler, W. 
L. Wilson, G. E. Crosby, and Jacob Loin- 
ing, all University students at the time. 

B.\SEBALL. 

Little seems to have been done in the way 
of general college athletics during the first 
twenty-five years of Northwestern's exist- 
ence. In fact, systematic athletics were as 
yet undeveloped in this country. Lawn ten- 
nis had not been imported, track athletics 
were in an incipient stage, and the modern 
game of football was unknown. The village 
of Evanston was small, and the college was 
smaller. There was plenty of wood to saw, 
and there was now and then a citizen's cow 
to be pulled out of the slough that existed 
in all its depth along the present line of our 
railways. In such diversions as these did 
the early sons of Northwestern engage for 
the development of their physical strength 
and, incidentally, the repletion of their thin 
purses. With the incoming of the 'seventies 



154 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



baseball began to be called "the national 
game," and our boys, like all normal youths, 
soon caught the fever. 

As early as the spring of 187 1, we read 
of inter-class games, and in June of that 
year a nine, of which Mr. James Raymond 
was a member, placed on record the first 
publicly recorded score, which stood North- 
western 35, "The Prairies" (a local Chicago 
nine) 7. On the 4th of July, 1871, occurred 
a memorable series of events, no small part 
of which were athletic in character. This 
was the day when ten thousand people 
gathered from all the surrounding country 
in the campus grove ; when the Ellsworth 
Zouaves paraded under General John L. 
Beveridge as Grand Marshal; when $10,- 
000 was raised to set the young University 
on its feet, and when the corner-stone of the 
"Evanston College for Ladies" (now Wil- 
lard Hall) was laid. This was an indepen- 
dent school until June, 1873. Of the $10,- 
000 raised on this memorable day, $2,500 
was given by Governor Evans, whose name 
our city bears ; several thousands were given 
by other friends of higher education, and no 
small sum was raised, as the college paper 
says, "by sales and exhibitions." These ex- 
hibitions seem to have consisted of what 
would now be called, in the parlance of 
track athletics, various "events," such as 
jumps, ball-throwing, tub-races, boat-races 
on the lake, etc., etc. So we may say with 
much of accuracy that Northwestern's for- 
mal athletics began with a field day. Some 
features of this first field day are worth 
chronicling in detail. Here they are: 

"Baseball match between Ladies' College 
nine and Northwestern L^niversity ; prize a 
silver ball ; score, 57 to 4 in favor of North- 
western." (What an ominous beginning 
for co-education !) 

"Regatta — Yachts, six-oared barges, and 
sculls ; prize an ice-set and three flags." 



"Exhibition drill by the Ellsworth 
Zouaves." 

"Baseball match with the 'Atlantics' of 
Chicago." 

During the spring and fall of 1871 the 
University nine played ten games with non- 
college nines, including the afterward fa- 
mous White Stockings of Chicago, whom 
the college boys beat by a score of 18 to 12, 
and two with Racine College, in which 
each side scored but once. The highest 
recorded score of the season was 68 — a fact 
that speaks volumes as to the crudeness of 
the game and the players of those early 
days. Of the twelve games, our team won 
ten. 

During the next decade, and longer, the 
four colleges of what was then literally the 
Northwest were Northwestern University, 
Chicago University (the old institution, dis- 
continued in 1885), Racine College, and, 
later. Lake Forest University. The great 
State Universities that have since so largely 
dominated Western college athletics, were 
then either unborn or still in their infancy, 
and the custom of making long trips for in- 
tercollegiate games had not become estab- 
lished. We find no records for 1872 and 
1873, but during 1874 a team, which in- 
cluded John Hamline as short-stop and 
Charles Wheeler as center-fielder, played 
nine intercollegiate games. In the "final" for 
"the championship of the Northwest," Ra- 
cine won by a few points. As compared 
with "our ancient enemy," Chicago, the 
total score for the season was Northwestern 
University 42, Chicago L'niversity, 34. 

From 1875 to the present day the baseball 
records of Northwestern are chequered but 
not discreditable. In 1875 we won the silver 
ball and "the championship for the North- 
west," with Charles Wheeler as left-fielder. 
W. G. Evans, 'jy, son of Governor Evans, 
and George Lunt, '72, were the leaders in 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



155 



the University athletics of the early seven- 
ties. In 1876. at Waukegan, was formed 
the first intercollegiate baseball association 
in this section, and the games of the season 
transferred the silver ball and the champion- 
ship to Chicago. During this year batting 
records of the college nines began to be 
published. By the terms of the constitution 
of this intercollegiate association, each col- 
lege was to play two games with each of the 
other three institutions. In 1877 Chicago 
again won the championship. During 1878 
the colors white and brown were adopted 
by the Northwestern players, and a regular 
baseball diamond was laid out, "resodded, 
and rolled," on the site where the Orrington 
Lunt Library building now stands. It was 
during this year that the first efforts were 
made to check the already growing tendency 
toward professionalism. Before this year 
the custom seems to have been to use, as 
players on any college team, the best men 
obtainable, without much scrutiny as to their 
actual relation to the scholastic curriculum 
of the college. But in the constitution of 
the "Intercollegiate Baseball Association" 
that was in force during 1878, I find the fol- 
lowing article: 

"The captains of the respective nines must 
file with the secretary of the Association, be- 
fore April 20th, the names of their respec- 
tive nines and of the substitutes, together 
with a certificate from the secretary of the 
Faculty showing that the players have been 
in daily attendance at their respective insti- 
tutions for twenty days previous to the first 
announced league game." 

It will be seen that, while this action did 
not prevent a student from entering college 
for a course in baseball, it was the first step 
toward pure college athletics in the Central 
West. 

During 1878 the silver ball went to Ra- 
cine College. 



In 1879 our team defeated Racine once 
and Chicago twice. In 1880 the games of 
the Association resulted in a tie between 
Racine and Northwestern ; and, as Racine 
refused to play off the tie, thus retaining 
possession of the silver ball trophy. North- 
western withdrew from the association. 

Because of the disruption of the old 
league there seems to have been no inter- 
collegiate baseball here during 1881, but 
in December of that year delegates from 
Racine College, the University of Wiscon- 
sin, the University of Michigan, Chicago 
University and Northwestern met in Chi- 
cago and formed a new league. The limits 
of our space forbid a detailed account of the 
baseball games from 1881 to 1903. Over 
our defeats it is fair to draw the mantle of 
oblivion ; over our victories we have a right 
to rejoice. In 1883, when the University 
of Michigan had withdrawn from the base 
ball league, and when Beloit College had 
been admitted instead. Northwestern won 
the championship of the league without los- 
ing a single game. The team for that year 
consisted of Plummer, Huxford, Rollins, 
Stewart, Bannister, Polley, Tillinghast, Dill- 
man and Tomlinson. 

Again in 1889 we won the championship 
of the Northwest and a pennant, with a 
team consisting of T. C. Moulding, J. A. 
Rogers, A. P. Haagenson, M. P. Noyes, F. 
C. Chapin, A. B. Fleager, C. C. Johnson, 
L, H. Stewart, and H. H. Jones ; and in 
1 89 1 the championship was again awarded 
to Northwestern. In 1892 we won the 
championship in the smaller league (the old 
league), and secured the second place in 
a new league, including the great State uni- 
versities of the Middle West. In 1894 our 
team defeated Chicago in three excellent 
games, one of 12 and one of 10 innings, the 
scores being, respectively, 3-2, 8-1, and 6-4 
in our favor. During this season we also 



156 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



defeated Wisconsin 9 to 8, Oberlin 11 to 6, 
Wisconsin again 4 to i, and Minnesota 
6 to 2. 

So the season of 1894 is tlie banner year 
of our baseball history ; for, by winning nine 
games in succession, we were fairly en- 
titled to the intercollegiate baseball cham- 
pionship of the Central West. The men who 
thus shed undying glory on Alma Mater 
were: John H. Kedzie (Captain), Frank 
Grift^th, C. N. Jenks, J. K. Bass, C. D. Mc- 
Williams, Otis Maclay, W. D. Barnes, T. H. 
Lewis, W. A. Cooling, C. D. Reimers, A. E. 
Price and C. L. Leesley. The loss of several 
of these star players by graduation left the 
team of 1895 unable to win many victories, 
and the team of 1896 was not much more 
successful. In '97 the fates were kinder to 
us, and we defeated Nebraska, Beloit, Ohio 
State, and Wisconsin, by good scores ; '98 
was another off year in Northwestern base- 
ball ; in '99 we defeated Chicago once and 
Wisconsin once ; in 1900 we defeated Chi- 
cago once and Oberlin once; in 1901 Illi- 
nois was our only victim among "the big 
nine" ; in 1902 we defeated Chicago twice, 
Nebraska once, and Beloit once. The sea- 
sons of 1903 and 1904 have not been suc- 
cessful. 

THE OLD GYMNASIUM. 

The movement for the erection of a gym- 
nasium was begun by under-graduates. In 
October, 1875, two young men, since prom- 
inent in Evanston and Denver, Messrs. 
Frank M. Elliot and W. G. Evans, issued 
a circular setting forth the project of build- 
ing a gymnasium and soliciting aid from 
the friends and graduates of the institution. 
They soon perfected an organization, under 
the laws of the State, with F. M. Elliot, W. 
G. Evans, F. M. Bristol, F. M. Taylor, A. 
W. McPherson, and J. A. J- Whipple as 
commissioners. These under-graduates pro- 
ceeded to issue $4,000 worth of stock in 
shares of $10 each, whose duration was for 



ninety-nine years. It must be remembered 
that the University was then still in its 
early infancy and that the students were 
few in number and poor in purse. But their 
faith in themselves and in the future was 
sublime. Fourteen hundred dollars was 
soon raised by sales to one hundred and 
twenty-nine subscribers, nearly every one 
being an under-graduate. Work was begun 
in December, 1875, and by the 1st of Febru- 
ary the building, 40x80, resting on a brick 
foundation, was erected, enclosed, and par- 
tially equipped, at a total cost of $1,900. It 
was not found possible, at that time, to 
complete the exterior of the building by 
casing the walls with brick, according to the 
original plan. A bowling alley was built 
in the basement by the Sigma Chi fraternity, 
and the "gym" was very popular with the 
under-graduates until 1878, when it began 
to lose its attractions. To quote one of the 
original commissioners : The new generation 
of students did not or could not raise money 
to veneer the building in order to protect 
it and to repair the worn-out apparatus. 
It was necessary to do something before all 
should be lost or ruined. It was finally 
decided to have the University take the 
property and maintain it as a "gymnasium." 
Through the indefatigable efforts of Mr. 
George Lunt, of the class of ''/2. a major- 
ity of the stock was finally secured, and was 
transferred to the Trustees, on condition 
that they should complete the building, fur- 
nish it with necessary apparatus, assume all 
liabilities of the association, and maintain 
the building and the apparatus in good re- 
pair for gymnasium purposes only. The 
transfer was completed in the spring of 
1881, and one of the first acts of Dr. Joseph 
Cummings, then recently elected President 
of the University, was to induce the Trus- 
tees to veneer the building. The interior 
was cased with lumber by the students and 
members of the Faculty, including the ven- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



157 



erable President, the trustees furnishing 
only the lumber and the nails. New appar- 
atus was put in, and the rejuvenated "gym" 
was opened with a public entertainment on 
February 20, 1883. 

The feelings of the under-graduates were 
expressed thus by Mr. J\I. M. Gridley, 
editor-in-chief of the college journal in 
1882-83 : "Once more the gymnasium is a 
topic of great interest. It is not now, as 
it was last year, a source of grumbling and 
discontent. Instead of a broken-down, 
weather-beaten old building, an eye-sore to 
the campus, it is a fine-looking brick struc- 
ture, a thing of beauty and a joy forever. 

. . . . We now have one of the fin- 
est and most complete gymnasiums in the 
West." (Sic.) As an assurance of better 
things in the college athletics, the Trustees 
at this time engaged a regular instructor 
in physical culture, Mr. C. A. Duplessis, 
who held the position until October, 1883, 
when he was succeeded by Mr. Philip 
Greiner. Mr. Greiner continued to act as 
physical instructor until June, 1894. w^hen 
he was succeeded by Mr. W. L. Bryan. At 
the opening of the college year 1898, the 
gymnasium and the physical work passed 
into the hands of Dr. C. M. HoUister, who 
held the place until December, 1902. The 
present physical director (1903) is Mr. 
Horace Butterworth, who has made an en- 
viable reputation in such work at the Uni- 
versity of Chicago. 

THE TUG-OF-W.^R TE.\MS. 

During the later 'eighties and the earlv 
'nineties the athletes of Northwestern ob- 
tained wide fame in a test of muscle not 
ordinarily given much emphasis in college 
athletics. We refer to our memorable tug- 
of-war team, of which the instructor was 
the organizer and a prominent member. We 
find the first notice of the team in 1886. 
In 1887 they won a medal in a contest with 



a team from the Casino Gymnasium, then 
recently established in Chicago, and later ■ 
in the same year they won "the champion- 
ship" and a silver cup by defeating a team 
from the Illinois National Guards. This 
original tug-of-war team consisted of Philip 
Greiner, H. Caddock, C. T. Watrous, W. W. 
Wilkinson, and C. Greenman. 

During 1888, when E. B. Fowler, H. R. 
Hayes, J. B. Loining, J. G. Hensel, A. H. 
Phelps, and J. T. Hottendorf had been 
added to the team, Messrs. Wilkinson and 
Greenman having dropped out, they de- 
feated a Pullman team, the Casino Gymna- 
sium team of Chicago, the Chicago Amateur 
Athletic Club team, and the Illinois National 
Guard team; and in April of that year, in 
a contest with three teams at the Casino 
Gymnasium, they proved themselves cham- 
pions and won five gold medals. During 
1889 they continued their victories over all 
local teams, winning various prizes and se- 
curing possession of the Meriden cup. It 
was this team that really began the practice 
of inter-department contests at North- 
western ; for we read that, on University 
Day, in January, 1890, the tug-of-war team 
defeated teams from our Medical and 
Dental Schools, respectively. During the 
spring of 1890 they defeated several local 
teams, and won the championship of the 
West, securing permanent possession of the 
Hub cup. After several local victories earlv 
in 1 89 1, the team made an Eastern trip, with 
the intention of meeting teams from the 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 
Harvard, Columbia, and other Eastern Uni- 
versities. Only one of these proposed con- 
tests was ever held. After beating the 
Technology team in three trial contests, our 
team, in the final contest, lost the "drop" by 
five inches, and were defeated by two and 
one-half inches. But their display of skill 
and brawn was such that the teams from 
the other great institutions of the East found 



158 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



it wise to excuse themselves from pulling, 
on the ground of illness, etc. This was not 
the last time that an Eastern team has de- 
clined to match conclusions with one from 
the West. 

THE MOVEMENT AGAINST PROFESSIONALISM. 

We have spoken of the beginning of the 
movement against professionalism in West- 
ern college athletics. In this movement the 
representatives of Northwestern University 
have had a prominent and very creditable 
part. In 1883 the Western Baseball Asso- 
ciation, then made up of Racine, Wisconsin, 
Chicago, Northwestern, and Beloit, enacted 
further rules forbidding a student player to 
play on a professional team during the col- 
lege season or to take pay for playing any- 
where during such a season, requiring a 
previous residence in college of at least 
two terms, and making ineligible any man 
"whose college expenses are in any way 
borne bv men connected with baseball in- 
terests." The new association of 1891 ad- 
vanced the good work by enacting that a 
candidate for a college team position must 
be carrying at least five hours of work in 
class per week, must not receive in any 
way compensation for playing on the college 
team or on any other team, must be regis- 
tered at least two months before the first 
scheduled intercollegiate game, must not 
play on a college team for more than an 
aggregate of five years, must be prepared to 
make affidavit, on demand, as to his eligi- 
bility, and must present a certificate of eligi- 
bility signed by three members of his Fac- 
ulty. In March, 1892, a local association 
was formed, in which the four branches 
of athletics now generally recognized as 
such — namely: baseball, football, track ath- 
letics, and tennis — were each represented on 
a joint committee consisting of two men 
representing each branch, two alumni, and a 
secretary, chosen by this joint committee. 



This committee was to audit the accounts 
of the four branches, to have general over- 
sight of the athletic grounds, to ratify the 
elections of all captains, and to have power 
to demand resignations and to order new 
elections in case of incompetency or mal- 
feasance in office. The prime object of 
this arrangement seems to have been to 
eliminate from our athletics the sometimes 
harmful influence of fraternity preferences 
in selecting men and officers for the various 
teams. 

At the beginning of the college year 
1892-93, our Faculty appointed a committee 
on athletics consisting of Professors Coe 
(chairman), Hatfield, and Gray. No for- 
mal rules were at first laid down, but the 
Annua! of that year informs the students 
that they must not hereafter play with pro- 
fessional teams ; that members of all our 
local teams must be students in full and 
regular standing ; that all schedules of 
games must be submitted to the committee 
for approval, and that, before joining a 
team, men will be subjected to a physical 
examination. During the year 1893-94 Pro- 
fessor Coe remained as chairman, supported 
by Professors Sheppard and Gray, and addi- 
tional restrictions were announced, forbid- 
ding a student to play on any other team 
while a member of a university team and 
requiring the selection of players to be sub- 
mitted to the committee for approval. In 
these davs of comparatively pure college 
athletics, the restrictions already named 
seem mild indeed. But they were regarded 
by the under-graduates in 1892-94 as severe. 
That first faculty committee made a brave 
fight. Their greatest victory was in dem- 
onstrating to the student body that ath- 
letics was a subject legitimately within 
the control of the faculty. After undergo- 
ing a vast amount of abuse and obloquy. 
Professor Coe settled that question conclu- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



159 



sively, and his efforts and sufferings in a 
good cause should not be forgotten. 

With the beginning of the college year of 
1894-95 tlie Trustees took athletics from the 
direct control of the Faculty and placed it 
in the hands of a "Committee for the Regu- 
lation of Athletic Sports," consisting of 
three professors, three alumni, and three 
under-graduates. At that time and ever 
since, the Faculty and alumni members of 
the committee have been appointed by the 
Trustees and the student members by the 
general student body. During 1894-95 the 
Facultx- members were Professors Holgate 
(Chairman), Sheppard, and Gray. This 
committee continued the good work already 
begun, and dropped summarily from a 
team one of the worst offenders of the early 
days. Although hampered by a deadlock in 
the committee lasting nearly all the year, 
they stood for higher ideals in college sport. 
The restrictions on the various teams 
during 1894-95 seem to have been substan- 
tially those in force during the previous 
year. But the call for more stringent meas- 
ures was everywhere heard; and so, early 
in January, 1895. a meeting of the presi- 
dents of the universities then familiarly 
known as "the big seven" was held in Chi- 
cago. The fruit of this presidents' confer- 
ence was "The Presidents' Rules," the first 
general enactment for the government of 
college athletics in the Central West. In 
brief, these rules required that a student, to 
be eligible for a team in any of the universi- 
ties concerned, must be a bona fide student, 
must have been in residence in his college 
at least si.x months, must receive no pay for 
his athletic services, must not play under an 
assumed name, and must not be delinquent 
in his studies. It was further provided that 
a graduate student might play during the 
minimum number of years necessary to se- 
cure a degree in his graduate school (thus 
allowing a medical student, for example, to 



play altogether seven years on a college 
team) ; that college games might be played 
only on grounds controlled by one or the 
other team participating ; that the selection 
of managers and captains must be submitted 
for approval to the governing boards ; that 
no college teams should play with profes- 
sional teams; and that the respective reg- 
istrars should certify to the proper selection 
of the various teams. These rules were pub- 
lished in our Annual of 1894-95, and were 
promptly put into effect here. 

At the beginning of the college year 1895- 
96, the Trustees formed an entirely new 
committee, of which the Faculty members 
were Professors Clark ( Chairman ), Young, 
and White, while Messrs. Fred Raymond! 
Frank Dyche, and Charles Wheeler were the 
alumni members. With the exception of 
Mr. Wheeler, who resigned in 1898, this 
committee remained unchanged as to Fac- 
ulty and alumni during the succeeding four 
years. It was during these years that the 
Conference Rules were gradually developed 
into substantially their present form. The 
chairmen of the boards of control in the 
"big seven" universities, who endeavored to 
enforce "The Presidents' Rules" soon found 
that Ihey must be amended if the desired 
ends were to be attained. Consequently a 
conference of chairmen was called at Chi- 
cago early in the winter of 1896, and a 
mutual interpretation of the rules was 
agreed upon, while the term "professional" 
was more clearly defined. 

At every one of the successive confer- 
ences the lines were drawn more sharply 
and the restrictions made more severe. In 
November, 1896, we lengthened the required 
probation of a player in residence from six 
months to one year ; we reduced the possi- 
ble time-limit for a graduate-student plaver 
from three or four to two years; we 
restricted all games to contests between 
"educational institutions"; and where a stu- 



i6o 



NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 



dent had not been in residence over half of 
the \ear preceding his proposed admission 
to the under-graduate team, we required 
him to be on probation still six months 
longer. In the conference of 1897 we re- 
duced the combined graduate and under- 
graduate limit to four years of playing on 
a 'varsity team; we enacted that, after 
September i, 1898, all preparatory students 
should be barred from playing on a 'varsity 
team, and we ordered that, thereafter, there 
must be an exchange of lists of proposed 
players at least ten days before any inter- 
collegiate game. In the conference of 1898 
we defined professionalism still more closely, 
adopting the now famous clause requiring 
the candidate to make affidavit that he has 
"never used his athletic skill for gain." We 
also shut out from the teams all persons who 
were receiving from any of the universi- 
ties concerned any remuneration for their 
services as teachers. A few minor changes 
in the conference rules have been made since 
1898. By the gradual enactment and honest 
enforcement of these rides the universities 
of the Central West have secured a degree 
of purity in their athletics of which they 
may well be proud. 

FOOTB.\LL. 

During the autumn of 1878 the old-fash- 
ioned Rugby game of football began to be 
played on the campus in a general way, and 
the college colors were changed to purple 
and gold. In February, 1880, the first local 
football association was formed, the Rugby 
rules were published in the college paper, 
and regular team practice was, begun. 

Little seems to have been done in this 
game during 1881, but in November, 1882, 
we find that Northwestern defeated Lake 
Forest in what was later to become the most 
intense of college sports. During '83, '84, 
'85, and '86 the records hardly mention foot- 
ball. In November, 1887, a challenge for a 



Thanksgiving game with Michigan Univer- 
sity was declined on the ground that our 
team was not in training. There was a team 
during 1889, but we find no mention of any 
intercollegiate games. The first recorded 
game with an institution of similar rank was 
in November, 1890, when Northwestern de- 
feated Wisconsin by a score of 22 to 10. A 
little later we beat Beloit 22 to 6. In the 
autumn of 1891 a Football League was 
formed with Wisconsin, Beloit, and Lake 
Forest, and five intercollegiate games were 
played, our men winning two and tying one. 
In 1892 Northwestern first took a prom- 
inent place in football, defeating Michigan 
by a score of 10 to 8, Beloit by a score of 
36 to o, Wisconsin by a score of 26 to 6, 
tying both Chicago and Illinois, and thus 
winning second place in the big Western 
League. This first great team was captained 
and trained by Paul Noyes, and included 
\'anDoozer, Oates, Culver, Sheppard, Ken- 
nicott, Wilson, Pearce, AlcCluskey, Oberne, 
Griffith, and Williams. The games of 1893 
and 1894 did not redound to our glory. In 
1895 the team was strengthened by such 
men as Potter, Gloss, and Siberts, and de- 
feated Beloit 34 to 6; Armour Institute 44 
to o; Chicago 22 to 6 (in the return game 
Chicago won, 6 to o) ; Purdue, 24 to 6 ; and 
Illinois 43 to 8. The year 1896 was the 
banner year in football for Northwestern, 
up to the present. The team consisted of 
the famous veteran half-backs. Potter and 
VanDoozer, aided by such helpers as 
Hunter. Pearce. Levings, Perry, Sloane, 
Andrews, Thorne, Gloss, and Brown. These 
were the famous "cripples," so happily car- 
icatured in the Chicago Record, who de- 
feated Chicago on Marshall Field by the 
score of 46 to 6 ; who tied Chicago in the 
return game, with a score of 6 to 6 ; who 
went down to Champaign with a crowd of 
three hundred roaring student supporters 
in a special train, and gave to the lUini their 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



i6i 



first defeat in football on their home 
grounds to the tune of 6 to 4; and who, in 
that famous Thanksgiving game on our 
home grounds, before a crowd of four 
thousand people, played Wisconsin to a 
standstill. The score was 6 to 6; but the 
conditions and circumstances were such 
that unbiased observers generally counted 
it a victory for Northwestern. The team 
was managed during 1896 by Mr. Frank 
Haller, and much was done in the way of 
providing a training-table and a coach that 
had not been so thoroughly done before. 
After paying all expenses of the season, we 
were able to settle a bill of $1,000 which had 
been hanging over the local athletic asso- 
ciation ever since the grand stand was built 
and partially paid for in 1891-92. 

The season of 1897 was not a successful 
one, although the remarkable kick from the 
middle of our field by O'Dea of Wisconsin 
must be mentioned as one of the most sen- 
sational features in the history of Western 
football. During the season of 1898 partic- 
ular eft'ort was made in the way of hiring a 
high-priced coach from the East and a pro- 
fessional trainer, providing a large training 
table, etc. But our unwise plan of changing 
coaches and methods every year could have 
but one result, and that was defeat. With 
the coming of Dr. C. M. Hollister, in Sep- 
tember, 1898, to act as general manager and 
coach for all branches of our college ath- 
letics except tennis, a great advance was 
made in every way. It now became possible 
to gain in momentum every year by con- 
tinuing the same style of play and by taking 
advantage of the specific training given to 
particular men on the team of a preceding 
year. Although we were far from regain- 
ing the glories of 1896, we made some im- 
provement during 1898, and in 1899 we de- 
feated Minnesota 11 to 5, Indiana 11 to 6, 
and Purdue 29 to o. In 1900 we defeated 
Chicago 5 to o, Indiana 12 to o, tied Beloit 



6 to 6, tied Iowa 6 to 6, and secured third 
place in the "big nine" group of Western 
universities. The game with Iowa, which 
was played at Rock Island on Thanksgiving 
Day, was one of the great surprises of that 
year, for the Iowa giants had defeated near- 
ly all comers so far during that season, and 
had widely advertised their intention to "do 
up" Northwestern. In 1901 our team de- 
feated Illinois 17 to II, Chicago 6 to 5, and 
Purdue 10 to 5. With the graduation of 
the class of 1902 we lost five great players : 
Johnson, the Dietz brothers, Elliott, and 
Hansen. The team of the following season 
was therefore composed largely of new, 
untrained material, and the results were 
what was to be expected under the circum- 
stances. 

An interesting social feature connected 
with football at Northwestern has been the 
football "banquets" that have been held 
for several years in the old chapel room of 
"Old College"' during the week after the 
close of the season. To Dr. R. L. Sheppard, 
who has annually paid the bill for "feeding" 
the members of the team and the "scrubs" 
at these banquets, thankful recognition is 
here due. 

THE ATHLETIC FIELD AND GRAND STAND. 

It was not until 1892 that the field sports 
of Northwestern could be said to have a 
home. Prior to 1891 the teams had played, 
as before stated, where the Orrington Lunt 
Library now stands, and the spectators had 
been compelled to use the turf for grand 
stand and "bleachers." In September, 1891, 
the Trustees formally set apart the present 
field for athletic purposes, and at the same 
time Mr. George Muir, Evanston's long- 
time genial bookseller, whose Davis Street 
store, where Smith's studio is now, was for 
decades the downtown headquarters for stu- 
dents, started an energetic movement to 
raise money for a grand stand. In this ef- 



i62 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 

fort Mr. J^Iuir was ably assisted by Mr. paid for out of the treasury of the athletic 

Louis S. Rice, of the class of '83. These association. 

two men worked indefatigably and most track athletics and tennis. 
unselfishly, soliciting aid from every alum- ^^^ j^^^^ already spoken of the field 
nus whom they could reach, and withui a gp^^ts connected with the great celebration 
few months they succeeded in raising about ^^^^ -^^ ^-^^ campus grove on the 4th of July, 
$1,500 from citizens, alumni, and under- ^g^^^ Some of the records made then are 
graduates. Strong in faith in the loyalty of interesting by way of comparison with more 
future students, these two gentlemen went ^^^^^^ records. We learn that T. C. War- 
ahead with the building, and completed the ^.-^^^^^^ kicked the football 147 feet 6 
present structure at a cost of about $2,500. [^^y^^^ and threw the baseball 304 feet 10 
The grand stand was opened with appro- j^j-j^gg . that Frank Andrews won the hurdle 
priate ceremonies on the 15th of October, ^^^^ ^^^o yards and five hurdles) in 18 
1892. Meantime the Trustees had done seconds; and that George Lunt won the 
some work in grading and partially draining ^^^^ ^^^,j^_ making 6 feet 7 inches. The 
the baseball field. But we were still without ^^.^j. fQ^^ial University field day was held in 
an enclosing fence, so that there were no jg^^_ ^^^^ ^j^jg observance has been a part 
certain means of collecting revenue by ^^ ^^^^ college athletic life pretty regularly 
charging an admission to the games. But ^^,^^ since. The most noteworthy records 
in the autumn of 1893 Dr. Sheppard— al- ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ q,^ the home field by North- 
ways the most generous local supporter of ^^^ggtej-n students are as follows: 

our athletics, and the man for whom the 100 yard dash, 10 seconds a. r. Jones, '09 

students later unanimously and very prop- 200 yard dash, 22 i-s seconds ^a. r. Jones ;99 

, ,,„. J 440 yard run, 52 seconds K. b. Sturgeon, uu 

erly named the present grounds bheppard ^^^ ^^^^ ^„^_ „ minutes 2 seconds... R. s. sturgeon, -oo 

Field"— came forward with an offer to fur- 1 mile run, 4 minutes .35 seconds... .h. Baker ;oi 

2 mile run, 10 mmutes 214-.') seconds.. t. t. Morns, 04 
nish lumber for a fence. His otter was 220 yard hurdles, 26 2-5 seconds J. a. Brown 

nromptlv accepted, a boss carpenter was 120 yard hurdles, I6 2-3 seconds .J. a. Brown 

piuiuptiy dL..cpu , 1 ^.^^ .^^^^^ . j^^^ jlj^ .^^^^^^ (,|^^j^ Smith 

hired, also through Dr. Sheppard s gener- g_.^^j .^^^^ .„ {^^, 5 j^^j^es o. Davis 

ositv, and scores of under-graduates turned Pole vault, 10 feet 6 inches R. e. wnso". -os 

- ' , , ■ , ., u Hammer throw, 126 feet 1 mch .Arthur Baird 

out With saw and hammer, with the result ghot-put. 39 feet 9 inches .utimr Baird 

that the present enclosure was soon com- Discus Throw, 121 feet 3 inches Arthur Baird 

pletefl The first three of the present seven Col- 

During the summer of 1896 the present lege and Academy tennis courts were laid 

quarter-mile cinder track was made entirely out and partially completed in the spring of 

by student and Faculty enterprise, and was 1895- In the following autumn, under a 

paid for largely from' the football receipts new administration, these were completed 

of the previous year. In the autumn of and paid for and a fourth was built, thus 

1896 the first of the now existing "bleach- completing the courts of the University 

ers" were built, the work being entirely done proper. The Academy courts were built in 

by students and professors under the direc- 1900. Our local courts have been the scene 

tion of the Chairman of the Committee for of many a well-fought battle between our 

the Regulation of Athletic Sports. The own students and between the many profes- 

northern half of the west "bleachers" and all sors and instructors who seek health in 

the east "bleachers" were built in the fall tennis, and they have witnessed several in- 
of 1898, and the work and material were tercollegiate contests. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



GARRETT BIBLICAL INSTITUTE 

(By PRESIDENT CHARLES J. LITTLE) 



Historical Slcctch—Origiu of the Institutc 
Due to the Munificence of Mrs. Augustus 
Garrett — Building Erected in 1855 and 
Institute Opened in 1836— Additional 
Buildings Erected in jS6; and i88/~ 
The Republican "Wigivani" of i860 Be- 
comes the Property of the Institute—Re- 
verse Caused by Fire of 18/I— Disaster 
Averted in i8Q/~Gro2z'th of the Insti- 
tute — Personal History—Large Number 
of the Alumni in Missionary and Other 
Eields—Mcmbers of the Faculty and 
Board of Trustees. 

In the winter of 1839 ^Ir. Augustus Gar- 
rett and his wife, EHza Garrett, joined the 
Clark Street Methodist Episcopal Church 
of Chicago, of which the Rev. Peter R. 
Borein was then pastor. Mr. Borein was a 
man of unusual eloquence and piety, but of 
imperfect education. He often attributed 
this fact to the lack of a school in which 
men like himself might obtain a proper 
preparation for the ministry, and frequently 
said this in conversations with Mrs. Gar- 
rett. 

In 1848 Mrs. Garrett was left a widow 
and in possession of what subsequently de- 
veloped into a large property. In the year 
1852 she authorized her legal adviser. 
Grant Goodrich, to ascertain the views of 
persons whom he might deem worthv of 



103 



Special regard and consultation as to the 
field of greatest promise for her beneficence, 
and in October, 1853, her last will and testa- 
ment was formally executed, in which she 
set apart the residue of her estate for the 
founding of Garrett Biblical Institute. 

During the autumn in which her will 
was executed the Rev, Dr. John Dempster 
visited the West with the intention of 
planting an institution for the training of 
Methodist ministers. On passing through 
Chicago he learned of Mrs, Garrett's pur- 
pose, and, after an interview with her, a 
meeting of the Church in Chicago was 
called to determine what course should be 
pursued. Rev, John Clark presided. A 
committee consisting of John Clark, Philo 
Judson, Orrington Lunt, John Adams and 
Grant Goodrich, was empowered to adopt 
such measures as it was believed would re- 
sult in the speedy erection of a building in 
which to open a school and to provide the 
means to sustain it until Mrs. Garrett's 
bequest should become available. They 
took upon themselves the responsibility of 
providing a building at Evanston and of fur- 
nishing an annual revenue of $1,600. Dr. 
Dempster undertook to provide whatever 
amount above that sum might be necessary 
to support the faculty. A building capable 
of accommodating forty students was com- 
pleted in 1855, and the first term was opened 



164 



GARRETT BIBLICAL INSTITUTE 



in charge of Rev. John Dempster, D.D. ; 
Rev. William Goodfellow, A.M., and Rev. 
William P. Wright, A. M. The institution 
was opened with interesting services, in 
which Mrs. Garrett participated. The first 
term began with four students and closed 
with sixteen. The second began with twelve 
and clesed with nineteen. The greatest num- 
ber in attendance at any one time was 
twenty-eight. Annual conferences passed 
encouraging resolutions and individuals and 
churches contributed to support the school. 
Mrs. Garrett was so anxious to disencumber 
her estate and make it available for her 
benevolent designs that for several years 
she would accept only $400 a year for her 
support, nearly half of which she devoted 
to pious purposes. This estimable and ex- 
cellent woman died on the 23d of Novem- 
ber, 1855, the last act of her life being to 
confirm to the now chartered institute the 
munificent bequest that she had made for its 
endowment. 

An excellent portrait of Mrs. Garrett 
now hangs in the President's office in Me- 
morial Hall. It is the picture of a sweet- 
faced, intelligent woman, and corresponds 
with all that has been said and written of 
her goodness and piety. Her death was ' 
sudden and unexpected, but she died m 
great peace — indeed, in great triumph. She 
was greatly beloved and greatly lamented. 

The temporary organization was brought 
to a close in the spring of 1856, and in May 
of the same year the Trustees, under the 
charter of 1855, appealed to the General 
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church for recognition. This recognition 
was granted and the Bishops were request- 
ed to act as an advisory committee to coun- 
sel with the Trustees. A permanent organi- 
zation was effected and the Institute opened 
on the 22d of September, 1856, about three 
years from the time that Mrs. Garrett de- 
termined upon its founding. 



When the Institute was first opened at 
Evanston there was not, in the whole dis- 
tance between Chicago and Waukegan, a 
single Protestant church. There was great 
need of evangelical effort in the villages 
that were springing up along the lake shore. 
The students of the Institute established 
and maintained regular appointments at 
which they preached, exhorted, taught Sun- 
day schools, distributed tracts, and in con- 
nection with which they visited the people 
to converse with them concerning their reli- 
gious welfare. Great interest was taken by 
the faculty in this evangelical activity. At 
the same time earnest efforts were made to 
connect with the Institute a department for 
missionary training. In an early catalogue 
the leading design of the Institute was 
stated in these words: "It is to make think- 
ing, speaking, acting men." The founders 
of the Institute had a vivid forecast of 
the future of Chicago, and believed that a 
special Providence had directed its loca- 
tion ; but they were compelled to face much 
prejudice and often deplored the lack of 
earnest co-operation, both of laymen and 
ministers. 

The first building was a wooden structure 
accommodating forty students. In a few 
years a new building became necessary, and 
in 1867, through the efficient agency of 
Rev. J. S. Smart and the Women's Centen- 
nial Association, a building, now known as 
Heck Hall, was erected at a cost of $57,000. 
This served for lecture rooms, library and 
chapel, as well as a dormitory for stu- 
dents until 1887, when the present Me- 
morial Hall was finished during the presi- 
dency of Rev. Dr. Henry B. Ridgaway. 
The older building, which has recently been 
completely renovated, is now devoted sole- 
ly to the use of students. 

The portion of Mrs. Garrett's estate 
which came into the hands of the Trustees 
consisted chiefly of the ground where in 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



165 



i860 the "Wigwam" was erected in which 
Abraham Lincoln was nominated for Pres- 
ident of the United States. In 1870 a block 
of brick stores was built upon this ground, 
but all these buildings were destroyed in 
the fire of 187 1, and the estate was left 
with a debt of $92,000. The generous lib- 
erality of the church contributed a sum of 
$62,500 for the relief of the Institute in this 
critical time, and in 1872 a larger block of 
buildings was erected upon the same site. 
The debt incurred in this enterprise was re- 
moved by the active efforts of the Rev. W. 
C. Dandy, D.D., who was appointed finan- 
cial agent. Among the numerous gifts ob- 
tained by him was one of $30,000 from 
Mrs. Cornelia Miller for the endowment of 
the Chair of Practical Theology. Under the 
wise management of the Trustees the prop- 
erty of the Institute gradually increased in 
value, but in 1897 another crisis occurred, 
the results of which were averted by the 
careful management of the present treasur- 
er of the Institute, the Rev. Dr. R. D. Shep- 
pard. The magnificent building now occu- 
pied by Reid, Murdock & Co. was erected 
under Dr. Sheppard's supervision after a 
lease had been negotiated which promises to 
afford a large revenue for immediate needs. 
The debt created in this connection the 
Trustees hope to extinguish by the sinking 
fund which they have started. 

The Institute has deviated but little from 
its original ideal. It has met, from time to 
time, the demands of the period ; thus, in 
the summer of 1892, it enlarged its facili- 
ties for the study of the English Bible, a 
systematic scheme for English Bible study 
being substituted in the diploma course for 
the study of Hebrew. In 1895 '^ took steps 
for instruction in Sociology. The Library 
has grown rapidly under the careful man- 
agement of the Rev. Dr. Terry, and in- 
cludes the splendid collection of Methodist 
books and original documents — the finest in 



the world — purchased for the Institute by 
Mr. William Deering. The records of the 
Seminary show that, since 1854, nearly 
3,500 persons have enjoyed the privileges of 
the school. Of this number 700 have com- 
pleted a three years' course, and of these 
365 have received the degree of Bachelor of 
Divinity. The large majority of these grad- 
uates are pastors, many of whom are now 
filling conspicuous pulpits with ability. 
Among those now living may be mentioned : 
James S. Chadwick and George E. Stro- 
bridge, of the New York East Conference; 
Charles B.Wilcox, of Kansas City ; Polemus 
H. Swift, W. E. Tilroe, John N. Hall, John 

D. Leek and John P. Brushingham, of Chi- 
cago ; Edward S. Ninde, of Ann Arbor; 
Edwin A. Schell, of Greencastle, Ind. ; 
Hugh D. Atchison, of Dubuque, Iowa ; A. 

E. Craig, of Ottumwa, Iowa ; E. G. Lewis, of 
Grand Rapids, Mich. ; William A. Shanklin, 
of Reading, Pa. ; James S. Montgomery, of 
Minneapolis ; E. B. Patterson, of Balti- 
more ; James H. Senseny, Des Moines, 
Iowa. 

Forty of the Alumni have gone to the 
foreign field as missionaries. Among these 
are two Missionary Bishops, Joseph C. 
Hartzell and F. W. Warne ; in China are 
Virgil C. Hart, William T. Hobart, Myron 
C. Wilcox, H. Olin Cady, Spencer Lewis, 

F. L. Guthrie, W. H. Lacey, W. C. Lang- 
don and Quincy A. Meyers; in India are J. 
H. Gill, D. O. Fo.x, James S. Messmore, 
J. W. Waugh, J. C. Lawson, William H. 
Hollister, Harvey R. Calkins, D. C. Clancy 
and John W. Robinson ; in Burmah, Julius 
Smith ; in Southeast Africa, John M. 
Springer ; in Singapore, John R. Denyes 
and Ernest S. Lyons ; in Mexico, Ira C. 
Cartwright ; in South America, M. J. Pusey 
and H. B. Shinn. Homer C. Stuntz, for- 
merly of India, is now in the Philippine 
Islands. 

Thirty-three are serving as Presidents 



i66 



GARRETT BIBLICAL INSTITUTE 



and professors in schools and colleges. 
Among these are : Xathan Burwash, Presi- 
dent of Victoria College, Canada ; William 
H. Crawford, President of Allegheny Col- 
lege, Pa. : Eli McClish, President of Pacific 
College, Cal. ; Xels E. Simonson, Principal 
of the Norwegian-Danish School, Evans- 
ton ; J. Riley Weaver, Professor in DePauw 
University ; Robert D. Sheppard and Amos 
W. Patten, Professors in Northwestern 
University ; Charles Horswell, Solon C. 
Bronson and Charles "SI. Stuart. Professors 
in Garrett Biblical Institute ; ^lelvin P. 
Lackland, Professor in Illinois Wesleyan 
University ; Orange H. Cessna, Professor 
in Iowa State Agricultural College : Thomas 
Nicholson, President Dakota Wesleyan 
University, South Dakota. 

Among the earliest graduates in the class 
of 1861 was Bishop Charles H. Fowler. 
In the same class was Oliver A. Willard, 
the brilliant brother of the lamented Frances 
E. Willard. 

The Norwegian-Danish Department was 
organized in 1886 under the principalship 
of Rev. Nels E. Simonson, D.D., an alum- 
nus of the English Department. During 
the thirteen years of its operation, it has 
had in attendance more than one hundred 
students. 

The Presidents of the faculty have been : 
John Dempster, Matthew Simpson, William 
X. Ninde, Henry B. Ridgawav and Charles 
J. Little. 

The members of the faculty have been : 
John Dempster, William Goodfellow, Wil- 
liam O. Wright, Daniel P. Kidder, Henry 
Bannister, Francis D. Hemenway, Miner 
Raymond, Robert L. Cumnock, William 
X. Ninde, Henry B. Ridgaway, Charles F. 
Bradley, Milton S. Terry, Charles W. Ben- 
nett. Charles Horswell. Charles J. Little, 
Solon C. Bronson, Charles M. Stuart. Dore- 
mus A. Hayes. 

The Trustees have been : Grant Good- 



rich, Orrington Lunt, John Evans, Philo 
Judson, Stephen P. Keyes, Luke Hitchcock. 
Hooper Crews, Thomas M. Eddy, John \'. 
Farvvell, E. H. Gammon. Charles H. Fowl- 
er, A. E. Bishop, S. H. Adams, William 
Deering, Robert D. Sheppard, Oliver H. 
Horton, William C. Dandy, Frank M. Bris- 
tol, Frank P. Crandon, Amos W. Patton, 
Polemus H. Swift. 

John Dempster, the first President, be- 
longed to that vigorous Scotch-Irish stock 
which has been so potent in American his- 
tory. His natural powers were very great, 
and though himself without a theological 
training, he may be said to be the founder 
of the theological schools in American 
^lethodism. He exercised great influence, 
not only among his brethren, but in the gen- 
eral community, and was one of the com- 
mittee that waited upon Mr. Lincoln in the 
crisis of the war to strengthen his hands 
and to assure him of the unfailing support 
of his fellow-citizens of Illinois. 

Matthew Simpson, the eloquent Bishop, 
was the greatest preacher that recent Aleth- 
odism has produced. His influence during 
the war surpassed that of any clergyman in 
the land, partly because of his great en- 
dowments and excellent character, and 
partly because he represented a church that 
"sent more men to the field and more pray- 
ers to heaven" than any other in the land. 

Bishop Ninde, who succeeded him as 
President, drew all hearts to himself. His 
personal appearance was singularly at- 
tractive ; his behavior was brotherly and his 
spirit so Christ-like that students revered 
him and the community trusted him im- 
plicitly. 

Dr. Ridgaway came to Evanston from 
Cincinnati. He brought with him a great 
reputation as an eloquent preacher and a 
successful pastor. During his administra- 
tion Memorial Hall was built. He, too, was 
greatlv beloved. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 167 

Of the many distinguished members of was, by reason of his personality and his 

the faculty the most conspicuous was Dr. many years of service, the most conspicu- 

Miner Raymond. No man in Methodism ous and the most useful. He gave to the 

possessed a clearer mind. His words were Institute unstinted service. He watched 

weighty and his sentences, many of them, over its interests as he watched over his 

have become household words to his pu- own, and prayed for it as he prayed for 

pils. He lived to be more than four score his family. Few institutions have enjoyed 

years of age and continued his teaching un- such devotion as Orrington Lunt gave to 

til his eighty-second year. Garrett Biblical Institute, and his name will 

Among the Trustees Orrington Lunt be connected with it so long as it shall last. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



EARLY DRAINAGE 



First Steps in Organization of a Drainage 
System for Evanston — Natural Condi- 
tions — Early Legislation of 1855 — The 
Late Harvey B. Hurd, Member and Sec- 
retary of First Board of Commissioners — 
Construction of Ditches Begun — Drain- 
age Amendment of the Present Consti- 
tution Adopted in iS/S — Extension of 
the System — Local Opposition — A Tax 
Collector's Experience— A Flood Con- 
verts the Opponents of the System. 

The drainage of Evanston forms an im- 
portant and interesting chapter in its his- 
tory. There is plenty of evidence showing 
that all the territory now included in the 
towns of Evanston, Niles, JeiTerson, Lake 
View and the southeastern portion of New 
Trier, were at some time covered by the 
waters of Lake Michigan. There are, in 
this territory, three distinct ridges made by 
the lake which mark several distinct reces- 
sions of its waters. The west one, some- 
times called "Dutch Ridge," commences at 
Winnetka, at the south end of the clay bluiT 
stretching along the west shore, and runs 
thence southwesterly, spreading and flat- 
tening out in fan-shape towards the north 
branch of the Chicago River and terminat- 
ing at that stream near Niles Center. East 
of this, from a mile in width at the north 
end, to two or three miles at the south end, 
is Evanston's "West Ridge," which com- 



mences where Ridge Avenue strikes the 
lake and runs almost directly south to Rose- 
hill, where it turns sharply to the west, 
forming a J and flattening out considerably 
at Bowmanville, and also terminating at the 
north branch near that place, leaving be- 
tween these two ridges a valley partly 
wooded and partly prairie. The east one of 
the three ridges commences at the lake 
shore in the University campus and runs 
southerly through Evanston, and bending 
slightly to the eastward through Lake View, 
ends at Lincoln Park. 

Natural Conditions. — These several 
ridges, to a certain extent, cut of? the drain- 
age of the land between them, and this land 
was subject to occasional overflow, and 
was to some extent swampy during the en- 
tire year. Portions of it were impassable 
during most of the year. At quite an early 
day a small ditch was constructed midway 
between the east and west ridges, emptying 
into the lake through a ravine between the 
College campus and the site of the first 
Biblical Institute building erected in 1854, 
but afterward destroyed by fire. This ditch 
was called the Mulford Ditch, from the fact 
that Major E. H. Mulford was principally 
instrumental in its construction : Edward 
Murphy was associated with him in the 
making of it. 

At the time of the location of Evanston 
this ditch had pretty much gone to decay 



169 



I/O 



EARLY DRAINAGE 



and the land between the two ridges was 
so swampy it was difficult to pass from one 
ridge to the other except in one or two 
places. Something in the way of drainage 
was accomplished by the throwing up of 
the streets when Evanston was laid out in 

1853- 
First Drainage Commission. — By an 

act approved February 15, 1855, "The 
Drainage Commission" was created for the 
purpose of draining the wet lands in Town- 
ships 41 and 42, in Range 13 and 14, and 
Sections i, 2, 11 and 12, in Township 40 of 
Range 13. This Commission was given 
power "to lay out, locate, construct, com- 
plete and alter ditches, embankments, cul- 
verts, bridges and roads, and maintain and 
keep the same in repair." The Commission- 
ers named in the act were Harvey B. Hurd, 
George M. Huntoon, James B. Colvin, John 
L. Beveridge and John H. Foster. As Dr. 
Foster resided in Chicago and did not wish 
to engage in the undertaking, A. G. Wilder 
was put in his place. Mr. Hurd was Secre- 
tary of the Commission, and to a consider- 
able extent managed its operations. 

At that time the only road on the prairie 
west of Evanston was one running north 
and south along the east edge of the Big 
Woods, leading from what was known as 
"Emerson's barn" to Chicago by way of 
Bowmanville. This road was passable only 
during a portion of the year^late in the 
summer and when the ground was frozen 
up. 

Construction of Ditches Begun. — The 
first ditch constructed by the Commission 
was along the west side of this road ; 
the excavation being thrown up in such a 
manner as to make a fairly passable road 
from "Emerson's barn" neighborhood to 
Bowmanville. 

The next work of the Commission was 
the construction of what is known as the 
"Big Ditch," about half way between the 



Big Woods and West Ridge. It was so 
shaped that the north end of it from the 
north side of Center Street, on the town 
line between Evanston and Xew Trier, 
emptied into the lake, and from the south 
side of Center Street the water was carried 
south, emptying into the North Branch at a 
point about three-fourths of a mile north- 
west of Bowmanville. 

Later several ditches were laid out and 
constructed across the prairie ; these were so 
laid out and constructed as to create roads. 
One of them is the Rogers Road, com- 
mencing just west of what was then the 
home of Philip Rogers, after whom Rogers 
Park was named, running thence west to 
Xiles Center. Another is the Mulford 
Road ; another extended on Church Street 
west to the Big Woods, and another was 
the Emerson Road, now Emerson Street. 

These roads have all become prominent 
thoroughfares ; the last three have been ex- 
tended west to Dutch Ridge, and Church 
Street has been extended to the Glenn View 
Golf Club grounds. The Commission en- 
larged the Mulford Ditch so that it fur- 
nished pretty fair drainage for the territory 
lying between the east and west ridges in 
the Village of Evanston until the sewerage 
system was put in. Later a ditch was con- 
structed across the east ridge from a point 
just west of Tillman IMann's house, at the 
distance of about three blocks south of Rog- 
ers Park depot to the lake. 

A. G. Wilder having died, Michael Gorm- 
ley of Glencoe was put on the Commission 
in his place, and the Commission undertook 
to drain the Skokie, lying west of Winnet- 
ka, Glencoe and Highland Park. It first 
constructed a ditch emptying into the east 
fork of the North Branch, but it was found 
that in flood times the water set back in 
the North Branch and up this ditch, flood- 
ing the Skokie. Another outlet was there- 
fore made through the Dutch Ridge, at a 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



171 



point about half way between Winnetka 
and the Gross Point settlement, carrying 
the water into the lake through what is now 
Kenilworth. The Skokie being about forty 
feet above the lake level, ample fall was 
found, and this last ditch redeemed a large 
amount of valuable lands at the south end 
of the Skokie, now covered by some of the 
best farms in that neighborhood. 

The subsequent efforts of the Commis- 
sion to enlarge the Skokie ditch and extend 
it further north, were opposed by some of 
the land-owners who were assessed for the 
expense of their improvement, and two 
cases were carried to the Supreme Court to 
test the constitutionality of the law. In the 
case of Hessler vs. The Drainage Commis- 
sioners (reported in 53 111. Reports, page 
105), the court held the law to be unconsti- 
tutional. This decision was rendered in 
January, 1870, and put an end to the opera- 
tions of "The Drainage Commissioners." 
This was one of several decisions of like 
import, for there were several other com- 
missions in different parts of the State, 
acting under similar laws, where assess- 
ments for benefits had been held unconstitu- 
tional, but so much interest had been cre- 
ated in favor of drainage that a clause was 
put into the Constitution of 1870, designed 
to permit the General Assembly to pass 
laws for that purpose. This clause was 
amended by vote of the people in November, 
1878, adopting an amendment of the Consti- 
tution, which is now the authority for the 
drainage laws found in the statutes general- 
ly known as the Farm Drainage Acts. 

Extension of the System. — The 
north portion of the big ditch was later, 
under one of these acts, very considerably 
enlarged and extended south so as to draw 
the water lakeward from Church Street, 
but all those parts of the Big Ditch and 
Mulford Ditch within the corporate limits 
of Evanston have been supplanted bv sew- 



ers constructed by the City of Evanston. 
The Rogers Park Ditch has been supplant- 
ed by a main sewer on Pratt Avenue, which 
carried all the drainage of Rogers Park 
west of the East Ridge into the lake. All 
the roads which were constructed by the 
Commission are not only maintained, but 
have been extended and improved and are 
now principal highways. The law under 
which they were constructed having been 
declared void, the owner of the land upon 
which they were laid out might have fenced 
them up, but they were of such evident util- 
ity and propriety that no one has shown any 
disposition to do so, and having now been in 
use over twenty years, they have becoftie 
legal highways. 

Local Opposition. — The opposition of 
the owners of the lands proposed to be bene- 
fitted was not confined to the validity of the 
law. When the first ditch was being laid 
out along the west side of the Big Woods 
Road, the Big Woods people came out with 
pitch-forks and clubs to drive off the en- 
gineer and his assistants, but fortunately the 
engineer was a good-natured man, but very 
firm, and did not allow himself to be driven 
oft'. 

Later, when the Rogers Road ditch was 
projected, a very vigorous protest was 
made, the people insisting that they did not 
need any more drainage ; that they would 
rather have their land as it was without fur- 
ther drainage, and I am of the opinion that 
had I not put on my pleasantest manner with 
them, I should have received rough treat- 
ment on one of my visits to the neighbor- 
hood in the collection of assessments. I had 
the satisfaction, however, later in the season, 
of turning the tables on them. It occurred 
in this way: Our ditchers, for the purpose 
of protecting their work from being flooded, 
threw up their excavation in such a way as 
to create a dam on each side of the ditch. 
In the midst of having time, when a larare 



172 



EARLY DRAINAGE 



quantity of hay was down, and considerable 
of it was in cocks, and when the ditch was 
about two-thirds across the prairie, there 
came a heavy rain which flooded the prairie. 
To save their hay, the people rallied in 
force, drove off the ditchers, cut the dams 
and let the water off, and thus saved much 
of their hay which would otherwise have 
been all spoiled. We had the ring-leaders 
arrested, brought over to Evanston and 
fined. Though they were not quite happy 
in the payment of their fines, they were 
much more reconciled to the payment of 



their assessments, acknowledging that af- 
ter all the drainage was a pretty good 
thing. 

All the work done by "The Drainage 
Commission" was by special assessment. 
Unfortunately, the Chicago fire in 1871 
destroyed all our assessment rolls, or I 
should take pleasure in showing you how 
much more economically work was done by 
commissioners interested in the land as 
owners than is now done by municipal 
authorities who have no interest in com- 
mon with those who have to foot the bills. 



CHAPTER XX. 



PUBLIC UTILITIES 



(By ALEXANDER CLARK) 



Area and Topography of the City of Evan- 
ston — The Drainage Problem — A Period 
of Evolution — Municipal Development — 
Electric Light System Installed — Street 
Improvements — Parks and Boulevards — 
The Transportation Problem — Steam and 
Interurban Railway Connections — Heat- 
ing System — Telephone Service — Evan- 
ston as a Residence City. 

The total area of the city of Evanston is 
about 4,000 acres. The lots generally have 
a frontage of fifty feet. As they average 
about five lots to the acre, this would make 
a total of 20,000 lots within the city limits. 
Estimating a population of five persons to 
each lot, would give the city a total popula- 
tion of about 100,000 when the territory is 
fully built up. The present population is 
about 20,000. It consists largely of resi- 
dents who do business in the City of Chi- 
cago, while there is a large local population, 
residing permanently in the city, of whom 
a large proportion are in the employment 
of the other class. 

Topographically the territory consists of 
an area intersected by two ridges running 
north and south, one known as the East, and 
the other as the West Ridge. The East, or 
Chicago Avenue Ridge, has an elevation of 
twenty to twenty-five feet above Lake 
Michigan, while Ridge Avenue (West 



Ridge) rises about forty -five feet above the 
lake level. 

There is a large area to the west of Ridge 
Avenue which was at one time very low 
and swampy in its character. The opening 
of sewers through these two ridges to the 
lake has drained this area, and, although 
relatively low, it is actually about twenty 
feet above Lake Michigan, which is, on an 
average, about a mile and a half distant. 
The difiference in elevation, therefore, af- 
fords a very good fall when the sewers are 
cut through. 

Drainage. — The drainage of this area 
west of Ridge Avenue was a serious prob- 
lem for early Evanston. The first drainage 
district ever organized in the State of Illi- 
nois was created for the purpose of accom- 
plishing this purpose. In 1855, the Legis- 
lature, by special act, created a drainage 
corporation, consisting of the late Harvey 
B. Hurd and four other members, for the 
purpose of draining this territory. 

Early in the 'sixties, this act was declared 
unconstitutional, and, in the meanwhile, the 
ditch leading from the prairie west of Evan- 
ston had been cut through to the lake at a 
point just north of the city limits, and also 
a connection had been made about the north 
line of Kenilworth, through the Gross 
Point Ridge to the Skokie. There two 
ditches carried away great volumes of sur- 



174 



PUBLIC UTILITIES 



face water that flooded these areas at certain 
seasons of the j'ear. 

The first sewer in Evanston which tapped 
this west prairie country was the Emerson 
Street sewer, which was made of large 
capacit}' and was intended to drain this 
area included within the limits of the city 
of Evanston ; as has already been stated, it 
has rendered the territory entirely habitable. 
There is a large area south of the portion 
included in the City of Evanston, part of 
which is in the Town of Evanston (now 
Ridgeville) and part within the Town of 
Niles, which as yet has no drainage, and 
must ultimately look for its drainage to a 
connection with the North Branch of the 
Chicago River, either through an open 
channel into which the Evanston drainage 
will be diverted, or by sewers constructed 
in the City of Chicago and connected with 
the Drainage Canal. A line of brickyards 
is gradually working its way along the east 
edge of this low ground, and, in time, will 
work out an open channel which will 
amount to an extension of the North 
Branch. 

A Period of Evolution. — It is exceed- 
ingly interesting to trace the evolution of 
an open farm country into the complex de- 
velopment of a city. It is difficult for the 
early residents of such a district to contem- 
plate the possibilities of paved streets, 
sewers, water mains, gas and electric supply, 
and to work with reference to the ultimate 
establishment of these improvements. Hence, 
such development goes on in a very tardy 
and expensive manner, the work being per- 
formed largely on experimental lines and 
with reference to the demands of the im- 
mediate present, and not with anv compre- 
hensive grasp of the needs of the future. 

In the south end of the present City of 
Evanston, which constituted the village of 
South Evanston, the first attempt at drain- 
age was by means of wooden box-drains 



from the railroad leading down to the lake. 
One of these was constructed in Keeney 
Avenue, and a similar construction was 
placed on Main Street, but cut through 
Chicago Avenue Ridge, so as to drain the 
low-lying territory through the two ridges. 
It speaks well for the foresight of the men 
who performed this work, that, when they 
cut through Chicago Avenue Ridge, ex- 
cavated to a depth sufficient to drain this 
outlying territory and constructed the drain 
of brick, when later it was found neces- 
sary to change it into a sewer, it was only 
necessary to reconstruct the portion be- 
tween the ridges up to Chicago Avenue 
Ridge and then to excavate across Ridge 
Avenue to the city limits on the west. 

Municipal Consolidation. — The present 
city of Evanston is made up of what was 
originally three municipal corporations : 
Evanston proper, South Evanston and 
North Evanston. The boundary of Evan- 
ston proper, or Evanston center, was orig- 
inally on the south by Hamilton and Crain 
Streets, and on the north by Foster Street. 

The first attempt at merging was in 1873. 
The Village of Evanston as it then existed 
was desirous of securing a water supply, 
but did not have the means to do so, and 
under the constitutional limitations as to in- 
debtedness could not issue bonds in suffi- 
cient amount to accomplish this purpose. In 
order to increase its bonding capacity the 
plan was devised of uniting the Village of 
Evanston and North Evanston. The Village 
of South Evanston remained a distinct cor- 
poration until 1892, when, after some pre- 
vious attempts, which proved unsuccessful, 
the question of annexation to the Village of 
Evanston was taken up and, after a hotly 
contested campaign, was carried through. 

The Village of South Evanston owes its 
existence to the fact that no land was 
owned within its limits by the Northwest- 
ern University. In the early days this Uni- 




CITY HALL 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



175 



versity owned a large portion of the proper- 
ty included the original City of Evans- 
ton, and as this property was largely unim- 
proved and not subject to taxation, this ex- 
emption threw a very serious burden upon 
the portion of the village not owned by the 
University. To escape this taxation was 
;he incentive for the organization of the 
new Village of South Evanston. 

The framers of our present Constitution 
in their wisdom, saw fit to so hedge about 
the municipality that no margin for ex- 
travagant expenditure should be allowed, 
and by inserting the provision in the Consti- 
tution that no municipal corporation should 
become indebted, including present indebt- 
edness, in excess of five per cent of its 
property, so hampered an increase of in- 
debtedness that it is utterly impossible for 
any small numicipality to have metropolitan 
facilities ; so that, just as soon as these 
facilities are desired, it becomes necessarv 
to consolidate in order to enlarge the bond- 
ing and taxing area. 

The same principle that applies in busi- 
ness, and influencing the merging of several 
disconnected establishments in the same line 
of business into one. therebv securing great- 
er economy in their management and opera- 
tion, applies, up to a certain limit, with even 
greater force to municipalities. 

The desperate struggles of some of these 
corporations to assume metropolitan airs, 
without the means, are very amusing. For 
instance, the \'illage of South Evanston de- 
sired a water supply, and, in order to secure 
it. first bored an artesian well about 2,600 
feet deep, which sjnirted up like an oil gush- 
er sixty feet above the surface; but the 
water was so hard that it could not be cut 
with an axe, and left a residuum of its or- 
ganic elements upon the foliage that hap- 
pened to be sprinkled with it. 

The residents then began to clamor for 
lake water : but. in order to get a pure sup- 



ply, it was necessary to go out some dis- 
tance from the shore and construct a pump- 
ing station. A block of ground between 
Main Street and Kedzie Avenue was found 
which the lake was gradually eating up. It 
had been taken by foreclosure by Eastern 
parties, and they were in danger of losing 
their holdings by the erosion of the water. 
It was found, therefore, that the whole 
block could be purchased for about $1,600. 
A frontage of about 800 feet on Lake Mich- 
igan was thus secured at this nominal figure. 
The question then arose how to get the 
money to protect this land from the en- 
croachments of the lake, grade it and se- 
cure a water supply. The first problem was 
solved b}- levying a special assessment on 
every lot between the Ridge and the lake — 
on those lots between the railroad and the 
lake $5.00 each, and on those between the 
Xorthwestern Railroad and Ridge Ave- 
nue $3.00 each. By this means $7,000 was 
raised, which was spent upon breakwaters, 
grading and setting out trees, and the pres- 
ent little park is the result of that invest- 
ment. The extent of the ground has alreadv 
been nearly doubled by accretion, and is 
capable of much greater enlargement at a 
trifling expenditure. About $20,000 was 
added to the bonded indebtedness and a 
pumping station and water-tower were 
built. 

Electric Lighting. — The town then 
having started on the highway of progress, 
it was thought that it would be a good thing 
if an electric lighting system could be in- 
stalled : bids were called for and it was as- 
certained that such a system could be estab- 
lished with a capacity for lighting the town 
at about $7,000. But the towai was already 
bonded up to its full constitutional limit, 
and the improvement being a public one, it 
did not seem possible that any more money 
could be raised by special assessment. This 
device was then resorted to : a contract was 



176 



PUBLIC UTILITIES 



made with an electric light company where- 
by it constructed a plant in the village and 
leased it to the municipality at a rental to 
be paid quarterly, with an agreement that, 
when a certain amount of rent was paid, the 
title to the plant should vest in the village. 
This plan was borrowed from the method 
pursued by impecunious females in pur- 
chasing sewing machines, pianos and furni- 
ture. To the credit of the people of the 
village and the lawyers residing in it, no 
effort was made to test the doubtful legali- 
ty of this proceeding, and South Evanston 
soon had the satisfaction of being the only 
municipality electrically lighted between 
Waukegan and Chicago. The same boilers, 
the same engineers and fireman that oper- 
ated the water plant also operated the light- 
ing plant, and the success of the experi- 
ment is a very instructive lesson in the 
municipal management of public utilities. 

But it was soon found that the sewer- 
age which poured into the lake on Main 
Street, about 600 feet from the pumping 
station, was threatening contamination of 
the water supply, and it was necessary that 
the inlet be pushed far out into the lake. 
By none of the devices before discovered 
could any additional funds be secured, and 
'it became a question with South Evanston 
of annexation or impure water ; and this, 
more than any other fact, contributed to 
the merging of the two municipalities. 
Shortly after they were merged, the City of 
Evanston was organized, with seven wards 
and fourteen Aldermen. 

Street Improvements. — The surface 
soil of most of the area upon which Evans- 
ton is built is sand, excepting the west prai- 
rie, where it consists of a light stratum of 
black soil over blue clay. On the sandy 
area the first method of street-making was 
confined to what is known as claying and 
graveling. Loads of blue clay from the 
west prairie were dumped along and spread 



upon the street to a depth of four or five 
inches, this being covered by a layer of three 
or four inches of lake gravel. When the 
rains fell the gravel worked itself into the 
mud, and, for a lightly traveled street, it 
was not bad. The claying and graveling of 
a strip twenty feet wide in the center of 
a street cost about 50 cents per running 
foot, and the writer has a very distinct re- 
collection of the clamor that was raised 
when the assessment was levied upon the 
abutting property for this improvement. The 
bearing of the burden of assessments is 
purely a matter of education. As the Irish- 
man said about hanging: it is not so bad 
when you get used to it, provided you do 
not die in the meantime ; and the same 
property owners that so bitterly contested 
the 50 cents per running foot assessment 
have since then borne with the- greatest 
equanimity an assessment of three or four 
dollars per front foot for paving and curb- 
ing. 

I have a very distinct recollection of the 
paving of Davis Street with clay and 
gravel. The abutting owners desired that 
there should be plenty of clay put on ; so 
they stood around in the hot sun and 
bossed the job, and the contractor gave 
them all they wanted. Six or eight inches 
of it was put on and the gravel dumped on 
this, and, for the next year and a half, Davis 
Street was a hog-wallow during the greater 
part of the year. This ended the era of clay 
and gravel. The next pavement laid upon 
Davis Street was macadam. This was not 
found satisfactory and brick was laid upon 
the macadam. I think the history of the 
paving of Davis Street illustrates most 
forcibly the expensive evolution by which 
municipalities are educated up to the man- 
agement of their affairs. "Vo.x populi" 
may be "vox Dei," but it is an exceedingly 
expensive voice when it comes to dealing 
with business matters. I think a careful in- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



177 



vestigation will establish the fact that gen- 
erally what the people want in a business 
proposition is the thing they ought not to 
get. Such questions can not be settled by 
town meetings. I remember very distinctly 
when James Ayers attempted to pave Hin- 
man Avenue. After an immense amount of 
oratory, discussions back and forth, theories 
and protests from people who wanted the 
street kept like a country village street and 
who dreaded city improvements, James 
finally gave the matter up and said in his 
opinion Hinman Avenue could never be 
paved — that there was "too much brains on 
the street." 

With the advent of paved streets came 
the problem of providing for the cost of 
their maintenance, and the City of Evanston 
to-da)', with its increased area and valua- 
tion, finds itself in almost as great financial 
straits as the old village of South Evanston 
in its early struggles. 

The wooden block pavement craze struck 
quite hard in South Evanston, and the re- 
sult is miles of streets to be repaved at the 
expense of the abutting owners. Perhaps 
the best and most durable pavement ever 
laid in Evanston is the piece on Chicago 
Avenue from Davis Street north. It is of 
brick, and has been down ten years and is 
practically as smooth and good to-day as 
when first laid. It was laid by experts. It 
consists of a layer of sand with a layer of 
brick laid flatwise, this being surmounted 
by another layer of sand and a layer of 
brick laid edgewise. The only possible ob- 
jection to such a pavement is its noise. 

Evanston has to-day some of the finest 
macadamized streets in the country. Asso- 
ciations have been formed on quite a num- 
ber of streets for their care and mainte- 
nance, and it has been found that a street 
can be kept clean and in perfect condition 
for less than the cost of sprinkling on the 
individual plan. Property owners are grad- 



ually waking up to the proposition that the 
care of the street in front of abutting prop- 
erty is just as much a duty on the part of 
the owner as the care of his front yard and 
household surroundings. 

Evanston is shut in on the south by Cal- 
vary Cemetery, which extends from the lake 
to Chicago Avenue. Chicago Avenue is an 
extension of Clark Street; Asbury Avenue 
an extension of Western Avenue, and 
Sheridan Road an extension in South Ev- 
anston of Ashland Avenue in the City of 
Chicago. 

In the early "eos an efifort was made by the 
township authorities to extend Evanston 
Avenue through Calvary Cemetery, and the 
attempt was resisted, vi et armis, by the 
then Archbishop. But along in 1887 an as- 
sociation, known as the North Shore Im- 
provement Association, was organized by 
citizens along the North Shore for the prin- 
cipal purpose of constructing a driveway 
along the lake for the use of the shore towns 
from Lincoln Park north. So much en- 
thusiasm and public spirit was generated in 
the matter that Archbishop Feehan gener- 
ously donated a 100-foot strip through Cal- 
vary Cemetery, and public-spirited citizens 
in Evanston, headed by Mr. Volney W. Fos- 
ter, raised about $3,000 to level down the 
sand-hills and clay and gravel the roadway. 
This opened up an outlet for driving pur- 
poses from Evanston to Chicago. 

Parks and Boulevards. — The drive- 
way thus opened up was known as the 
Sheridan Road. Except at a few points it 
constitutes a good highway all the way 
from Fort Sheridan to Chicago, with por- 
tions in Lake Forest and Waukegan. In 
1893 the passage of an act of the Legis- 
lature was secured authorizing the forma- 
tion of park districts along the shore of 
Lake Michigan, and vesting in such drs- 
tricts the title to the submerged land. An 
efifort was made to organize such a district 



178 



PUBLIC UTILITIES 



to include the City of Evanston, but times 
were hard and taxes were high, and the 
people could not see their way clear to es- 
tablish a new taxing municipality. The 
portion of the West Side of Rogers Park, 
however, organized itself into a district un- 
der this law, and has constructed on Ridge 
Avenue a mile and three-quarters of the 
finest driveway in or around the city. This 
little district took this street as a sand-heap 
and has improved and beautified it in every 
particular with trees, sod and every requisite 
for residence purposes. Spurred to emula- 
tion, the East Side of Rogers Park, after a 
bitter contest, succeeded in organizing an- 
other district, and these people have taken 
hold of the Sheridan Road on the east side 
and are now duplicating the improvements 
made on Ridge Avenue. 

Township Organization. — An effort is 
now being made by the City of Evanston 
to abolish the useless and expensive town- 
ship organization system by which the ter- 
ritory is burdened. (As will be seen by 
the first chapter of this work, relating to the 
present territorial boundaries of the City of 
Evanston, the object just mentioned has 
been accomplished by the organization of 
the territory embraced within the City of 
Evanston into a single township under the 
name of "Ridgeville," with boundaries iden- 
tical with those of the city.) The territory 
embraced within the City of Evanston pre- 
viously included portions of three town- 
ships, and each of these townships olaced 
a different valuation on property. The re- 
sult was that a lot on one side of McDaniel 
Street, in North Evanston, bore 50 per 
cent more of all the burden of taxation than 
a lot on the opposite side of the street in 
the township of Niles, equally well situated. 
Moreover, the city was burdened with three 
sets of Highway Commissioners : three sets 
of Assessors ; three sets of Collectors, and 
three sets of Town Clerks, necessitating an 



immense amount of bookkeeping. These 
Highway Commissioners were vested with 
taxing powers equal to about one-half of 
the taxing power of the municipality itself, 
with a provision that one-half of all the 
money raised in the area of the City of 
Evanston must be expended on the farm ter- 
ritory outside of the city limits. The whole 
method of township organization, as it ex- 
isted in the City of Evanston. was one of the 
most outrageous illustrations of municipal 
mismanagement that could be well devised. 
The consolidation alluded to — which was 
accomplished imder an act of the Legis- 
lature passed in 1903 — has resulted in the 
abolition of the useless offices of Highway 
Commissioner, Town Clerk and Town Col- 
lector, and the consolidation of the town- 
ship business with the city business, as well 
as the abolition of township elections on a 
separate day. As a result of this change 
greater economy will be secured and the 
City of Evanston will be enabled to or- 
ganize itself into a park district under the 
law of 1893, and it will also be in position 
to take possession of the submerged land 
on the lake front, with a view of establish- 
ing, in the future, parks and drives along 
the whole shore. No man with an atom of 
prevision can fail to see the great possibili- 
ties of such a right to the city. Of course, 
to attempt to fill in the great areas of this 
submerged land under previous conditions 
would have meant bankruptcy to the city. 
The money heretofore spent under the com- 
plicated township organization, if spent in 
this direction, would have added immensely 
to the future prosperity and beauty of the 
city. Under the new arrangement rights 
and property can be secured at the cost of a 
few hundreds of dollars that, ten years 
hence, would have cost thousands. The 
best illustration of this is the history of the 
little park in South Evanston heretofore 
narrated. What was then secured for $1,600 



OuU^f^eCtA yr&fcJTyaZian^-S^^ 




DGEVILLE 
OWNSHIP 
1851 

orlimi of Map |iiililislieil In. J. II. Ri'i's. 



pfrmission of the 
Chicago Historical Society. 



ij^eville Towii.-^hip was organized 
ril 1, 185(1. eiiilu-aritif^ wlial was 
lerwards Lake View Tnwnsliip. 
he name wast'liaii»ie(1 loEvaiistoii 
owiishii* Fell. 17, ls57, autl at (lie 
.aiiie time llie smilheni portion 
was fletat'herl ami formed into 
the Township of Lake View. 

On the 1st of January l':;02, 

the name w'as a^ain chatif^ed 

from Evanston to Kid^ieville 

Township, the limits heins: 

identical wilh those of the 

City of Kvanston. 



v\\\\ 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



179 



would probably now cost from twenty to 
thirty thousand dollars. 

Transportation. — About the time of 
the incorporation of the Village of Evans- 
ton, along in 1856 or 1858, the Chicago & 
Northwestern Railroad was completed be- 
tween Chicago and Milwaukee, and a sub- 
urban service was installed and carried on 
upon a single track until along about 1885, 
when the present double-track service was 
installed. In 1864 a corporation consisting 
of Orrington Lunt, John Evans and some 
other persons, was created under the title 
of the Chicago & Evanston Railroad Com- 
pany. The object of the scheme was to con- 
struct a horse or steam road from the City 
of Evanston to the City of Chicago, the in- 
tention being to connect about Fullerton 
Avenue with the horse cars. The road got 
no farther than some rights along the river 
up to Fullerton Avenue, and it then slum- 
bered under the blanket of an injunction 
until along in 1887, when it was revived 
and pushed to completion up to Calvary 
Cemetery, and a new corporation was then 
organized known as the Chicago, Evanston 
& Lake Superior Railroad Company, which 
obtained rights to construct the road 
through South Evanston and Evanston. The 
road soon after came vmder the control of 
the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Com- 
pany, which was then looking for another 
entrance into the city, its lease over the Pan- 
handle being about to expire. The property 
was bought for this purpose, but its use 
was not needed and it has been operated 
since as a local line, with very little profit 
to the company. 

In 1892 the writer, D. H. Louderback, 
and John L. Cockran organized a company 
known as the Chicago & North Shore Street 
Railway Company to construct a street rail- 
way line from Evanston to Chicago. The 
installation of this service in Evanston was 
very bitterly contested by many of the resi- 
dents, who claimed they had come out to 



Evanston to get away from this sort of 
thing : but it was pointed out to them that, 
with the growth of the City of Chicago, in 
order to get away from it, it would be nec- 
essary to get farther out than tw-elve miles 
from the center of the city. One resident 
was particularly solicitous about the effect 
of this innovation upon the Lord's day. He 
afterward agreed, however, that in consid- 
eration of $1,500 he would withdraw his 
opposition and leave the Lord to take care 
of his own day. The $1,500 was not paid. 
The road was finally installed and has 
proved a very fair success, and it is be- 
lieved to be a benefit to the people of the 
city. 

The City of Evanston is now anxious to 
get some benefit from the construction of 
the Northwestern Elevated. The present 
service is not satisfactory on account of its 
slowness and the necessity for transfers. 
When the road was completed it was ex- 
pected that the St. Paul would make some 
traffic arrangement by which a connection 
could be secured with the elevated by an 
incline, and its cars could pass without 
transfer from Evanston down into the city 
over the express tracks of the elevated. Ne- 
gotiations up to the present time have not 
resulted in the success of such a scheme ; 
but it is so much to the interest of all par- 
ties concerned that it can be safely assured 
that this plan will finally be carried out, and 
that the St. Paul line will be equipped with 
electricity and operated in connection with 
the Northwestern Elevated to Evanston. If 
such an equipment were made, and stops 
made at frequent intervals through the city, 
with an express service from the city down 
over the elevated without any stop, say to 
Kinzie Street, and a frequent service given 
with a ten-cent fare, it is believed that the 
building boom that has set in at the terminus 
of the elevated would extend up along the 
shore and include the Citv of Evanston. 



i8o 



PUBLIC UTILITIES 



A line leaving this main line at Oakton 
Avenue and going west to Asbury, and 
along on Asbury, Florence and Ashland, 
and along the Northwestern up through to 
Gross Point, would bring a large area of 
the City of Evanston, which is now remote 
from depots, into close touch with the city 
by the very best kind of service, provided 
the cars were carried through without trans- 
fer over the elevated down into the city. A 
trolley line from Evanston to Waukegan 
has been installed, and a branch line leaving 
this line at Lake Blufif is now being built 
across to Libertyville, with the intention 
of being pushed into the Fox Lake region. 
When this line is completed it will certainly 
be the greatest pleasure riding and picnic 
line around Chicago, and the people of 
Evanston will be put in close connection 
with some of the most beautiful country 
around Chicago. 

Gas and Electric Lighting. — At a very 
early day in the history of Evanston, Edwin 
Lee Brown, one of the city's public- spirited 
citizens, organized a company known as the 
Northwestern Gas Light and Coke Com- 
pany, and started a gas plant. Pipes were 
laid to the principal buildings in the village. 
This plant has now been finally merged with 
the People's Gas Company of Chicago and 
gas rates run about the same as they do in 
the city, and the service has been extended 
practically over the whole city of Evanston. 

Another corporation was organized by 
some of the citizens of Evanston eight or 
ten years ago for the purpose of furnishing 
electric light to the then village of Evan- 
ston, known as the Evanston Illuminating 
Company, and it has done for the City of 
Evanston what has not been done for any 
other city of its size in the United States, 
namely : put most of its wires underground. 
Its franchise for the use of the streets runs 
for about seventeen years, and it has a con- 
tract with the City of Evanston for public 
lighting running about ten years. 



Heating System. — A couple of years ago 
a corporation was organized by Mr. Yaryan, 
of Toledo, Ohio, known as the Evanston 
Yaryan Company, and a franchise secured 
for furnishing heat by hot water carried 
through pipes connected with the houses. 
Recently a plant has been constructed and 
the service extended to about two hundred 
houses with the most gratifying results. 
Ashes, smoke and coal dust are eliminated 
from the home, and heat is furnished at a 
rate less than the actual cost of coal for 
private heating. It is very generally ad- 
mitted that this single improvement adds 
fully twenty-five per cent to the value of 
property thereby benefited for residence. 
If any man is going to build a home he 
would be willing to pay that much more, 
provided he could secure this service ; and 
the demand is spreading all over the city for 
the extension of the same. 

Telephone Service. — The Chicago Tel- 
ephone Company has extended its service 
into Evanston and erected a very beautiful 
building on Chicago Avenue, just south of 
Davis Street, for its ofiices. The local 
charge for residences is very reasonable, and 
the service has been found extremely satis- 
factory. 

As has already been suggested, the terri- 
tory embraced within the limits of the City 
of Evanston is capable of furnishing com- 
fortable homes with plenty of air-space for 
about 1 00,000 people. There is no reason 
why this city should not be a model one. 
The problems of municipal government and 
management are live ones, and some of the 
best thought of the country is devoting 
itself to their solution. Perhaps nowhere 
could be found a more ideal spot or a better 
environment for the practical solution of 
many of these problems, and the residents 
of the City of Evanston are of a class to 
lend themselves readily to assisting along 
these lines. 



« 



CHAPTER XXI. 



WATER SUPPLY— LIGHTING SYSTEM 

(By THOMAS BATES) 



Conditions Prior to 18/4 — First Move for 
an Adequate Water Supply — Charles J. 
Gilbert Leader in the Movement — Holly 
Engines Installed in 18/4 and 1886— 
Annexation of South Evanston — The 
Consolidated City Incorporated in i8()2 — ■ 
Increase in the Water Supply in i8p/ — 
Source of Supply — Revenue — Extent of 
System — Street Lighting by Gas Intro- 
duced in i8yi — Introduction of Electric 
Lighting in i8go — Installation of the 
Evanston-Yaryan Light and 
S\steni. 



Heating 



Prior to 1874 the supply of water used 
by the citizens of Evanston was procured 
from their own private wells and cisterns. 
However, for two years before that time, 
the \'illage P)oard of the then \'illage of 
Evanston had been considering and discus- 
sing the possibility of a more satisfactory 
means of furnishing the people with water, 
but, as it involved the building of a water- 
works plant, putting down sewers and 
water-pipes and the purchase of an engine, 
it involved an expense which, to some of the 
learned fathers of that time, was appalling. 

Leader in the Movement for an Im- 
proved Water Supply. — The man who was 
most active and persistent in his fight for 
the establishment of a water-plant was 
Charles J. Gilbert, who has, ever since that 
time, been known as the father of the Evan- 



ston Water- Works. He not only gave lib- 
erally of his time, but also contributed lib- 
erally of his private means in traveling 
about the country for the purpose of ascer- 
taining the best system, the best engines and 
the best sort of plant for the village, and, in 
1874, the first engine and pumping station 
were installed. 

The engine was named the "C. J. Gilbert." 
It is a quadroduplex Holly engine, with a 
rated capacity of 2,000,000 gallons per day ; 
but after it was installed and, in cases of 
emergency, it pumped in the neighborhood 
of 3.000,000 gallons per day. This engine 
is still running and in good condition, and it 
is a somewhat remarkable fact that Samuel 
B. Penney, who was installed as second 
engineer of the Evanston Water-Works in 
1874, is still in charge of them, and has 
been in the continuous service of the village 
and city successively since the old "C. J. 
Gilbert" pumped the first gallon of water. 

This engine was run for seventeen years, 
night and day, and during those seventeen 
years it ran on an average of 23.7 hours 
out of each 24 for the entire time. 

The largest amount of water ever pumped 
in one day during the year 1875 was 656,- 
918 gallons, and for the entire month of 
May. 1876, there was pumped 6,636,448 
gallons in the thirty-one days. As com- 
pared with this record, it may be said that, 
on August 8, 1900, the amount of water 



181 



182 



WATER SUPPLY— LIGHTING SYSTEM 



pumped in one day at the Evanston pump- 
ing station was 10,156,132 gallons, almost 
one-third more than was pumped for the en- 
tire month of May, 1876. 

The Cost — Second Engine Installed in 
1886. — The cost of the first Holly engine 
bought in Evanston, together with boiler, 
was $24,000. In the year 1886 it became 
apparent to the authorities of the then Mi- 
lage of Evanston, that the engine which 
had run night and day since 1875 was, in its 
capacity, inadequate for the wants of the 
people, and thereupon, after the usual in- 
vestigation, consideration and discussion, a 
second Holly engine was purchased, of the 
Gaskill type, and, in the year 1888, it was 
installed with a rated capacity of 5,000,000 
gallons a day, which, under pressure, could 
be increased to 5,500,000 per day. 

It is a little remarkable that, upon the 
installation of this second engine, the then 
Milage Pioard of Trustees were divided as 
to whether they should throw out the first 
engine or sell it for what they could get, 
upon the theory that this second engine, 
with a 5,000,000 gallons capacity, would be 
sufficient for the needs of the village for the 
next twenty years. It was, however, finally 
decided to retain the first engine for a time 
at least, and the wisdom of this decision was 
shown by the fact that, in less than three 
years, the second engine was found inad- 
equate, and from that time until the year 
1896, the water required at times taxed the 
full capacity of both engines. 

Annexation of South Evanston. — A few- 
years after the installation of the second 
engine, the Village of South Evanston was 
annexed to Evanston, and one month later 
(March, 1892), the consolidated village was 
incorporated as the City of Evanston. Prior 
to the annexation of the Village of South 
Evanston, it had received its water supply 
largely from an artesian well ; but after the 
annexation, the water-mains were extended 



or connected with the mains of the City of 
Evanston, and it then became apparent that 
the capacity of the engines was insufficient 
to supply the needs of the people, and, there- 
fore, in 1896 the City Council of Evanston 
took into consideration the question of the 
purchase of another engine to meet the in- 
creased demand. 

Third Engine Installed in 1897.— Great 
diversity of opinion arose in the minds of 
the Aldermen composing the City Council 
as to what kind of an engine was best fitted 
for the purpose. The discussion at times 
was bitter and personal, but it resulted in 
the purchase, in 1897, and the installation of 
another Holly engine, of the Decrow type, 
with a pumping capacity of 12,000,000 to 
14,000,000 gallons per day. This last men- 
tioned engine, up to this time, has been 
found fully adequate to supply the needs 
of the citv. The second engine, without any 
boilers or fittings, cost about $12,000. and 
the third engine, together with foundations 
and such fittings as were necessary, cost 
about $35,000. 

The supply of water to these engines is 
procured through two in-take pipes, the first 
being 16 inches in diameter, which was laid 
on the bed of the lake in 1875, and which 
extends out 1,200 feet from the shore. In 
1889, this in-take pipe being found insuf- 
ficient, another in-take pipe 30 inches in 
diameter was laid on the bottom of the lake, 
extending out 2,600 feet to a submerged 
crib, and it is through this latter pipe that 
all of the water pumped for the City of 
Evanston is received, except in summer 
time, when much water is used for the 
sprinkling of lawns, and then both pipes are 
necessary to supply the demand. 

Much inconvenience has been experienced 
in the coldest weather of the winter months, 
from what is known as anchor or slush ice, 
which sinks and accumulates about the 
openings of the submerged cribs and clogs 



I 




GROSS POINT LIGHTHOUSE 

Sheridan Road and Central Street 
Tower completed June 30. 1873. Light exhibited Spring of iS;j 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



i8.^ 



the flow of water, and many expedients have 
been resorted to in order to overcome this 
difficulty, none of which, however, have been 
entirely successful. With a view to accom- 
plishing this object, within the past year, 
connections have been made with the mains 
of Rogers Park and the City of Chicago, by 
which, in case of emergency, the valves may 
be opened and the supply of water, if cut 
of? by anchor ice, may be obtained from the 
mains of the City of Chicago through 
Rogers Park. At the present time the ques- 
tion of a tunnel out under the surface of 
the lake is being agitated and seriously con- 
sidered for the purpose of, at all times, 
securing an adequate supply. 

At the present time the City of Evanston 
is also furnishing to the \'illage of Wil- 
mette its supply of water. 

The pressure upon the mains on an aver- 
age is 40 pounds to the square inch, which 
can be raised to 80 pounds to the square inch 
in case of fire. The coal consumed in the 
year iqoi was 2,000 tons. 

Income — Extent of System. — The rev- 
enue received from water-tax in 1901 was 
$65,000, which does not include the water 
permits ; including the water permits, the 
total receipts of the Water Department for 
the year 1901 was about $70,000. It, per- 
haps, would not be advisable to state how 
much of this $70,000 is clear profit to the 
city, but it may be sufficient to add that, 
whilst the water-tax in the city is not higher 
than that of other cities — in fact, is con- 
siderably less than the water-tax of many 
cities — still the Evanston water-works 
plant, today, is proving an exceedingly 
profitable investment for the city. 

The water, for which this $70,000 is paid, 
is distributed to the citizens of Evanston 
through sixty-one miles of water-mains. 
The supply is abundant. No restrictions are 
placed upon the citizens in regard to lawn 
sprinkling, and the beautiful trees and lawns 



of the city bear witness to the fact that the 
water-plant of Evanston, today, is a decided 
success. 

Lighting. — Prior to 1871 a few smoky, 
flickering oil-lamps were the only guide 
which an Evanston citizen had at night to 
aid him in keeping out of the mud and the 
ditches of the unpaved and unsewered 
streets ; but it was during this year that 
the Northwestern Gas-Light & Coke Com- 
pany erected a small plant and furnished 
to a very limited number a substitute for the 
oil-lamps in the form of gas. It was nearly 
five years after this, however, before gas 
street-lamps came into anything like gen- 
eral use. 

Evanston then, as now, was a city of 
homes. The people who settled there de- 
sired large lawns and plenty of room. A 
comparatively few people covered a large 
area, and to light efifectively all the streets 
with gas involved an expenditure which was 
out of all proportion to the number of in- 
habitants who derived the benefit ; and, 
therefore, it was not until about the year 
1890 that an Evanston citizen could boast 
that his town was well lighted. Indeed, it 
was not until about the year 1895 that the 
lighting of the streets of the city could be 
said to be entirely satisfactory. 

Evanston Electric Illuminating Com- 
pany. — In the year 1890 the Evanston 
Electric Illuminating Company built its 
plant in Evanston, and, within one year 
after that plant was established, it entered 
into a contract with the City of Evanston 
to supply arc-lights of 2,000-candle power 
at the rate of $83.75 ^^ch per year, under 
what was known as the Philadelphia Moon- 
light Schedule. 

In the month of July, 1895, the city 
entered into a contract with the Evanston 
Electric Illuminating Company by which it 
was agreed that the latter should furnish 
arc-lights of 2,000-candle power at a yearly 



i84 



WATER SUPPLY— LIGHTING SYSTEM 



cost of $65 per light, which contract pro- 
vided that, at the end of five years, tlie 
ilkiminating company should have the right 
to raise the price to $67.50 per light. 

The five-year contract expired in July, 
1900, but in the spring of igoo the Evan- 
ston-Yaryan Company applied to the City 
Council for an ordinance permitting them 
to establish an electric light and heating 
plant, and it was represented by the latter 
company that, by combining the two and 
furnishing both light and heat to the cit- 
izens, they would be able to furnish electric 
light at a greatly reduced price. 

The ordinance for which the new com- 
pany petitioned was granted by the Coun- 
cil, and the Evanston-Yaryan Company at 
once entered into competition with the 
Evanston Electric Illuminating Company 
for the street lighting contract, the result of 
which was that the City Council were 
enabled to make and close a contract with 
the Evan.ston Electric Illuminating Com- 
pany, by which the latter agreed to furnish 
arc -lamps for lighting the streets of Evan- 
ston at $60 per light of 2,000-candle power, 
for a period of ten years, upon a schedule 
much more liberal than that known as the 
Philadelphia Moon-light Schedule. LTnder 
this contract the City of Evanston is now 
paying for 273 lights at an aggregate cost 
of $16,380.00 per year. 

Yaryan Light and Heating System. — 
The Evanston-Yaryan Company erected its 
light and heat plant in the year 1900. It 
experienced great difficulty in securing per- 
mits for the extension of its wires, the re- 
sult being that it was able to furnish elec- 
tric light only to a comparatively small 
number of consumers ; but it immediately 
placed its mains in the central portion of the 
city for the furnishing of heat by means of 
hot water, which was pumped through those 
mains and into the houses from force pumps 
located in the central plant. In the summer 



or fall of 1902 it consolidated its electric 
plant with the Evanston Electric Illumi- 
nating Company, and, at the present time, 
the electric lighting of Evanston is again 
controlled by one corporation. 

The franchise granted by the City Council 
of Evanston to the Evanston-Yaryan Com- 
pany fixed a limit upon the price that it 
might charge for furnishing heat to con- 
sumers, and in the summer of 1902 the com- 
pany complained to the City Council that, 
under the limit thus fixed, it was unable to 
furnish heat upon a paying basis ; and, in 
fact, it complained that it was running its 
plant at a loss. Thereupon, in September, 
1902, further concessions were granted to 
the company by the City Council, under 
which it is now running its heating plant, 
and by reason of which it is enabled to 
secure a higher price for the heat furnished 
to consumers. 

There can be no question that the heat 
thus furnished is ideal and very satisfactory 
to the consumers ; but the question remains 
whether the Evanston-Yaryan Company 
will be enabled to furnish heat to its patrons 
at a price which they can afford to pay. In 
other words, the present prices charged are 
something in e.xcess of what it would cost 
the consumer to heat his premises with a 
plant of his own. However, whilst this 
plant may be said to be now in an experi- 
mental state, there can be no question that 
the furnishing heat from a central plant is 
coming more largely into favor every year, 
and it is therefore predicted that the heat- 
ing plant erected by the Evanston-Yaryan 
Company is now, and hereafter will be, a 
success. 

It is claimed by this company that it can 
furnish heat to residents living a mile from 
its central plant, the hot water being forced 
out through pipes that are protected from 
the influence of the cold and returned by 
other pipes to the central heating plant. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



185 



where the water is again heated to a high 
temperature and again forced out through 
the pipes to the consumers. But whilst the 
company claims that it can heat buildings a 
mile from its plant, still it is doubtful 
whether the heat can be profitably furnished 
to buildings situated three-quarters of a 
mile away. 

It is estimated that the Evanston-Yaryan 
Company are, at this time, supplying heat 
to about 250 consumers, and, from the re- 



ports received, it is fair to assume that but 
few of those consumers would be willing 
to go back to the old system of heating, even 
though the expense of the hot-water heat 
from the Yaryan plant is somewhat greater 
than would be the cost of heating their 
buildings by the old process. 

In conclusion, it may be said today that, 
in the matter of water supply and in city 
lighting, there are few, if any, cities more 
fortunate than the citv of Evanston. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



EDUCATION 

(By PROF. HENRY L. BOLTWOOD, late Principal Township High School) 



The Public Schools of Evanston — Day of 
the Log School House — Early Schools and 
their Teachers — Sacrifice of School Land 
— Present School Buildings — Tozvnship 
High School — Preliminary History — 
— School Opened in September, i88s — 
Prof. Boltivood its First Principal — 
Present School Building — Manual Train- 
ing — A Mimic Presidential Election — 
Draiving Department— List of Trustees. 

The earliest records of Evanston public 
schools begin with May 9, 1846. This was 
about eleven years before the existing school 
laws of Illinois were framed. In those days 
the Township Trustees constituted the 
Board of Education, unless more than one 
district existed in the township. These 
trustees were appointed by the County 
Commissioners. The trustees of Township 
41 North, Range 14 East, in 1846, were E. 
Bennett and O. Munn, Jr., with George 
M. Huntoon, Secretary and Treasurer. 

Prior to the above date, a log school- 
house had been erected, probably by private 
subscription, on the northwest corner of 
Ridge Avenue and Greenleaf Street, on a 
lot which Henry Clark had deeded to the 
township for school and cemetery purposes. 
A private or subscription school had been 
maintained as early as 1844. The first 
teacher employed was a Mrs. Marshall, who 
taught at first in a cooper shop on the 



Ridge road, nearly opposite the residence of 
the late Ozro Crain. The log school-house 
occupied in 1846 was probably built in 1845. 
One of its logs is now in the Central school 
at South Evanston. It seems to have 
needed repairs in 1846. 

Before 1857, public schools in Illinois 
were not free schools. The public funds 
derived from the State and from the income 
of the school lands were not ample enough 
to maintain school except for a brief time. 
Teachers kept a schedule of attendance, 
and all the expenses for fuel, repairs and 
teachers' wages, were distributed among 
the parents of the several pupils in propor- 
tion to the number of days of attendance, 
regardless of property. The poorest man in 
the district might be called upon to pay the 
heaviest tax. This was the case in Connec- 
ticut as late as 1853. Parents were also 
required to board the teacher a certain num- 
ber of days, according to the number of 
pupils sent from their family. This "board- 
ing 'round" was the rule, and not the ex- 
ception, in New England in those days, and 
is occasionally to be found even now. In 
case of a refusal to board the teacher, the 
teacher might, after due notice, select a 
boarding place, and the board-bill could be 
legally collected of the recusant family. The 
per diem rates do not appear in the school 
records, but from tuition bills iii the posses- 
sion of some of the old residents, they varied 



187 



i88 



EDUCATION 



from three-fourths of a cent to six cents, 
according to the number of pupils or the 
wages of the teacher. 

The first teacher employed by the Trus- 
tees of the Evanston District was Miss Cor- 
neHa Wheadon, daughter of the well-known 
"Father Wheadon." Miss Wheadon now 
Mrs. C. A. Churcher, is still living (1903) 
at 2044 Sherman Avenue. She was engaged 
at a salary of $1.25 per week — very fair 
wages for the time. A motion was made at 
the board meeting to repair the school- 
house and to purchase a water-pail and 
dipper. The repairs were voted down. 

Pupils who lived along Chicago and Hin- 
man Avenue, then known as the East Ridge, 
were sometimes unable to cross to the 
school-house except in boats or on rafts, 
on account of the deep water. Ozro Crain 
shot wild ducks, and occasionally a deer, 
about where Crain Street crosses Benson 
Avenue, just south of the present high 
school building. Before Miss Wheadon, 
Elmira Burroughs (Mrs. Palmer), and a 
Mr. T. H. Ballard taught. Miss Wheadon 
had also taught five weeks before her re- 
corded engagement, and was allowed six 
shillings a week for her services. 

Miss H. W. Barnes succeeded Miss 
Wheadon. She was married to Sylvester 
Hill, and continued to teach after marriage. 
Her wages were two dollars a week. In the 
winter of 1846 nine cords of wood were 
required to warm the little one-room 
school-house. 

School Funds. — In the famous Ordin- 
ance of 1787, Congress declared that 
"schools and the means of education shall 
be forever encouraged," but did not specify 
how this should be done. But when, in 
1818, Congress passed the act enabling the 
people of Illinois to form a State Constitu- 
tion, it was provided that Section 16 in 
every township should be granted to the 
State for the use of the inhabitants of such 



township for the support of schools. In case 
that Section 16 had already been disposed 
of, other lands equivalent thereto, and as 
contiguous as may be, were to be granted. 
The State Constitutional Convention ac- 
cepted this provision. 

But as Evanston is only a small fraction 
of the west side of a township whose legal 
designation is 41 North, Range 14 East, 
Section 16 is under the lake. To provide 
for such and similar cases, a law was passed 
in 1826, allowing townships so situated to 
select lands elsewhere. Accordingly Evan- 
ston, then known as Gross Point or Ridge- 
ville, obtained as school land a tract lying in 
Section 12, Township 41 North, Range 13 
East, a part of Niles Township, containing 
153.48 acres. This land lay between Simp- 
son Street on the south and Grant Street on 
the north. Dodge Avenue on the east and 
Hartrey Avenue on the west. 

Most unwisely, as it now seems, the 
School Trustees sold this land at the min- 
imum Government price of $1.25 per acre. 
One of the purchasers was Wendel Ellis, 
whose patent to the land was granted De- 
cember 27, 1847, by Augustus C. French, 
Governor of Illinois, upon a return made by- 
George Manierre. School Commissioner of 
Cook County. The money obtained by the 
sale of this land disappeared when School 
Treasurer Green defaulted in 1873. 

To prevent such sales as the above, sev- 
eral of the younger States have laws that fix 
a minimum price for school lands, far in ex- 
cess of the Government rate, and thus secure 
to the schools a permanent fund of great 
value. The school lands of Te.xas will 
ultimately give the schools of that State a 
permanent fund of not less than thirty mil- 
lions. If Chicago had today all the original 
school lands of its several townships, the 
income would be almost enough to run its 
schools. 

The early records are sadly defective. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



189 



Nothing is recorded for the year 1847. The 
Trustees in 1848 were O. A. Grain, E. Ben- 
nett and M. Dunlap. G. M. Huntoon was 
Treasurer. His bond was fixed at $400. 
The regular meetings were held at the 
Ridge House in Gross Point. A special 
meeting was called to be held "at early 
candle light." In that year it was voted 
that a sale of cemetery lots be held on the 
school premises, but no record of sale ap- 
pears. 

In March, 1848, it was voted to divide 
the township into two school districts, put- 
ting all of the township north of the south 
line of Section 19 into District One. Legal 
notice of a meeting to vote on the proposed 
change was ordered, but there is no record 
of any vote upon the question, and the prob- 
ability is that the matter was dropped with- 
out a vote. It was not till February, 1852, 
that the division into districts was legally 
made. District i comprised the south part 
of the township, and District 2 extended 
"from the south line of Eli Gaffield's farm" 
to the north boundary of the township. So 
reads the record. But a subsequent vote 
makes the north District Xo. i, and makes 
its south boundary the middle line east and 
west of Section 19. 

In a list of by-laws adopted in April, 
i860, trustees who were absent without ex- 
cuse from a regular meeting were to pay a 
fine of fifty cents, but no record is made of 
any collection of a fine. Teachers were 
required to teach twenty-two days each- 
month. They were also required to use 
exertions to have the children go to and 
from school in an orderly manner, and make 
it a rule that they should not play by the way, 
or bear tales of any of the transactions in 
school or during intermission. "Scholars 
shall be required to come with clean faces 
and hands under p.iin of being expelled 
from school." 

When District 2 was organized, the school 



funds were divided upon a property basis, 
and District i received $25.49, and District 
2, $13.50. 

By vote of the township, February 14, 
1856, District 2 was divided, and that part 
south of the Indian boundary was desig- 
nated as District 3, but there is no record of 
its organization, though the organization of 
Districts i, 2 and 4 are preserved. In 1870 
District 3 was annexed again to District 2. 
The bond of the School Treasurer for 1856 
was for $1,000. 

The first regular school-tax was levied in 
1856 — fifty cents on each hundred dollars of 
taxable property. This amount was ex- 
pected to provide for the running of the 
schools, and to pay up a deficiency. 

District 4 was organized in April, 1857. 
It included "all that part of Evanston" 
north of the center of the south half of 
fractional Sections 7 and 12. in Townships 
13 and 14. The first teacher of this school 
was M. E. Budlong. 

The first recorded school census was in 
October, 1857. All white children under 
twenty-one were to be enumerated. C. 
Thomas took the census, and was allowed 
six dollars for his services, but no record 
of the result appears. 

It seems that the Directors of District 2 
bought a school-house lot of George M. 
Huntoon for $250, and received a deed from 
him, running to the Directors. Treasurer 
H. B. Hurd took the necessary legal action 
to restrain the Directors from paying the 
sum to Huntoon until the proper deed was 
made, vesting the title in the School Trus- 
tees. This result was not secured without 
a lawsuit. 

In 1859 District 4 was re-annexed to Dis- 
trict I. This seems to have been because of 
the small number of children in the district. 
There are no records of the trustees be- 
tween May, 1862, and October, 1868. 
Samuel Greene was elected Treasurer. 



190 



EDUCATION 



In April, 1870, "Section 12, and so much 
of Section 7 as lies west of the Ridge road 
and in the town of Evanston," was made a 
separate district, to be known as District 
3. At a subsequent meeting, all of Section 
7 was set back to District i. 

An appraisement of property was made 
in July following, to determine the allotment 
of school funds. The valuation of District 
I was $307,399, and of Section 12, $6,470. 

Upon petition of residents of New Trier 
and of "lots No. i to 19, both inclusive, in 
George Smith's sub-division of the south 
part of the Archange Ouilmette Reserva- 
tion," Union District No. 3, — the North 
Evanston district — was legally constituted, 
October 3, 1870. 

District No. 4, the Rogers Park District, 
was also constituted in October, 1870. 
There was some difficulty about its boun- 
daries, but it was finally settled that it 
should include all of the township lying 
south of the south boundary of Calvary 
Cemetery. 

In April, 1875, Union School District No. 
5 was organized. It included the northeast 
part of Evanston Township, and a part of 
New Trier Township, or the "Ouilmette 
Reserve." 

Samuel Greene, Township Treasurer, de- 
faulted in 1873. His bondsmen, apparently, 
paid the amount due from him in 1876, 
$5,397.10. 

The first school-house built in District i 
was a one-story, one-room building, which 
was erected on the north side of Church 
Street, just east of Maple Avenue. Another 
story was added to it later. It was after- 
wards removed to 1618 Orrington Avenue, 
and is now occupied as a laundry. It was 
probably built in 1852, the year of the or- 
ganization of the district. The upper story 
was used as a polling place for several 
years. 

About i860 the Benson Avenue school- 



house was erected, just south of Clark 
Street. It was twice enlarged ; the last 
time in 1870. In this same year the lots on 
which the Hinman Avenue and the Noyes 
Street schools now stand were purchased, 
and school-houses were probably built soon 
after, but all the records of the district prior 
to 1870 are missing, and some records of 
later years are incomplete. 

The original Noyes Street building is 
still standing on the north side of Gaffield 
Place, just west of the Milwaukee and St. 
Paul Railroad. The Hinman Avenue frame 
building was removed in 1881, to make 
room for a new brick edifice. It was taken 
to Benson Avenue, near Clark Street, and 
used as a church by the Second Baptist 
congregation till destroyed by fire in 1889. 

In 1879 the three schools had outgrown 
their accommodations, and there was much 
discussion as to the proper means to provide 
more room. The Board of Education recom- 
mended a consolidation of all the schools 
on the block then known as the Lakeside 
property between Sherman and Chicago 
Avenue, north of Greenwood and south of 
Lake. The citizens, however, disapproved 
of this, and a new building was voted, to be 
placed on the Hinman Avenue lot, and a lot 
was purchased on Wesley Avenue, on which 
a large one-story brick building was erected. 
This was known as the Wesley Avenue 
School until 1900, when the name of David 
B. Dewey School was given it in honor of 
one of Evanston"s most efficient citizens, 
who was for many years a member of the 
School Board. Both the Hinman Avenue 
and the Wesley Avenue buildings were con- 
structed of one story only. The idea was, in 
this way, to avoid stair-climbing and to 
lessen danger in case of fire. The present 
high cost of land in Evanston will be in the 
way of any more buildings of this sort, but 
the Wesley Avenue building still has all its 
eight rooms on the ground floor. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



191 



The Benson Avenue building stood on 
leased ground, directly on the right of way 
of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. Its 
removal became necessary when that road 
was built in 1892. It was moved in three 
sections to the south side of Emerson Street, 
just west of Maple Avenue. The Haven 
school was then built on Church Street. It 
was very appropriately named after Dr. O. 
E. Haven, who was Superintendent of 
Schools from 1873 to 1882, and afterwards 
on the Board of Education till his untimely 
death in 1888. 

In 1892 the Noyes Street School was pro- 
vided with a new and enlarged building, 
which has been already outgrown, and a 
large addition was completed early in 1903. 
In 1894 the Larimer School was erected 
on Grain Street, on the very south boundary 
line of the district. It was named in honor 
of Joseph Larimer, a valued member of the 
School Board, and a man whose love for 
young men, and whose good influence upon 
them, well merited such a tribute to his 
memory. The Hinman Avenue School re- 
ceived a new building in 1898. This gives 
District i (or 76 in the present county 
enumeration) five large buildings, contain- 
ing forty-nine rooms, with a seating ca- 
pacity of about two thousand. Three addi- 
tional rooms are also rented on Asbury 
Avenue, to accommodate the overflow of 
the D. B. Dewey School. 

There appears to be no record of the 
earliest teachers of this district. The names 
of Echenbracht and Edwards are found 
among the earlier Principals. P. C. Han- 
ford, who was murdered in Chicago, was 
also a Principal. Charles Raymond, who is 
still living here, was the first to grade the 
schools and to receive the title of Superin- 
tendent. He was succeeded in 1873 by 
Otis E. Haven, son of Bishop Haven of 
the University of Michigan. Mr. Haven 
was a born teacher of rare executive ability. 



He not only brought the schools to a high 
degree of efficiency, but secured for himself 
a remarkable personal affection which still 
remains fresh in the minds of his numerous 
pupils. 

He was the first to organize a high school. 
There was no small opposition to the idea 
of a high school at first; especially from 
those who thought that the academy of the 
Northwestern University, which was al- 
ready in the field, was fully competent to 
do the work of such a school. However the 
school was established in 1876. It had no 
building, and was quartered in Lyons hall 
and elsewhere. From the very beginning 
it had an excellent name for scholarship, 
and sent its graduates to several of the best 
colleges. It had many tuition pupils from 
South Evanston, Rogers Park and else- 
where. 

Among its early teachers was Dr. E. J. 
James, now President of the University of 
Illinois, from January, 1878, to May, 1889, 
His successor was J. Scott Clark, now Pro- 
fessor of English in Northwestern Univer- 
sity. 

George S. Baker, now a lawyer in Evan- 
ston, succeeded Mr. Haven in 1882, and 
was Superintendent for four years. Mr. 
Baker is a graduate of Michigan University 
and came to Evanston from McGregor, 
Iowa. He resigned his position to take 
up the study of law, as Mr. Haven did of 
medicine. During his administration the 
schools steadily grew and prospered. 

Homer H. Kingsley, a graduate of Mich- 
igan University, succeeded Mr. Baker in 
1886, and still continues in charge. Mr. 
Kingsley has been especially successful in 
thoroughly grading the schools, and in 
securing excellent buildings. The intro- 
duction of the kindergarten, of manual 
training and of domestic science is also due 
largely to his exertions, seconded and en- 
couraged by the Woman's Club, and by 



192 



EDUCATION 



many citizens. His work is widely known 
throughout the State, and the schools of 
Evanston attract many visitors from abroad 
and are most cordially supported by the 
tax-payers. 

This district was one of the first to give 
women a place on the School Board, and 
Mrs. Louise P. Stanwood was the first 
woman to serve on the Board. 

The value of the grounds and buildings 
now owned by the district is about $250,- 
000, and its bonded debt about $70,000. 
These bonds, at 4 and 4>4 per cent, com- 
mand a premium. The finances of the dis- 
trict have been very ably managed by our 
prominent business men. A. N. Young, 
Simeon Farwell, F. P. Crandon, and H. H. 
C. Miller may be mentioned as having done 
much in regard to the finances. 

Evanston was among the first to incor- 
porate the kindergarten in its school system. 
The first kindergarten was established in 
1892. There are now four, and the experi- 
ment has proved very satisfactory. 

Manual training was introduced in the 
form of shop-work as early as 1897, but a 
new impulse was given to it in 1901. Mrs. 
Alfred H. Gross and her brother, Irwin 
Rew, are the generous donors of funds to 
equip a Manual Training and a Domestic 
Science Department. Mrs. Gross offered 
an unlimited sum for the equipment of a 
Domestic Science school, only stipulating 
that it should be the finest in the country 
and the best that money could furnish. The 
Board furnished the building in which the 
two new departments are housed. 

Mr. Rew offered $500 to equip the man- 
ual training room, and both Mrs. Gross and 
Mr. Rew offered $1,000 toward the salary 
of the requisite teachers, if the buildings 
were provided for by the Board. 

The equipment of the Domestic Science 
department cost over $1,700. Air. Rew's 
first gift to equip the Manual Training De- 



partment was $500. He subsequently gave a 
dozen lathes, of the latest and most im- 
proved pattern, at a cost of about $400. 
The building cost $8,000. Classes of 
twenty-four are taught at the same time. 
About two hundred boys and the same num- 
ber of girls receive instruction weekly. The 
cost of the material used and all incidental 
expenses are paid by the regular appropria- 
tions of the Board. 

The tenure of office among Evanston 
teachers is worthy of notice. Miss Nannie 
M. Hines and Miss Celia Sargent have 
completed their thirtieth year of service, 
and many others are nearing twenty years 
of continuous work. 

District Two (South Evanston). — The 
modern history of District Two begins in 
1 87 1, in which year a four-room brick 
building was erected on the present site of 
the Central School, on Main Street. The 
cost was $18,000. This building was great- 
ly enlarged in 1890, at a cost of $10,000. 

In 1893, while the school was in session, 
fire broke out and entirely destroyed the 
building. By heroic efforts on the part of 
the teachers, no lives were lost, though sev- 
eral persons were injured. In 1901 a 
memorial fountain was erected to commem- 
orate the names of the teachers who were 
most active in the rescue work. 

A new building was at once erected on 
the same site, at a cost of $47,000. While 
this was under construction, the schools 
were accommodated in rented rooms. The 
eighth grade pupils occupied part of the 
high school building till the end of the 
school year. 

In 1886 a four-room building was erected 
on the east side of the railroad, on Main 
Street near Forest Avenue. This was soon 
outgrown, and the present Lincoln school- 
house was erected in 1895, at a cost of $47,- 
000. 

In 1900 another building, known as the 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



193 



Washington School, was built on the west 
side, on the northwest corner of Ashland 
Avenue and Main Street, at a cost of $35,- 
000. 

It may safely be said that all these build- 
ings are unsurpassed in their adaptation to 
school work and in the completeness of 
their equipment. The lighting, heating and 
ornamentation can hardly be improved. 
They attract many visitors who are seeking 
for models and suggestions. 

Township High School. — In the winter 
of 1883, the attention of the citizens 
of Evanston village was called to the 
fact that additional school accommoda- 
tions were needed for all the schools, 
and especially for the High School, which 
had been maintained for several years with- 
out any regular home. It had been moved 
about from hall to hall, and was greatly 
hindered in its work by its cramped and 
uncomfortable quarters, in rooms which 
were in no way suited to school uses. The 
rapid growth of the village had filled all 
the school buildings to overflowing. As the 
villages of Evanston and of South Evan- 
ston were in close pro.ximity. and as all of 
the population of the township was dis- 
tributed along the line of a single railroad, 
the idea of a Township High School was 
received with favor from its first mention. 
After considerable discussion in private 
circles and in the local papers, a public 
meeting was announced to be held in Lyons' 
hall, on the evening of February 11, 1882. 
The call for the meeting was headed by 
John L. Beveridge, L. C. Pitner and H. A. 
Pearsons. 

The meeting was held according to an- 
nouncement. Henry L. Boutelle presided. 
After free discussion, a committee was ap- 
pointed consisting of John H. Kedzie, 
George O. Ide, William Blanchard, Oliver 
Adams and Harvey B. Hurd, who were in- 
structed to prepare a report to be pre- 



sented at an adjourned meeting to be 
held February i8th. This committee re- 
ported at the adjourned meeting, presenting 
the facts and figures which, in their judg- 
ment, favored the establishment of the pro- 
posed school. After considerable discus- 
sion, the following resolution was unani- 
mously adopted : 

"Resolved, That it is the sense of this 
meeting that a Township High School be 
established at an early date, and that a com- 
mittee of seven be appointed by the chair, 
the duty of said committee being to interest 
the citizens of the town in the matter, and 
especially in those districts in which there 
has been thus far least interest in the mat- 
ter." 

These districts were, naturally, North 
Evanston and Rogers Park, which were 
farthest from the center of the township. 
South Evanston had been sending many 
pupils to the village high school from its 
first organization, upon payment of tuition. 

The committee appointed in accordance 
with the foregoing resolution was composed 
of W. H. Crocker, Oliver Adams, Alex- 
ander H. Gunn, A. G. Bell, F. P. Crandon, 
Norton W. Boomer, and George O. Ide. 

The report of the committee appointed 
on the nth of February and the proceed- 
ings of the meeting held on the i8th of that 
month were published in the "Index" of 
the week following the i8th. 

On the 9th of Alarch, a petition, headed 
by Hugh A. White and H. B. Hurd, and 
signed by eighty-seven other legal voters, 
was filed with the Township Treasurer, 
Ambrose Foster, requesting that the ques- 
tion of the establishment of a Township 
High School be submitted to the legal 
voters of the township at the next election 
of School Trustees. This election resulted 
in a vote of 611 in favor of the school to 
147 against it. William Blanchard was 
elected School Trustee. Thomas A. Cos- 



194 



EDUCATION 



grove resigned from the Board of Trustees 
and Norton W. Boomer was elected in his 
place. Mr. Cosgrove's resignation was 
because both Mr. Blanchard and himself 
were residents of the same school district, 
contrary to law. 

On the loth of July, 1882, a notice was 
issued calling an election to be held on 
the 22d of the same month, to vote upon 
two propositions : 

First. To authorize the Trustees of the 
township to purchase a site for building 
and to erect a suitable building upon it. 

Second. To authorize them to borrow 
not exceeding $40,000, for the purchase of a 
site and the erection of a building, and to 
issue bonds for the amount actually bor- 
rowed. 

The question of a site, of course, was of 
great interest, and several sites were pro- 
posed. Charles Raymond, once Principal 
of the schools in District i, advocated the 
selection of the public park ; but it was 
found that this property was not available 
except for park purposes. Others advo- 
cated the block then known as the Lakeside 
Block, between Chicago and Sherman 
Avenues, north of Greenwood Boulevard, 
then occupied by a building which had been 
used for a private school. The site pro- 
posed in the election call was the corner of 
Benson Avenue and Dempster Street, front- 
ing west 250 feet on Benson Avenue, and 
measuring 200 feet on Dempster Street. 

At the election held in accordance with 
the above call, 176 votes were cast in favor 
of this site, and two against it. Only one 
vote was cast against issuing the bonds. 

The purchase price of the site selected 
was $4,000, or $16 per front foot. The 
ground was very low, and $2,200 was ex- 
pended in filling. The building of sewers 
has since entirely changed the conditions. 
The bonds issued bore 5 per cent interest, 
payable semi-annually, and were all taken 



bv the Hide and Leather Bank of Chicago, 
at par. The plan selected for the building 
was furnished by W. W. Boynton, a Chi- 
cago architect. The contract price of the 
structure was $32,500. The furniture, 
library, and apparatus cost about $2,500. 
The mason work was done by Charles T. 
Bartlett of Evanston, and the woodwork by 

A. H. Avers of Chicago. McDougal Broth- 
ers, of Evanston, did the plumbing, and J. 

B. Hobbs, of Evanston, took the contract 
for painting. Ground was broken for the 
building October 18, 1882, but owing to 
the severity of the weather, little was done 
until the spring of the following year. The 
work was completed and the building form- 
ally dedicated August 31, 1883. 

At the dedicatory exercises prayer was 
offered by Rev. F. S. Jewell. Addresses 
were made by Dr. O. E. Haven, former 
Superintendent of the village schools ; by 
Albert G. Lane, County Superintendent of 
Schools ; Rev. Dr. Cummings, President of 
the Northwestern University, and others. 
William Blanchard, President of the Town- 
ship Trustees of Schools, presented the 
keys of the building to the Principal-elect, 
and Prof. R. H. Cumnock, of the School 
of Oratory, gave selected readings. 

The Board of Trustees, at the date of 
the opening of the school, were William 
Blanchard, S. Goodenow and S. D. Childs. 
Mr. Childs was chosen at a special election 
called to fill a vacancy caused by the death 
of Norton W. Boomer, who did not live to 
see the completion of an enterprise in which 
he had taken great interest. 

The school was opened September 3, 
1883. The following teachers were em- 
ployed : 

Principal, Henry L. Boltwood, A. ]\L 
(Amherst.) 

Science, Lyndon Evans, A. B. (Knox.) 

Mathematics, Eva S. Edwards (Oswego 
Normal School.) 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



195 



Latin and English, j\Iary L. Barrie. 

German and History, Ellen L. \\'hite. 

Alusic, O. H. Merwin. 

Mr. Boltwood, who came to Illinois from 
Massachusetts in 1865, is widely known as 
the father of the Township High School in 
Illinois. In 1867 he organized in Prince- 
ton, Bureau County, the first school of this 
kind. Its success was an important factor 
in procuring the passage of the present 
State law pertaining to high schools. The 
Princeton school was organized under a 
special act. After teaching eleven years in 
Princeton, he organized another township 
high school at Ottawa, LaSalle County. 
Mr. Evans came from the High School in 
LaSalle. Miss Edwards and Miss White 
had been teaching for two years in the High 
School of Evanston. Miss Barrie came 
with Mr. Boltwood from Ottawa. 

On the morning of December 20 — the 
first very cold day of the winter — the build- 
ing was found to be on fire. A register 
had been carelessly placed directly upon 
woodwork, only a few feet above a fur- 
nace. The school session was just com- 
mencing when the fire was discovered. The 
pupils behaved admirably. When it was ap- 
parent that the fire could not* be controlled, 
they quietly removed their books, and as- 
sisted in carrying the library and apparatus 
to neighboring houses. Only one piece of 
apparatus, of trifling value, was injured. 
The fire department worked admirably, but 
it was very difficult to reach the fire. Aid 
was summoned from Chicago, and after 
three hours of hard work the flames were 
extinguished. The greater part of the build- 
ing was uninjured except by water and 
smoke. The loss was about $4,000, fully 
covered by insurance. By extra hard work 
the building was reopened for school in a 
little more than two weeks, although with 
many unfavorable conditions. An even one 
hundred pupils were enrolled at the outset. 



Among them were several who had grad- 
uated in former years, but who wished to 
carry their studies farther with improved 
conditions. The general course of study 
was lengthened from three years to four. 
In consequence there was no regular class 
to graduate at the end of the year. Five 
pupils graduated, however, of whom all but 
one had been in the school four years. The 
total enrollment for the year reached one 
hundred and forty-three. 

Drawing had not been taught in the vil- 
lage high school, nor in the graded schools, 
but Miss Edwards was kind enough to take 
up this subject, and the high quality of the 
drawing work of the school from the first 
has been largely due to her energy and 
perseverance. O. H. Merwin had charge of 
the music, but the interest in this subject 
has never been very great, and it was re- 
tained in the course only three years. While 
it was retained, the pupils furnished the 
music for the graduating exercises. 

Prize Speaking. — In the spring of 
1884 a prize-speaking contest was held, 
open to pupils of the third year. An admis- 
sion fee was charged and the prizes were 
paid out of the receipts. Any surplus was 
expended for the school, especially for the 
benefit of the Athletic Association. After a 
few years the prizes were given by two of 
our citizens, and the proceeds were applied 
to the class fund of the Junior Class. It 
soon became a custom for the Junior Class 
to give a reception to the Seniors on the 
occasion of graduation. This reception is 
generally held in the school building. 

The enrollment of 1883-84 reached one 
hundred and fifty-five. The drawing work 
was increased. Typewriting was introduced 
as a voluntary study in connection with 
bookkeeping, and a class in shorthand was 
conducted outside of school hours. Forty 
different pupils took up typewriting, some 
of whom became reasonably expert. 



196 



EDUCATION 



Mr. Evans, having been elected Superin- 
tendent of the South Evanston schools, re- 
signed at the end of the first year, and was 
succeeded by William Harkins. A.M., as 
teacher of Science and'English. 

Near the close of this year an industrial 
exhibit was given by the school, to which 
the pupils were requested to bring some- 
fhing of their own handiwork, not neces- 
sarily anything connected with school work. 
Most of them complied, and a very inter- 
esting display was made. Besides drawing, 
writing in English and German, typewrit- 
ing, shorthand and map-drawing, which 
might be considered as school work, there 
were exhibited scroll sawing, wood carv- 
ing, pieces of philosophical apparatus, 
bread, butter, confectionery, a great variety 
of needlework, and various collections of 
plants, insects and postage stamps. A large 
number of visitors inspected the exhibit. A 
class of twelve graduated this year. 

One hundred and sixty pupils were en- 
rolled in the fall of 1885, and the total en- 
rollment of the year was one hundred and 
seventy-one. This necessitated more teach- 
ing force, and Miss Jane H. White was 
added to the corps. Mr. Harkins was suc- 
ceeded as teacher of Science by Benjamin 
B. James, now (1903) Superintendent of 
Schools in West Superior, Wis. 

The increased number of pupils required 
a remodeling of the assembly room, which 
had been arranged on the original plan for 
only one hundred and forty-four pupils. By 
doubling the number of desks in part of the 
room one hundred and eighty were accom- 
modated. 

In 1885 the school competed for the 
first time in the State Fair Exhibit, send- 
ing five sets of examination papers. Three 
of these took first prizes of $5 each. In 
1886 ten sets of papers were sent, which 
took eight first prizes and two seconds, 
besides the two "sweep-stake" prizes for the 



best six and the best ten sets. For seven 
successive years the school carried off the 
highest honors, and received, in cash, $424, 
which was expended in pictures, casts and 
books for the library. At the end of this 
time the former system of awarding prizes 
was changed, and the school has not com- 
peted since. 

The industrial exhibit of 1886 surpassed 
that of the former year, both in quantity and 
quality. The drawing and clay modeling 
attracted no little attention. A class of four- 
teen graduated this year. 

Mr. James was succeeded at the close of 
the year by Lorenzo N. Johnson, A. B., of 
the Wesleyan University of Middletown, 
Conn. Mr. Johnson remained five years 
and did splendid work. He took great in- 
terest in school athletics, which, under his 
general charge, were very successful. He 
resigned in 1891 to accept a position as In- 
structor in Botany at Ann Arbor Universi- 
ty, Mich., where he remained until his la- 
mented death in 1897. 

From the first, the school took special 
interest in athletics. For several years in 
succession Evanston won the pennant in the 
Cook County Baseball League. It has also ' 
won high honors in indoor baseball. In 
football it has not been able to compete very 
favorably with the larger schools. The loss 
of Crain field, near the schoolhouse, was a 
great drawback to good practice. The 
names of Frederick W. Poole, John H. 
Kedzie. Irving McDowell. Richard Carr, 
Arthur Sickels and Frederick Lanphear, 
not to mention many others, will long be 
remembered in the school. 

Without following further in detail the 
history of the school it may briefly be said 
that the growth was very regular for sev- 
eral consecutive years, the increase averag- 
ing about thirty a year, and requiring an 
additional teacher each vear. The annexing 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



197 



of Rogers Park to Chicago, in 1893, pre- 
vented the usual increase in that year. 

While no effort has been made to secure 
pupils from abroad a considerable number 
have attended, chiefly from the towns on 
the north. New Trier Township — in which 
are located Wilmette, Winnetka, Kenil- 
worth and Glencoe — was a regular contrib- 
utor to the attendance until it established a 
Township High School of its own. In the 
first semester of 1900-01 all the High School 
pupils of that township, seventy-seven in 
number, attended the Evanston school, 
while their own building was in process of 
erection. Their tuition, amounting to 
$1,525, was paid by Xew Trier Township. 

The total enrollment of the school in 
twenty years is almost exactly 2,900. Com- 
paring this number with the number of 
graduates, 549, and not counting the 420 
enrolled this year (1903), it will be seen that 
about 22 per cent of all that enter the school 
complete the course. 

Nineteen classes have graduated, con- 
taining in all 549 pupils. Of these about 
forty per cent have gone to colleges, or 
higher institutions, besides many who have 
entered college without completing the 
High School course, or who have com- 
pleted their preparation elsewhere. 

Of these graduates 205 — or about 2>7 P^r 
cent — were boys ; a much larger proportion 
than is usually found among the graduates 
of high schools. In one class the boys out- 
numbered the girls, and in another they 
were equal in number. 

Graduates or under-graduates have en- 
tered the following colleges and profes- 
sional schools, though the list is undoubt- 
edly incomplete : Amherst, Boston Univer- 
sity, Bowdoin, Dartmouth, Harvard, Wil- 
liams, Yale, Massachusetts School of Tech- 
nology. Holyoke. Smith, Wellesley, Vassar, 
Bryn Mawr, Wells, Baltimore Female Col- 
lege, Cornell, Princeton, Syracuse, Annapo- 



lis, West Point, Lehigh University of Mich- 
igan, University of Wisconsin, University 
of Minnesota, Wesleyan University of 
Bloomington, Northwestern University, 
Lake Forest University, University of Cali- 
fornia, Berkeley, Colorado, Denver, Beloit, 
Rockford, Oberlin, Lewis Institute, Ar- 
mour Institute, School of Mines at Golden, 
School of Mines at Rolla, Schooi of Mines 
at Houghton, Art Institute at Chicago, 
Cumnock School of Oratory, besides sever- 
al law and medical schools. Many have 
taken high honors, and several are profes- 
sors or instructors in various colleges. 

The original school building was planned 
to satisfy the needs of the Evanston of 18S3 
rather than with any view to the future. 
Evanston then had a population of about 
8.000. Before four years had passed, the 
original assembly room was too small to 
accommodate the pupils, and a remodeling 
of the building was necessary. The growth 
continued, and in 1889 a large wing on the 
south side, containing ten recitation rooms, 
was added to the building at a cost of $22,- 
000. This, in turn, proved too small, and in 
1899 a new front and a north wing were 
added. This involved a virtual reconstruc- 
tion of the whole building, and the prob- 
lem of fitting the new to the old was much 
more difficult of solution than the building 
of an entirely new structure. Mr. Charles 
R. Ayers, however, proved equal to the 
occasion, and the present building is both 
attractive in appearance and convenient for 
work. The cost of the improvement was 
about $90,000. 

The north wing contains the Biological, 
the Physical and the Chemical laboratories, 
and a lecture room which is used in com- 
mon by the different teachers. The Manual 
Training Department occupies the north 
basement. On the second floor of this wing- 
are the rooms assigned to the Drawing 
Department. There are three study-rooms, 



198 



EDUCATION 



one for the Senior class, one occupied by 
the second and third year pupils, and one 
(the original assembly room) allotted to the 
entering class. The pupils generally study 
in these rooms when not in recitation. 

The building contains thirty-six rooms 
above the basement, and is intended to ac- 
commodate at least six hundred pupils. 
The present enrollment (1903) is 420. One 
of the rooms is designated as the Infirmary, 
and is equipped as an emergency hospital. 
Two large recitation rooms, thrown to- 
gether, are used as a sort of gymnasium. 
There is not room enough on the premises 
for a regular gymnasium. The proximity 
to two railroads is the greatest defect in 
the location. Twenty teachers are now em- 
ployed besides an office clerk. 

Manual Training.— In 1S8G the Board 
purchased tools for woodwork, enough to 
equip a class of twelve, and Mr. T. E. Skin- 
ner, a carpenter and contractor, gave in- 
struction outside of school hours to classes. 
Each pupil paid a fee of twenty-five cents 
a week for instruction. Twenty took in- 
struction at first. They constructed their 
own benches and tool chests, and made 
easels enough to furnish the drawing de- 
partment, but there was no regular course 
pursued. The hours after school were not 
favorable to work. In winter it became dark 
too early and in the milder weather it in- 
terfered with school athletics. Manual 
training was therefore dropped for some 
years. 

When the enlarged and remodeled build- 
ing was planned two large rooms in the 
basement were set aside for mechanical 
training. Improved benches and new tools 
were provided. A three horse-power dyna- 
mo was furnished, which takes the requisite 
current from the city electric plant. Four 
wood lathes were provided. Mr. Clarence 
M. Thome took charge of the work. A reg- 
ular course was laid out, in connection with 



mechanical drawing. The work was done 
in school hours, and received credit like 
any other study requiring equal time. 

Mr. Ward W. Pearson took charge of 
the work in 1901 and is still in charge of 
it. This year two lathes, a circular saw, a 
band-saw, a drill and a forge have been 
added to the plant, which altogether cost 
about $1,500. As a rule, the pupils have 
taken interest in their work. Conditions of 
room prevent any other than woodwork 
and a course longer than two years. 

Citizenship. — On the day of the Pres- 
idential election the school has twice had 
a lesson in practical citizenship by going 
through the form of holding an election. 
Judges are appointed ; voters are registered 
in regular poll-books by clerks ; votes are 
challenged ; regulation polling-booths are 
erected, and the specimen ballots sent out 
by the county officials are used instead of 
the official ones. Careful instruction is 
given in regard to the marking of the bal- 
lot. These elections have e.xcited no little 
interest. 

Drawing Department. — Twenty years 
ago — except in Massachusetts — few schools 
outside the larger cities included drawing, 
or any kind of manual training, in their 
regular courses of study. At the opening of 
the Evanston Township High School, the 
Principal said, "We must make a begin- 
ning, no matter how small it is," and the 
beginning was made. 

The pupils enrolled in that first drawing- 
class, almost without exception, had never 
had any previous instruction in that study. 
However, their interest and faithfulness 
gave promise of success to the experiment, 
and the results justified it. From the first 
the aim was to be practical. The allotted 
time was forty-five minutes daily, on alter- 
nate days, for two years. The work was 
planned to open to the pupil as many ave- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



199 



nues as possible, leaving him to choose and 
specialize later. 

Form-drawing and design from given 
units were the basis of the first year's work ; 
representation and construction followed as 
the pupils gained confidence and power. 
"Correlation" was an important feature ; 
the drawing department supplemented the 
work in science and history. Under the su- 
perintendence' of the drawing teacher, 
charts and sketches in zoology and botany 
were prepared. 

Clay modeling was introduced in 1885. 
In those days the drawing and mathematics 
were taught in the same room, and the pu- 
pil who went to the board to demonstrate 
a problem in Algebra and Geometry thread- 
ed his way cautiously around and among 
easels, tables, drawing boards and all the 
other "needfuls" that were slowly but sure- 
ly accumulating. Increasing numbers and 
lack of space made it necessary to omit the 
modeling until 1889, when it was again 
taken up under much more favorable con- 
ditions : not as before, as a supplement to 
drawing, but as an independent study, 
taken daily for a full year. 

In 1887 Historic Art was introduced. 
The introduction of drawing in the public 
schools relieved our course of some of the 
elementary work which before had been nec- 
essary. No feature of the course has proved 
more satisfactory, and no other has brought, 
in after years, more emphatic testimonials 
as to "value received." The pupils receive 
lectures which they themselves illustrate 
with their own drawings, and also insert 
in their note books whatever comes to hand 
from magazine and other illustrations. The 
Egyptian, the Assyrian, the Greek, the Ro- 
man and the Gothic are all treated. This 
department has nearly a hundred books of 
its own, more than two hundred large 
charts of mounted magazine clippings and 
illustrations, several hundred mounted 



prints and photographs, besides the use of 
the pictures and charts belonging in other 
departments and about a hundred and fifty 
lantern slides. 

In 1899 clay modeling, under the efficient 
supervision of Miss Maud I. Moore, a 
graduate of the school, and later of the 
Chicago Art Institute, assumed new life 
and interest. It is a third-year study, and is 
open to none who have not done excellent 
work in art. 

In 1900 the introduction of Manual 
Training as a part of the school curriculum 
made it necessary to increase the work in 
mechanical drawing ; consequently, in ad- 
dition to the regular free-hand drawing, 
those who elect can have a two years' course 
in mechanical. 

Twice the department has outgrown its 
quarters. It now has commodious rooms, 
well equipped with store-rooms and cases, 
in which to house its material. Modern 
and improved adjustable tables are provided 
for the mechanical and charcoal drawing; 
another room is devoted to historical art 
and design, and still another to the clay 
modeling. 

The school has, from time to time, sent 
its work to competitive exhibits, and al- 
though compelled to compete with schools 
that carry drawing through a full four 
years' course, has won honors and received 
honorable mention. 

A fair proportion of our pupils have gone 
to art schools, and are now professional 
teachers, illustrators, designers, architects, 
draftsmen and civil engineers, while others, 
in different professions, testify that their 
High School work in art has been of great 
service. 

It is due to the people of Evanston to say 
that the drawing department has always 
had their hearty support. They may justly 
congratulate themselves that they were 
among the first, and not the last, to recog- 



200 



EDUCATION 



nize its value and give it an honorable 
place. 

It is simply an act of justice to say that 
Miss Eva S. Edwards, who has had full 
charge of the work from the beginning and 
developed it from feeble infancy to full ma- 
turity, is entitled to the highest credit for 
its present and past success. Few teachers 
have been privileged to witness such a hap- 
py growth, or have worked more patiently 
and unsparingly for its realization. 

List of Trustees. — The following 
were the Trustees of the school under the 
school law of 1870: 

William Blanchard, President (1882- 
1890) ; S. D. Childs, deceased (1882-1884) ; 
S. B. Goodenow (1882-1890); Henry J. 
Wallingford (vice Childs). (1884-1890). 

By the law of 1889 the High School 
passed, in April, 1890, under control of a 
Board of Education, consisting of five mem- 
bers. The Board then chosen was as fol- 
lows : 

Chas. B. Congdon, President (1890- 
1897) ; John W. Bynam (1890-1891) ; Ed- 



ward D. Coxe (Rogers Park), (1890- 
1893) ; Thomas Bates (1890-1900) ; How- 
ard G. Grey (1890- 1902). 

Mr. Coxe resigned in 1893 in conse- 
quence of the annexation of Rogers Park to 
the City of Chicago. 

The following have served since : L. H. 
Bushnell (1891-1900) ; David S. McMullen 
(1894-1901). 

The present board consists of the follow- 
ing: 

William S. Lord, President, appointed 
1897 ; Conrad H. Poppenhusen, appointed 
1900; Harold Dyrenforth, appointed 1901 ; 
Dorr A. Kimball, appointed 1901 ; George 
P. Merrick, appointed 1902. Winsor Chase 
is Secretary. 

{ Prof. Henry L. Boltwood, who prepared 
the preceding chapter, died January 23, 
1906, terminating a career of over fifty 
^•ears in connection with the cause of edu- 
cation, of which over forty years were 
spent in the State of Illinois and more than 
twent>-two years as Principal of the Evan- 
ston Township High School.) 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



EVANSTON AUTHORS 

(By J, SEYMOUR CUKRKV, President Eranston Historical Society) 



Establishment of Northivestcrn University 
Marks the Beginning of Evanston Liter- 
ary Life — Effect of the Gathering of 
Professors, Instructors and Stndents — 
Groivth of Literary Activity — Edzvard 
Eggleston and Frances E. Willard Begin 
their Careers Here — Miss Wizard's "A 
Classic Toivn" — Miss Simpson's Cata- 
logue of Evanston Authors in iqoo — 
Groiiih of Nine Years — Alphabetical 
List of Authors with Bibliography and 
Biographical Records. 

The literary life of Evanston began with 
the establishment of the Northwestern Uni- 
versity in 1855, and has flourished and kept 
pace with the intellectual development of 
the people. Naturally the location of an 
institution of learning attracted a large 
number of dwellers here who were in sym- 
pathy with the University and its work, or 
who were connected with it as professors, 
instructors or students. This created an at- 
mosphere that was favorable to the growth 
of every form of literary activity, and the 
book publishers, as well as those of journals 
and periodicals, soon became familiar with 
the names of Evanston people as authors 
and contributors. Various weekly and 
monthly publications have been established 
here and have enjoyed prosperous careers. 

It was in Evanston that Edward Eggles- 
ton lived when he began to write his re- 



markable series of books, beginning as a 
writer of fiction and afterwards becoming 
a historian of great reputation. It was 
here that Frances Willard began her liter- 
ary work, and, possessing wonderful tal- 
ent.s, attracted the attention of the world 
to her work in the Woman's Christian Tem- 
perance Union. There were others who 
were writers of wide reputation before com- 
ing here, but who continued their literary 
work in this favorable environment. Many 
societies of a literary character have en- 
joyed successful careers, and their records 
are a valuable possession of the community. 

The first account of the literary history 
of Evanston is embodied in Frances Wil- 
lard's history, entitled "A Classic Town," 
published in 1891, in which she says: "The 
amount of scholarly ink which has been 
put to paper by Evanston pens will com- 
pare favorably with that of any orlier com- 
munity of its size and age in the world." 
"The literary atmosphere," she says, "is the 
highest charm of Evanston ;" and adds, "lit- 
erary people, be they great or small, hover 
by instinct around a center of books and 
thought and character." 

At a meeting of the Young Woman's 
Missionary Society of the First M. E. 
Church, in 1900, one of the features was 
the sale of a "Catalogue of Evanston Au- 
thors" for the benefit of the society. The 
catalogue was in pamphlet form and was 



201 



202 



EVANSTON AUTHORS 



compiled by Miss Frances Simpson, who, 
with the help of the staff of the Evanston 
Public Library, prepared a list of 214 
authors, with the titles of their books or 
contributions to the press in one form or 
another. In Miss Wlllard's book, published 
nine years before, she had given the names 
of sixty- four authors and journalists. Thus 
it would appear that there had been a large 
increase in the number at the time that Miss 
Simpson's list was prepared. This was pre- 
dicted by Miss Willard who said in 1891, 
"It is safe to predict that the coming thirty- 
five years will show ten times as much work 
of this kind as the past thirty-five can 
show." 

The authors whose names and works are 
given below are those who do now, or, at 
some period of their lives, have resided in 
Evanston, and who have published their 
works in book form. The list does not in- 
clude journalists, contributors to periodi- 
cals, or writers of pamphlets. The attempt 
has been made to make the list fairly com- 
plete, but omissions are likely to be found. 
The reader's indulgence is asked for any 
shortcomings of this kind. 

The people of Evanston take a just pride 
in the work of their writers, denoting, as 
it does, the intellectual status and culture 
of the community; and they will, no 
doubt, be surprised and gratified at the 
record here shown. 

EIBLIOGR.\PHY — PERSON.\L SKETCHES. 

Isaac Emens Adams. — Born at Mend- 
ham, N. J., October 29, 1857 ; graduated at 
Northwestern University ; received degree 
of A. M. from same institution in 1882 ; on 
staff of "Chicago Times" for several years ; 
and afterwards practiced law. 

Author: "Life of Emory A. Storrs" 
(1886). 

A. T. Andreas: "History of Cook Coun- 
ty, Illinois, from the Earliest Period to the 
Present Time" (1884); "History of Chi- 



cago from the Earliest Period to the Present 
Time" (3 v., 1884-86). 

Mrs. Rena Michaels Atchison : "Un- 
American Immigration : Its Present Eft'ects 
and Future Perils : A Study from the Cen- 
sus of 1890" (1894). 

Charles Beach Atwell. — Born at Theresa, 
N. Y., April II, 1855; educated in Water- 
town (N. Y.) High School and Syracuse 
L^niversity ; Professor of Botany in North- 
western L^niversity since 1894. 

Author: "The Alumni Record of the 
Northwestern L'niversity" (1903). 

M. Helen Beckwith : "In Mythland." 
(2 v., 1896) ; "Storyland with the Scissors" 

(1899). 

Katharine Beebe: "First School Year 
for Primary Workers" (1895) ; "Home 
Occupations for Little Children" (1896) ; 
"School Room Plays" (1898) ; "Story of 
Longfellow" (1899) ; "Story of George 
Rogers Clark" (1900). 

Charles Wesley Bennett. — Born at East 
Bethany, N. Y., July 18, 1828; educated 
at Wesleyan (Conn.) LTniversity ; Profes- 
sor of History at Syracuse (N. Y.) Uni- 
versity, 1871-85; Professor of Historical 
Theology in Garrett Biblical Institute, 
1885-91; died at Evanston, April 17, 1891. 

Author: "Christian Archaeology" (1888). 

Henry Leonidas Boltwood. — Born at 
Amherst, Mass. Jan. 17, 183 1; died 
at Evanston, Jan. 23, 1906 ; was grad- 
uated at Amherst College ; in 1864 entered 
the service of the U. S. Sanitary Commis- 
sion ; was principal of the High School at 
Princeton, III, from 1867 to 1878; and oc- 
cupied a similar position at Ottawa, 111., 
for the succeeding five years ; in 1883, came 
to Evanston where he became Principal of 
the High School and remained in this posi- 
tion up to the time of his death. 

Author: "English Grammar and How 
to Teach It." (1871); "Topical Outlines of 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



203 



General History" (1889) ; "Higher Spell- 
er" (1893). 

Lewis Henry Boutell. — Born in Boston, 
Mass., July 21, 1826; died at Washington, 
D. C., January 16, 1899; was graduated 
from Brown University in 1844 and from 
Harvard Law School in 1847; o" J^"- i» 
1848. was admitted to the bar in Boston; 
came West in 1863 and. in 1865, began the 
practice of law in Chicago. In 1893 he left 
the law practice for literary pursuits. 

Author: "Alexander Hamilton, the Con- 
structive Statesman" (1890); "Thomas 
Jefferson, the Man of Letters" (1891); 
"Life of Roger Sherman" (1896). 

Frank' Milton Bristol. — Methodist Epis- 
copal clergyman, born in Orleans County, 
N. Y., January 4, 185 1; graduated from 
Northwestern LIniversity, Ph. B., 1877, 
(A. M., D.D.) ; was pastor of leading 
churches in Chicago ; now pastor Metro- 
politan Methodist Episcopal Church, Wash- 
ington, D. C. 

Author: "Providential Epochs"; "The 
Ministry of Art" (1897) : "Shakespeare 
and America" (1898). 

Solon Cary Bronson. — Born at West 
Union, Iowa, July 26, 1855 ; graduated at 
Upper Iowa University, Fayette, Iowa ; be- 
came a professor in the Cornelia Miller de- 
partment of Practical Theology, of the Gar- 
rett Biblical Institute, in 1896; has received 
the degree of Doctor of Divinity from two 
institutions, viz. : Garrett Biblical Institute, 
1894, and Cornell College, Iowa, 1903. 

Author: "Delusions: A Volume of Ad- 
dresses" (1895). 

Walter Lee Brown. — Born at Melrose, 
Mass., August 24. 1853, graduated at 
Northwestern LTniversity and Columbia 
College School of Mines ; died at Evans- 
ton, April 6, 1904. 

Author: "Manual of Assaying Gold, Sil- 
ver, Copper and Lead Ores" (Ed. 6, 1896). 

William Caldwell. — Born in Edinburgh, 
Scotland, November 10, 186'? ; educated in 



Edinburgh ; graduated from Edinburgh 
University (AI. A.) in 1884; post-graduate 
student in Germany, Paris, and Cambridge 
(England), 1887-91, inclusive; received de- 
gree of Doctor in Mental and Moral Sci- 
ence, Edinburgh; obtained high honors at 
Edinburgh ; called to Sage School of Phil- 
osophy, Cornell University, N. Y., 1891 ; to 
University of Chicago, 1892 ; to North- 
western University, 1894, where he has been 
Professor of Moral and Social Philosophy. 

Author: "Schopenhauer's System in its 
Philosophical Significance" (1893). 

Henry Smith Carhart. — Born, Coeymans, 
N. Y., March 2-j, 1844 : graduated from 
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., 
in 1869 ; later studied at Yale, Harvard and 
Berlin ; Professor of Physics and Chem- 
istry at Northwestern University, 1872-86; 
President of Board of Judges, Department 
of Electricity, Columbian Exposition, 1893 ; 
member of Electrical Societies ; Professor 
of Physics, University of Michigan since 
1886. 

Author: "Primary Batteries" (1891) ; 
"Elements of Physics" (with H. N. Chute) 
(1892); "University Physics" (1894-6); 
"Electrical Measurements" (1895). 

George Chainey. — Unitarian minister, 
born in England in 1851 ; educated in Evan- 
ston and Boston ; pastor Unitarian Church, 
Evansville, Indiana, 1877-80; engaged in 
work on Biblical Interpretation. 

Author. "Foundation Stones," a Series 
of Unitarian Sermons (1879) ; "The New 
Version : Discourses on the Bible in Boston" 
(1882) ; "She: An Allegory of the Church" 
(1889); "Jeanne D'Arc, the Flower of 
France" (1888) ; "The Ten Command- 
ments" (1900); "Book of Ruth: An Idyl 
of Friendship between the Heavens and the 
Earth" (1901) ; "Unsealed Bible"; v. I, 
Genesis (1902). 

J. Scott Clark. — Born in Copenhagen, N. 
Y., September 23, 1854; graduated from 



204 



EVANSTON AUTHORS 



Syracuse University in 1877 ; Principal of 
Evanston High School, 1879-82; Professor 
of Rhetoric and English Criticism, Syracuse 
University, 1882-92 ; Professor of English 
Language, Northwestern University, 
since 1892. 

Author: "Practical Rhetoric" (1886); 
"Briefer Practical Rhetoric" (1892); 
"Study of English Prose Writers" (1898) ; 
"Study of English and American Poets" 
(1900). 

Samuel Travers Clover. — Born in Lon- 
don, England, August 13, 1859; educated 
there ; began newspaper career in 1880, 
making trip around the world ; worked on 
newspapers in Dakota five years ; staff cor- 
respondent of "Chicago Herald ;" ^Nlanag- 
ing editor of "Chicago Evening Post," 
from 1894 to 1901; "Los Angeles (Cal.) 
Evening News," 1905. 

Author: "Paul Travers' Adventures" 
(1897) ; "Glimpses Across the Sea" (1900) ; 
"Rose Reef to Buluwayo" (1896) ; "Poets 
and Poetry of Dakota" (1898); "Zephyrs 
from Dakota" (1898). 

George Albert Coe. — Born Monroe Coun- 
ty, N. Y., ]\Iarch 26, 1862 ; graduated from 
LIniversity of Rochester ; Ph. D., Boston 
University, 1891 : John Evans Professor of 
Philosophy, Northwestern L^ iversity since 
1893. ' ^ 

Author: "The Spiritual Life: Studies 
in the Science of Religion" (1900); "The 
Religion of a Mature Mind" (1902). 

Lyman Edgar Cooley. — Born Canan- 
daigua, N. Y., December 3, 1850; graduated 
from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, C.E., 
1874; Professor in Northwestern Univer- 
sity, 1874-77 ; Associate Editor "Engineer- 
ing News." 1876-78; Assistant Engineer of 
railroad bridge over the Missouri River, 
Glasgow^, Missouri, 1878 ; Assistant United 
States Engineer on ]\Iississippi and Miss- 
ouri River improvements, 1878-84; Editor 
"American Engineer," 1884; Consulting 



Engineer for Chicago Sanitary District 
(Drainage Canal). Member of the Inter- 
national Deep ^\'aterwavs Committee, 1895- 
96. 

Author : 'The Lakes and Gulf Water- 
way." 

Edwin C. Crawford. — Born at Fostoria, 
Ohio, April 10, 1845 ; educated at High 
School, Ft. ^Vayne, Ind., and graduated at 
Dartmouth College in 1874. 

Author : "Civil Government of Illinois 
and the United States" ; Special Chapters 
on Chicago and Cook County (1890). 

Henrv Crew. — Born Richmond, Ohio, 
June 4, 1859; graduated from Princeton 
College, B. A., 1882; Fellow at Princeton, 
1882-84; Fellow Johns Hopkins, 1884-87, 
Ph.D., 1887; Instructor in Physics, Har- 
vard College, 1888-91 ; Astronomer Lick 
Observatory, 1891-92; Assistant Editor 
"Astrophysical Journal" : Professor of 
Physics, Northwestern University, since 
1892. 

Author : "Elements of Physics," for 
Use in High Schools (1899) ; "Laboratory 
Manual of Physics." for Use in High 
Schools (with R. R. Tatnall) (1902); 
Editor: "Wave Theory of Light"; "Mem- 
oirs of Huygens, Young and Fresnel" 
(1900). 

Robert McLean Cumnock. — Born in Ayr, 
Scotland, May 31. 1844; came to America 
in the following year : graduated at Wes- 
leyan University in 1868 ; and soon after 
became Professor of Elocution at North- 
western LIniversity, which position he has 
held to the present time. 

Author: "Choice Readings"; "School 
Speaker." 

Nathan Smith Davis. Sr., M. D., LL. D.— 
Born at Greene, N. Y., January 9, 1817; 
graduated from College of Physicians and 
Surgeons, Fairfield, N. Y., 1837 ; received 
honorarv degree A. M. Northwestern Uni- 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



20S 



versity, and LL. D. from Illinois Wesleyan 
University ; practiced medicine in Chicago 
from 1849; Professor in Rush Medical Col- 
lege, Chicago, 1849-59 ; one of the founders 
(1859) of Chicago Medical College, now 
Medical Department Northwestern Univer- 
sity ; Professor there for thirty years and 
Dean of I'aculty until 1898, resigned; editor 
of various medical journals ; President of 
the International Medical Congress, 1887 ; 
one of the founders of Alercy Hospital, and 
one of its physicians, for over forty years ; 
a founder and Trustee of Northwestern 
University, Chicago Academy of Sciences, 
Chicago Historical Society, Illinois State 
Microscopical Society and Union College of 
Law ; a member of various other Medical 
Associations in Chicago and New York ; 
died June 16, 1904. 

Author: "Principles and Practice of 
Medicine," and various pamphlets on med- 
ical subjects and on temperance. 

Nathan Smith Davis, Jr., M. D. — Born in 
Chicago, September 5, 1858; graduated 
from Northwestern University, 1880, A. M. 
1883 ; graduated from Chicago Medical 
College, 1883 ; has since practiced in Chi- 
cago; Associate Professor of Pathology, 
1884-86 ; since then Professor of the Prin- 
ciples and Practice of Medicine and of Clin- 
ical Medicine, Chicago Medical College ; 
Physician to Mercy Hospital since 1884; 
Member of the Ninth International Medical 
Congress, Pan-American Medical Congress, 
etc. 

Author : "Consumption : How to Pre- 
vent It and How to Live With It" ; "Dis- 
eases of the Lungs, Heart and Kidneys," 
etc. 

Edward Eggleston. — Born Vevay, Indi- 
ana, December 10. 1837; died September 2, 
1902 ; educated at country and village 
schools in Indiana ; entered Methodist 
Episcopal ministry in 1857 ; editor of 
"Little Corporal," Chicago, 1866-67; chief 



Editor of the "National Sunday School 
Teacher" ( 1867-70) and other religious 
papers ; President of the American Histor- 
ical Association in 1900. 

Author: "Hoosier Schoolmaster" (1871) ; 
"End of the World" (1872); "Mystery 
of Metropolisville" (1873); "Circuit 
Rider" ( 1874) ; "Hoosier School Boy" 
( 1883) ; "History of the United States and 
Its People" (1888) ; "First Book in Amer- 
ican History" (1889) ; "Beginners of a Na- 
tion" (1896) ; "Transit of Civilization from 
England to America" (1900); Editor, 
"Christ in Art" (1874) ; "Christ in Litera- 
ture" (1875). 

Finley Ellingwood. — Born Dearborn 
County, Ind., September 12, 1852; educated 
in Kankakee, 111. ; graduated from Bennett 
]\redical College in 1878: Professor in same 
institution from 1885 to present time. 

Author: "Manual of Medical Chemis- 
try" ( 1889 ) ; "Annual of Eclectic Medi- 
cine" (1890, '91 and '92); "Systematic 
Treatise on Materia Medica" (1899); 
"Treatment of Disease" (1906). 

Frank ^lacajah Elliot. — Born at Corin- 
na, Me., March 27, 1853 ; graduated at 
Northwestern University ; President Evans- 
ton Hospital Association since 1896. 

Author: "History of Omega" (1885). 

George H. Ellis : "Analysis of White 
Paints" (1898). 

Joseph Emerson: "Lectures and Ser- 
mons on Subjects connected with Christian 
Liberal Education" (1897). 

Marshall Davis Ewell. — Born in Oxford, 
Michigan, August 18, 1844 ; educated in 
Michigan ; LL. B. University of Michigan 
1868 ; A. M. Northwestern University, 
1879 ; Professor of Common Law, Univer- 
sity College of Law, Chicago, from 1877 
until the founding of Kent College of Law 
— also known as Microscopist ; President of 
the American Microscopical Society, 1893. 

Author: "Leading Cases on Disabilities" 



206 



EVANSTON AUTHORS 



(1876); "Treatise on Law of Fixtures" 
(1876) ; "Essentials of the Law" (1882) ; 
"jMannal of Medical Jurisprudence" (1887). 

Editor: "Blackwell on Tax Titles"; 
"Evans on Agencies" ; "Lindley on Part- 
nership," and other works. 

Charles Samuel Farrar: "Art Topics: 
History of Sculpture, Painting and Archi- 
tecture" (1885). 

Randolph Sinks Foster. — Born Williams- 
burg, Ohio, February 22, 1820; educated 
at Augusta College, Kentucky ; entered 
itinerant ministry of Methodist Episcopal 
Church 1837, in Kentucky Conference; 
later was transferred to Ohio and, in 1850, 
to New York, remaining until 1857; Presi- 
dent of Northwestern L-niversity 1857-60; 
again in pastorate work in New York and 
Sing Sing, 1860-68; Professor of Syste- 
matic Theology, 1868-69; President of 
Drew Theological Seminary, Madison, N. 
J., 1869-72 ; died in 1903. 

Author: "Objections to Calvinism" 
(1849); "Centenary Thoughts" (1884); 
"Beyond the Grave" (1878); "Studies in 
Theology" (1886); "Philosophy of Chris- 
tian Experience" ; "Christian Purity" 
(1851). 

Fraxicis Gellatly : "Necklace of Liberty" 
(1886) ; "Love Made to Order, and Temper 
Tempest." 
t Anna Adams Gordon. — Born in Boston, 
July 21, 1853; educated in Newton (Mass.) 
High School and at Mt. Holyoke College ; 
for twenty-one years private secretary of 
Miss Frances E. Willard ; \'ice President 
at Large of National W. C. T. U. 

Author: "Marching Songs"; "White 
Ribbon Hymnal"; "Beautiful Life of 
Frances E. Willard" (1898). 

Ulysses Sherman Grant. — Born in Mo- 
line, Illinois, February 14, 1867; graduated 
from the University of Minnesota in 1888 ; 
Ph. D., Johns Hopkins, 1893 ; Assistant 
State Geologist, Minnesota, 1893-99; I"" 
structor in Geology in the University of 



Minnesota, 1897-98; Assistant Geologist on 
the Geological and Natural History Survey 
of Wisconsin since 1899; Assistant Editor 
of the "American Geologist" since 1897; 
Professor of Geology and Curator of the 
Museum, Northwestern L^niversity. since 
1899. 

Author: " Preliminary Report on the 
Copperbearing Rocks of Douglas County, 
Wisconsin ( 1900) ; "Wisconsin Geological 
and Natural History Survey" (v. 6, 1900) ; 
"Final Report of the Geological and Natural 
History Survey of Minnesota" (with N. H. 
Winchell) (1899-1900). 

John Henry Gray. — Born in Charleston, 
Illinois, March 11, 1859; graduated from 
Harvard in 1887; Ph. D., Halle, Germany, 
1892 ; Studied also at Paris, Menna and 
Berlin ; Instructor in Political Economy at 
Harvard, 1887-89; Chairman of the World's 
Congress Auxiliary on Political Science in 
connection with the Columbian Exposition, 
Chicago, 1893; Chairman of the Municipal 
Committee of the Civic Federation of Chi- 
cago ; 1894-96; First Vice President of the 
American Economic Association, 1897-98 ; 
appointed bv Labor Commissioner, C. D. 
Wright, to investigate labor conditions in 
England, 1902; Professor of Political 
Economy and Social Science, Northwestern 
University, since 1892. 

Author: "Die Stellung der Privaten Be- 
leuchtnugsgesellschaften zu Stadt und 
Staat" ; "Die Erfahrung in Wein, Paris und 
Massachusetts," Jena (1893). 

Evarts Boutell Greene. — Born at Kobe, 
Japan. July 8, 1870; was educated in a 
private school at Yokohama, Japan, and in 
the public schools of Westborough. Mass., 
and Evanston ; student at Northwestern 
University, 1885-88, and at Harvard. 1888- 
93; A. B., A. :\I., Ph. D..— all from Har- 
vard ; at University of Berlin, Germany, 
1893 to 1894; Professor of History, Uni- 
versity of Illinois. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



207 



Author: "The Provincial Governors in 
the English Colonies of North America" 
(Harvard Historical Series, Vol. 7, 1898), 
"The Government of Illinois, Its History 
and Administration" (Macmillan, 1904) ; 
"Provincial America" (Harpers, 1905). 

James Stanley Grimes : Geonomy : The 
Creation of Continents by Ocean Currents" 
(1857) ; "Human Nature and the Nerves" 
(1857); "Improved System of Geonomy" 
(1866) ; Mesmerism and Magic Eloquence" 
(1862); "Mysteries of the Head and 
Heart" (1870) ; "New System of Phrenol- 
ogy and Evolution of the Brain" (1869); 
"Philosophy of the Mind" (1870) ; "Phreno 
Geology, the Evolution of Animals and 
Man" (1850); "Phreno Physiology, Hu- 
man Nature, the Evolution of Mind and its 
Instruments" (1901). 

Mrs. Elizabeth Morrisson Boynton Har- 
bert. — Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, 
April 15, 1845 ; graduated from Terre 
Haute Female College 1862 ; for eigiht years 
editor Woman's Department, "Chicago 
Inter-Ocean." 

Author: "Out of Her Sphere" (1871) ; 
"The Golden Fleece" (1867); "Amore" ; 
Composer of the songs, words and music of 
"On Arlington Heights," "What Shall we 
Do With the Hours?" etc. 

James Taft Hatfield. — Born in Brooklyn, 
N. Y., June 15, 1862; graduated from 
Northwestern University, 1883: A.M. 1886; 
Johns Hopkins University, Ph.D., 1890; 
traveled and studied in Japan, China, India 
and Egypt, 1883-84; Professor of Classi- 
cal Languages in Rust University, Holly 
Springs, Mississippi, 1884-85 ; graduate 
student and Fellow at Johns Hopkins Uni- 
versity, 1887-90; Professor of German 
Language and Literature at Northwestern 
L^niversity, 1890; studied at Berlin, Weimar 
and Oxford, 1896-97 ; served in Spanish- 
American War as Captain of a five-inch gun 
on the U. S. cruiser "Yale," June to August, 



1898; Professor of German Literature at 
Northwestern University since 1890; Con- 
tributing editor "Americana Germanica" ; 
Member of the American Oriental Society 
since 1884; Member of the Modern Lan- 
guage Association of America, etc. 

Author: "Elements of Sanskrit Gram- 
mar" (1884) ; "Index to Gothic Forms in 
Kluge's Wceterbuch" (1889); "Freytag's 
Rittmeister von alt-Rosen" (1894). 

Editor of German texts ; Translator of 
German poems. 

Erastus Otis Haven. — Born in Boston, 
November i, 1820; died in Salem, Oregon, 
August 1881 ; graduated from Wesleyan 
University in 1842 ; in 1848 entered Meth- 
odist Episcopal ministry in New York Con- 
ference ; in 1853 Professor of Latin in L^ni- 
versity of Michigan, which he exchanged 
the next }ear for the chair of Eng- 
lish Language, Literature and History ; 
given degree of D. D. in 1854 by 
Union College; resigned in 1856, and 
returned to Boston, where he was 
editor of "Zion's Herald" for seven years, 
during which period he served two years in 
State Senate, and a part of the time was 
an Overseer of Harvard University ; Presi- 
dent of University of Michigan. 1863-69; 
President of Northwestern University, 
1869-72; in 1880 was ordained a Bishop of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Author : "American Progress ; The 
Young ]\Ian Advised" (1855) ; "Pillars of 
Truth" (1866); "Rhetoric" (1869). 

Henry Bixby Hemenway. — Born at 
Montpelier, Vt., December 20, 1856; gradu- 
ated at Northwestern University, 1879 ; 
practicing physician since 1880. 

Author: "Healthful Womanhood and 
Childhood" (1894). 

Newell Dvvight Hillis. — Born in Mag- 
nolia, Iowa, September 2, 1858 ; educated 
at Iowa College, Lake Forest University 
and McCormick Theological Seminary 



208 



EVANSTON AUTHORS 



(M. A., and D. D., Xorthwestern Univer- 
sity) ; entered Presbyterian ministry; pas- 
tor at Peoria, Illinois, 1887-90 ; at Evan- 
ston, Illinois, 1890-94 ; succeeded late Prof. 
David Swing as pastor of Central Church, 
Chicago (an independent church), 1894; 
pastor of Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, since 
January, 1899. 

Author: "The Investment of Influence'' 
(1898) ; "A Man's Value to Society" 
(1896); "How the Inner Light Failed"; 
"Foretokens of Immortality" (1897); 
"Great Books as Life Teachers" (1899) ; 
"Influence of Christ in Modern Life" 
(1900). 

Rosa Birch Hitt. — Born at Elkhart, Ind.. 
April 25, 1863 ; educated at the High 
School, Marion, Ind., and at Northwestern 
University; married Isaac R. Hitt, Jr., in 
1889. 

Author: "The Instrument Tuned" 
(1904). 

Jane Currie Hoge. — Born in Philadel- 
phia, Pa.. July 31, 181 1 ; educated at Miss 
Longstrength's school in Philadelphia ; en- 
gaged with the U. S. Sanitary Commission 
during the Civil War, visiting more than 
one hundred thousand men in hospitals ; 
died at Chicago, August 26, 1890. 

Author: "The Boys in Blue" (1867). 

Thomas Franklin Holgate. — Born in 
Hastings County. Ontario, April 8, 1859 ; 
graduated at \'ictoria College, Toronto, 
1884; Professor at Xorthwestern Univer- 
sity since 1893. 

Author: "Elementary Geometr}-. Plane 
and Solid" (1901). 

George Washington Hough. — Born in 
Montgomery County, New York, October 
24, 1836 ; graduated from Union College 
in 1856; Astronomer and Director of 
Dudley Observatory, Albany, N. Y., 1860- 
74 ; Director of Dearborn Observatory and 
Professor of Astronomy in L^niversity of 
Chicago, 1879-87; discovered more than 



600 new double stars and made systematic 
study of the planet Jupiter ; invented many 
instruments pertaining to astronomy, me- 
teorology and physics ; Professor of Astron- 
omy at Northwestern University and Direc- 
tor of Dearborn Observatory since 1887. 

Author: "Annals of the Dudley Obser- 
vatory" (2 v., 1866-1871); "Annual Re- 
ports of the Chicago Astronomical So- 
ciety." 

Mary Hess Hull. — Born at Miltonville, 
Ohio, April 22, 1845 (maiden name ]\Iary 
Ann Hess) ; educated in schools of her na- 
tive town ; married Morton Hull, December, 
1863 ; died in Chicago September 13. 1905. 

Author : "Columbus, and What He 
Found" (1892); "Browning's Christmas 
Eve," (1900). 

Harvey Bostwick Hurd. — Born in Hun- 
tington, Connecticut, February 14, 1828; 
came to Chicago in 1846; admitted to the 
bar in 1848; LL. D. Northwestern Univer- 
sity ; Professor in the Chicago Law School 
(now a department of Northwestern Uni- 
versity), 1862-1900; first President of the 
Village of Evanston ; official reviser of 
General Statutes of Illinois ; edited State 
edition of the same, 1874; has since edited 
sixteen editions of General State Laws ; 
originator of the great Chicago Drainage 
Canal scheme ; died January "^0, 190G. 

Author: "Torrens Act of Illinois for 
Registration of Land Titles" ; also of "Juve- 
nile Court Act of Illinois," April 22. 1899. 

Edmund Janes James. — Born in Jackson- 
ville. Illinois, May 21, 1855; educated at 
Illinois State Normal School and North- 
western and Harvard Universities, A. M. ; 
Ph. D., University of Halle, Germany 
( 1877) ; Principal of Evanston High School 
(1878-79); Principal of Model High 
School, Normal, Illinois (1879-82) ; Pro- 
fessor of Public Finance and Admin- 
istration, Wharton School of Finance 
and Economy, University of Pennsyl- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



209 



vania (1883-95); Professor of Politi- 
cal and Social Science, University of 
Pennsylvania (1884-95) ^ Edited the pub- 
lications of the University of Pennsylvania, 
Political Economy and Public Law Series 
(1886-95) ! ^ ice President of the American 
Economic Association ; President of the 
American Academy of Political and Social 
Science since 1889 ; \'ice President of the 
Board of Trustees of the Illinois State His- 
torical Library since 1895 • Professor of 
Public Administration and Director of Ex- 
tension Division in the University of Chi- 
cago (1896-1902) ; President of Northwest- 
ern L'niversit}- (1902-04): then became 
President University of Illinois at L'rbana, 
Illinois. 

Author: "Relation of the ]\Iodern Muni- 
cipality to the Gas Supply" (1886) ; "The 
Legal Tender Decisions" (1887): "The 
Canal and the Railway" (1890): "Federal 
Constitution of Germany" (i8go) ; "Federal 
Constitution of Switzerland" (1890) ; Edu- 
cation of Business Men in Europe" (1899) ; 
"Government of a Typical Prussian City" 
(Halle) (1900). 

James iVlton James. — Born in Hazel- 
green, Wisconsin, September 17, 1864: 
graduated from L'niversity of Wisconsin in 
1888; held scholarship and fellowship in 
History, Johns Hopkins University, 1891- 
93 ; Ph. D., 1893 ■ Professor of History 
Cornell College, Iowa, four years ; I\Iember 
of the American Historical Society ; Mem- 
ber of Council and Secretary of Xorth- 
western Settlement ; President of the Xorth 
Central History Teachers' Association ; 
Professor of History, Northwestern L'ni- 
versity since 1897. 

Author: "Constitution and Admission of 
Iowa into the Union" (1900); "Govern- 
ment in State and Nation" (with A. H. 
Sanford) (1901). 

William Patterson Jones. — Born about 
1827; founder (1855) of the North- 



western Female College, and for many 
years President of same: in 1862 was sent 
as Consul to Macao, China : later became 
President of Fremont (Xeb. ) Normal 
School, where he died about 1890. 

Author: "Myth of Stone Idol, a Poem" 
(1876): "Inter-Ucean Curiosity Shop." 

John Hume Kedzie. — Born in Stamford, 
N. Y., September 8, 1815; graduated from 
Oberlin College in 1841 ; admitted to the 
bar in 1847 : member of Illinois Legislature, 
1877 to 1879; died at Evanston, April 9, 

1903- 

Author: "Solar Heat, Gravitation and 
Sun Spots" (1886). 

Daniel Parish Kidder. — Born at Darien, 
N. Y., (October 18, 1815 : graduated at Wes- 
leyan University, Middletown, Conn., in 
1836: from 1837 to 1840 was a missionary 
to Brazil: and from 1844 to 1856 editor of 
the Sunday School publications of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church : compiled and edited 
more than eight hundred volumes for Sun- 
day School libraries : the list of which would 
fill many pages of this history: in 1856 be- 
came Professor of Practical Theology in 
the Garrett Biblical Institute, where he re- 
mained until 1871, when he was called to 
a like chair in the Drew Theological Sem- 
inary : died at Evanston, July 29, 1891. 

Author: "Mormonism and the Mor- 
mons" (1844): "Residence and Travel in 
Brazil" (2 vols., 1845) : in conjunction with 
Rev. J. C. Fletcher, "Brazil and the Bra- 
zilians" ( 1857) : and "Treatise on Homilet- 
ics" (l868). 

Homer H. Kingsley. — Born at Kalama- 
zoo, Mich., June 9, 1859; graduated at 
Michigan LIniversity in 188 1 : Principal of 
Evanston Public Schools ( Dist. No. i ) 
since 1886. 

Author: "The New Era Word Book" 
( 1901). 

Nellie Fitch Kingsley. — Born at Peoria, 
111., October 4, 1862 ; educated at Kalama- 



2IO 



EVANSTON AUTHORS 



zoo (Mich.) High School; married to 
Homer H. Kiiigsley, August i8, 1886. 

Author: "History of the Lewis and 
Clark Expedition" ( 1900) ; "Four Ameri- 
can Explorers" (1902). 

Marshall Monroe Kirkman. — Born in Il- 
linois, July 10, 1842 ; entered railway ser- 
vice with Chicago & Xorthwestern Railroad 
in 1856; Second Vice President of Chicago 
& Northwestern Railway since 1889. 

Author: "The Science of Railways" (12 
v., 1894) ; "Classical Portfolio of Primi- 
tive Carriers" (1896) ; "Romance of Gilbert 
Holmes" (1900) ; "The Air Brake" (1901) ; 
"Building and Repairing Railways" (1901 ). 

Samuel Ellsworth Kiser. — Born Ship- 
pensville. Pa.. February 2, 1862 ; educated 
in Pennsylvania and Ohio ; editorial writer 
"Chicago Record-Herald." 

Author: "Budd Wilkins at the Show" 

(1898) : "Georgie" (1890) ; "Love Sonnets 
of an Office Boy" (1902) ; "Ballads of the 
Busy Days" (1903); "Charles, the Chauf- 
feur" (1905). 

Loren Laertes Knox. — Born at Morris- 
ville. X. Y., January 8, 1811; educated at 
Cazenovia (X. Y.) Seminary, and Wes- 
leyan University ( Middletown, Conn.); 
Professor of Greek in Lawrence L^niversity, 
Appleton, Wis. ; died at Evanston, January 
18, 1901. 

Author: "Evangelical Rationalism" 
(1879). 

John Harper Lang. — Born in Ohio, De- 
cember, 1856; educated at Tuebingen, 
Wuerzburg and Breslau, Germany ; mem- 
ber of several scientific societies ; Professor 
of Chemistry in Medical School, North- 
western University, since 1881. 

Author: "Elements of General Chem- 
istry" (1898); "A Te.Kt Book of Wine 
Analysis" ( 1900) ; "Laboratory Manual of 
Physiological Chemistry" (1894). 

William C Levere : "Imperial America" 

(1899) ; "Twixt Greek and Barb" (1900). 



Arthur Wilde Little. — Episcopal clergy- 
man. 

Author: "Reasons for Being a Church- 
man" ( 1886 ) : "The Times and Teaching of 
John Wesley" : "The Intellectual Life of the 
Priest" ; "The Character of Washington" ; 
"The Maintenance of the Church Idea." 

Charles Joseph Little. — Born in Philadel- 
phia, Pa., September 21, 1840; graduated 
at University of Pennsylvania, 1861 ; Pro- 
fessor in Dickinson College, 1874-85 ; at 
Syracuse University, 1885-91 ; President 
Garrett Biblical Institute since 1891. 

Author : Comprehensive History .of 
.America" ( 1896). 

William Sinclair Lord. — Born in Syca- 
more, Illinois, August 24, 1863. 

Author: "Verses" (1883); "Beads of 
Morning" (1888); "Blue and Gold" 
(1896); "Jingle and Jangle" (1899). 

Mrs. Catherine Waugh McCulloch. — 
Born in Ransomville, Niagara County, 
N. Y., June 4, 1862 ; educated in Illinois ; 
graduated from Union College of Law, 
Chicago, 1886; practiced law in Rockford, 
Illinois, 1886-90, since which time she has 
been engaged in the practice of law in Chi- 
cago. 

Author: "Mr. Lex: or, the Legal Status 
of Mother and Child" (1902). 

William Smythe Babcock Matthews. — 
Born in Loudon, N. H., May 8, 1837 ; edu- 
cated in New Hampshire : studied music 
in Boston ; practical teacher of music since 
1853 ; since 1867 has been living in Chi- 
cago ; in 1891 established and has since 
been editor of "Music" (a magazine). 

Author: "How to Understand Music" 
(2 v., 1880 and 1888) ; "Primer of Musi- 
cal forms" ( 1890) ; "Music and its Ideals" 
(1897) ; "Popular History of Music" 
(1891) ; "The Great in Music" — first and 
second series (1900-1902) ; "Dictionary of 
Musical Terms" (1895) ; "The Masters 
and Their Alusic" (1898). 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



211 



Samuel Merwin. — Born in Evanston, Oc- 
tober 6. 1874; educated in Evanston, De- 
troit and Xorthwestern University. 

Author: "The Short Line War" (with 
H. K. Webster) (1899): "Cahmiet K." 
(with same) ( 1901) ; "The Road to Fron- 
tenac" (1901). 

^Irs. Emily Huntington Miller. — Born in 
Brooklyn, Conn., October 22, 1833 • grad- 
uated from Oberlin College, 1857 (A. M.) ; 
Editor of "Little Corporal," afterwards 
combined with "St. Nicholas": Dean of 
Woman's College, Xorthwestern L'niversi- 
ty, 1891-98. 

Author: "From Avalon" (poems) 
(1896): "The Royal Road to Fortune"; 
"The Kirkwood Series" : "Captain Fritz" ; 
"Little Neighbors"; "What Tommy Did"; 
"The House that Jack Rented"; "Songs 
from the Nest" (poems) ( 1894) ; "For the 
Beloved" (poems). 

Wilbur Dick Nesbit. — Born, Xenia, Ohio, 
September 16, 1871 ; educated in public 
schools, Cedarville, Ohio. " 

Author: "Trail to Boyland" (1904); 
"Little Henry's Slate" (1903) ; "An Alpha- 
bet of History" (1905). 

Mary Louise Xinde: "We Two Alone in 
Europe" ( 1886) ; "William Xavier Xinde : 
a Biography" (1902). 

Mrs. Minerva Brace Xorton. — Author : 
"In and Around Berlin" (1889); "Service 
in the King's Guard" (1891). 

Simon Xelson Patten. — Born in Illinois, 
May I, 1852; educated in Illinois: took de- 
grees of A. M. and Ph. D. at University of 
Halle, Germany ; studied law in Law School 
Northwestern University; in 1888 elected 
Professor of Political Economy in the 
Wharton School of F'inance and Economy, 
University of Pennsylvania. 

Author: "Taxation in American States 
and Cities" ; "Premises of Political Econ- 
omy" ; "The Stability of Prices" ; "Con- 



sumption of Wealth" ; "Theory of Pros- 
perity" (1902). 

Charles William Pearson. — Born in 
Leeds, England, August 7, 1846; graduated 
from the Xorthwestern University in 187 1, 
and afterwards became professor of Eng- 
lish literature in the same institution ; he 
resigned this position in 1902, and became 
pastor of the Unitarian church at Quincy, 
111.; died in England, July 11, 1905. 

Author: "Methodism: a Retrospect and 
Outlook : A Poem" ( 1891 ) : "The Carpenter 
Prophet ; a Life of Jesus Christ and a Dis- 
cussion of His Ideals" (1902), 

William Frederick Poole. — Born at Sa- 
lem, I\Iass., December 24, 1821 ; died at 
Evanston, March i, 1894; educated in 
Massachusetts ; graduated from Yale Col- 
lege in 1849; '" 1851 became Assistant Li- 
brarian of the Boston Athenaeum and, in 
the following year was made Librarian of 
the Mercantile Library of that city — a flour- 
ishing institution subsequently merged into 
the Boston Public Library ; in 1853 attended 
the first gathering of librarians ever held 
in the world, Edward Everett Hale and Dr. 
Henry Barnard, of Hartford, being among 
those present; in 1856 returned to Boston 
Athenpeuni, where he remained thirteen 
years; in 1873 was called to the Public 
Library of Chicago ; in 1887 took charge 
of the Xewberry Library, Chicago ; con- 
tributed many papers to the reports pub- 
lished by the United States Bureaus of Edu- 
cation ; in 1887 was President of the 
American Historical Association ; in 1882 
received the honorary degree of LL. D. 
from X'orthwestern University ; died at 
Evanston, March i, 1894. 

Author: "Poole's Index to Periodical 
Literature" (with W. I. Fletcher) (4 v., 
1882-1893) : "Anti-slavery Opinions before 
the Year 1800" (1873); "Columbus and 
the Finding of the Xew World" (1892). 

Miner Raymond. — Born in New York 



212 



EVANSTON AUTHORS 



City, August 29, 181 1 ; graduated from 
Wesleyan Academy. Vyilbraham, Mass., in 
1831 : instructor in same; LL. D. in 1884; 
Professor of Systematic Theology in Gar- 
rett Biblical Institute, 1864-97; *i''^d at Ev- 
anston November 25, 1897. 

Author: "Systematic Theology" (3 v., 
1877). 

Henry Bascom Ridgaway. — Born in Tal- 
bot County Md.. September 7, 1830; gradu- 
ated from Dickinson College (Penn.) in 
1849 ; Professor of Historical Theology in 
Garrett Biblical Institute in 1882; Presi- 
dent of same in 1884 ; died Alarch 30, 1895. 

Author : "The Lord's Land." ( 1876) ; 
"Life of Alfred Cookman" ( 1871 ) ; "Life 
of Bishop Janes" (1882) ; "Life of Bishop 
Waugh" (1883); "Life of Bishop Simp- 
son" (1885). 

Charles Humphrey Roberts. — Author : 
"Down the O-hi-o" (1891). 

Henry Wade Rogers. — Born Holland 
Patent, N. Y., October 10, 1853; graduated 
from University of Michigan, 1874; 
(A. M. and LL.D. Wesleyan L'niversity, 
Conn.) ; admitted to the bar in 1877; Pro- 
fessor of Law in the Law School of the 
University of Michigan, 1883 ; Dean of 
same, 1885-90; President of Northwestern 
University, 1890-1901 ; Chairman of 
Worlds' Congress on Jurisprudence and 
Law Reform, World's Columbian E.xposi- 
tion, Chicago, 1893 ; General Chairman of 
the Saratoga Conference on the Foreign 
Policy of the United States, 1898 ; Profes- 
sor of Law in Yale University, since Sep- 
tember, 1 90 1. 

Author: "Illinois Citations" (1881); 
■"Law of Expert Testimony" (1883 — 2d 
ed., 1891). 

Robert Dickinson Sheppard. — Born near 
Chicago. 111.. July, 23, 1847; graduated at 
Chicago L^niversity in 1869: at Garrett Bib- 
lical Institute 1870; Professor of History at 
Northwestern L^niversity. 1886 to 1903. 



Author; "Abraham Lincoln" (1903). 

Edwin Llewellyn Shuman. — Born in 
Manor Township, Pa., December 13, 1863; 
educated in Cook County Normal School 
and Englewood High School ; editorial 
writer on "Chicago Journal." 1892-95 ; lit- 
erary editor and editorial writer on "Chica- 
go Tribune," 1895-1901 ; literary editor 
"Chicago Record-Herald," 1901 to date. 

Author: "Steps into Journalism" (1894) ; 
"Practical Journalism" (1903). 

]\Iatthew Simpson. — Born at Cadiz, Ohio, 
June 20, 1811; attended Madison (Pa.) 
College ; became tutor in same ; in 1837 
Professor of Natural Science in Alleghany 
College ; President of Indiana Asbury 
i^niversity 1839-48; elected Bishop of 
Methodist Episcopal church in 1852 ; Presi- 
dent of Garrett Biblical Institute in 1859 : 
died in Philadelphia June 18, 1884. 

Author: "Cyclopaedia of Methodism" 
( 1878) ; "One Hundred Years of Method- 
ism" (1876); "Lectures on Preaching" 
(1879); "Sermons" (1885). 

Alice Bunker Stockham. — Born in Ohio, 
in 1833, of Quaker parentage; graduated 
from the Eclectic Medical College, Cincin- 
nati ; practiced in Indiana and Chicago ; 
established the Stockham Publishing Com- 
pany, of which she is President, to publish 
her own works and other "advanced" 
books ; was a leader in the introduction of 
"sloyd" in Chicago public schools ; active 
worker for social purity, woman suffrage 
and social reform. 

Author : "Tokology : a Book of Mater- 
nity" ( 1883) ; "Koradine" (1893) ; "Karez- 
za" (1896); "Tolstoi: a Alan of Peace" 
(1900). 

Charles Macaulay Stuart. — Born in 
Glasgow, Scotland, August 20, 1853; grad- 
uated from Kalamazoo College in 1880; 
D. D., Garrett Biblical Institute ; Associate 
editor of the "Michigan Christian Advo- 
cate" (1885-86); Assistant editor "North- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



213 



western Christian Advocate" (1886-96); 
Professor of Sacred Rhetoric in Garrett 
BibHcal Institute since 1896. 

Author: "Text of Photogravures of the 
Holy Land" (1890); "Life and Selected 
Writings of Francis Dana Hemenway" 
(with C. F. Bradley and A. W. Patten) 
(1890): "\'ision of Christ in the Poet" 
(1896); "Story of the Master Pieces" 

(1897). 

Milton Spenser Terry. — Born Coeymans, 
N. Y., February 2.2, 1840; educated at Troy 
University and Yale Divinity School ; A. 
M. Wesleyan L'niversity. 1871 ; D. D., same 
institution, 1880; LL. D., Xorthwestern 
L'niversity, 1895 • Professor in Garrett Bib- 
lical Institute, Evanston, since 1885. 

Author: "Commentary on the Old Tes- 
tament" (1875): "Biblical Hermeneutics" 
(1883); "The Sibylline Oracles" (1890); 
"Rambles in the Old World" (1894): 
"Biblical Apocalyptics" (1898). 

David Decamp Thompson. — Born April 
29, 1852, at Cincinnati, Ohio ; graduated at 
Ohio Wesleyan University ; editor of 
"Northwestern Christian Advocate" since 
1901. 

Author: "Abraham Lincoln": "John 
Wesley as a Social Reformer." 

Edward Tlxomson. — Born at Portsea, 
England, October 12, 1810: came to Amer- 
ica with his parents in 1818; grad,uated 
from the medical department of the Univer- 
sity of Pennsylvania : in charge of Norwalk 
(Ohio) Seminary, 1838-43; elected Bishop 
of Methodist Episcopal Church in 1864: 
died March 22, 1870. 

Author: "Evidences of Revealed Re- 
ligion"; "Moral and Religious Essays" 
(3 vols.) ; "Oriental Missions" (2 vols.). 

Charles Burton Thwing. — Born at Ther- 
esa, N. Y., March 4, i860; graduated from 
Xorthwestern University. 1888; Ph. D.. 
Bonn, Germany, 1894: Professor of Phy- 
sics, Knox College, Galesburg, 111., since 
1896. 



Author: "An Elementary Physics, "( 1894). 

Henry Kitchell Webster. — Born in Evan- 
ston, September 7, 1875; graduated from 
Hamilton College, N. Y., 1897, (Ph. iM.) ; 
Instructor in Rhetoric Union College, 
Schenectady, N. Y. (1897-8). 

Author: "The Short Line War" (with 
Samuel Merwin) (1899); "The Banker 
and the Bear" (1900) ; "Calumet K" (with 
Samuel Merwin) (1901); "Roger Drake" 
(1902). 

David Hilton Wheeler. — Born at Ithaca, 
X. Y., November 19, 1829; attended Rock 
River Seminary; Professor of Greek in 
Cornell College : LT. S. Consul at Genoa, 
Italy, 1861 to 1866 ; Professor of English 
Literature at Northwestern L^niversity, 
1867 to 1875 ; for a part of this time ( 1867 
to 1869) being acting president; editor of 
"The Methodist," 1875 to 1883; President 
of Allegheny College, 1883 to 1892 ; died 
at Meadville. Pa., June 18, 1902. 

Author: "Brigandage in South Italy" 
(1864) ; "By-Ways of Literature" (1883) ; 
"Our Industrial Utopia." 

Mrs. Irene Grosvenor Wheelock : "Nest- 
lings of Forest and Marsh" (1902). 

John Henry Wigmore. — Born in San 
Francisco, Cal. ; graduated from Harvard 
University with degree of A. B., 1803, LL. 
B., 1887 ; Professor of Law at Northwest- 
ern University from 1893. 

.Author: "Materials for the Study of 
Private Law in Old Japan" (1892) ; "The 
.Australian Ballot System" (1889); "Si.x- 
teenth Edition of Greenleaf on Evidence," 
\"ol. I.( i8q9) ; "Treatise on Evidence" (4 
vols., 1904-5). 

Mrs. Caroline McCoy Willard. — Author: 
"Life in .Alaska" ( 1884) ; "Kin-da-shon's 
Wife; an .Alaskan Story" (1892). 

Frances Elizabeth Willard. — Born Sep- 
tember 28, 1839, at Churchville, near 
Rochester, X'. Y. ; graduated from Xorth- 
western University and took degree of A. 
M. from Syracuse University ; in 1862 was 



214 



E^'A^XSTOX AUTHORS 



Professor of Natural Science at the North- 
western Female College, Evanston, Illinois ; 
in 1866-67 was Preceptress in the Wesleyan 
Seminary, Lima, N. Y. : in 1871 was Presi- 
dent of the Women's College of North- 
western University, and Professor of Aes- 
thetics in the University: in 1874 was ap- 
pointed Corresponding Secretary of the Na- 
tional Women's Christian Temperance 
Union and, in 1879, was made President 
of that body — the largest society ever organ- 
ized, conducted and controlled exclusively 
by women. She traveled extensively in the 
interest of the society and visited every 
State anil Territory in the Union; in 1884 
helped establish the Prohibition Party; 
originated a petition against the importation 
and manufacture of alcohol and opium, 
which was signed by seven million persons ; 
was editor of the '"Chicago Post." the 
■'Union Signal," and other journals ; died 
in New York, February 18, 1898. 

Author: "Nineteen Beautiful Years" 
(1863) ; "Hints and Help in Temperance 
Work" (1875); "Women and Temper- 
ance" (1883); "How to Win" (1886); 
'■\\'onian in the Pulpit" (1888) ; "Glimpses 
of Fifty Years" : "The Autobiography of an 
American Woman." 

Josiah Flynt Willard. — Born in Appleton, 
Wisconsin, January 2^, 1869; educated in 
Berlin University (1890-95). 

Author: "Tramping with Tramps" 
(1899) • "Powers that Prey" (with Francis 
Walton) (1900): "Notes of an Itinerant 
Policeman" (1900): "World of Graft" 
(1900). 

S. R. Winchell. — Author: "Latin Prose 
Composition" (1875); "Lessons in Greek 
Syntax" (1886). 

Erwin E. Wood. — Born at Plainfield, 111.. 
February 6, 1848 ; student at Northwestern 
University and Garrett Biblical Institute, 
1864 to 1869 ; engaged in editorial work in 
Chicago and New York. 

Author: "Epigraph Album" (1880). 



Abram \'an Eps Young. — Born in She-- 
boygan, Wisconsin, June 5, 1853; grad- 
uated from the L'niversity of Michigan in 
1875 ; Fellow in Chemistry, Johns Hopkins 
University ; Assistant in Chemistry, Har- 
vard University ; Professor in Chemistry 
at Northwestern University since 1885. 

Author: "The Elementary Principles of 
Chemistry" (1901) ;"Suggestions to Teach- 
ers, Designed to accompany the Elementary 
Principles of Chemistry" (1901). 

Jane Eggleston Zimmerman. — Author: 
"Gray Heads on Green Shoulders." 

Charles Zueblin. — Born in Pendleton, In- 
diana, May 4, 1866 ; graduated from North- 
western University in 1887, and from Yale 
in 1889; founded Northwestern University 
Settlement, 1892 ; was the first Secretary 
of the Chicago Society for University Ex- 
tension. 1892 ; Secretary of Class Study 
Division of the L'niversity Extension De- 
partment of the L^niversity of Chicago, 
1892 ; member of various municipal, politi- 
cal and social science leagues ; associate 
Professor of Sociology in the University of 
Chicago since 1896. 

Author : "American Municipal Prog- 
ress" (1902). 

The general character of the works of 
the authors given above is shown in the fol- 
lowing classification, arranged in the order 
given in "Dewey's Manual of Classifica- 
tion :" 

Bibliography 4 (= 1.5 percent) 

Political Economy and Law - 26 (= lo.o " ) 

Philology - . I ... - 14 (= 5.4 " ) 

Science - 51 (= 19.5 " ) 

Art and Music 9 (= 3-4 " ) 

Fiction, Essays and Poetry - 103 (^ 39.5 " ) 

Biography - 25 (= 9.6 " ) 

History 2q {= Ii.I " ) 

Total 261 (= loo.o " 

Among the works thus fortuitously 
brought together as those of Evanston 
authors, we find a wide range of author- 
ship, from the comics of Nesbit and Kiser 
to the profundity of Raymond's "Systematic 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



215 



Theology" and Poole's "Index to Periodical 
Literature." As usual in a general line of 
literary productions, the Fiction, Essays and 
Poetry in the above table form about 40 
per cent of the whole, corresponding in a 
general way with the proportion observed 
in the circulation of a public library. Sci- 
ence, Political Economy and Physiology, 
taken together, make up about 35 per cent ; 
and when the 25 per cent of the remainder 
is shown as History, Biography and the 
Fine Arts, the solid and serious character 
given to the whole is sufficiently apparent. 
From this may be inferred a high general 
average of culture and learning among the 
writers. The works mentioned in the above 
list are not confined to the English lan- 
guage, for here we find the productions of 
Hatfield and Gray in Genuan : and it is like- 
ly, if the search had been more thorough, 
there would have appeared others in 



tongues far remote from our beloved ver- 
nacular. Had it been a part of the plan of 
this chapter to eiuunerate the contributions 
to periodical literature and to the printed 
proceedings of learned societies, the intel- 
lectual activities of the writers who now 
make their dwelling place in Evanston or 
have done so at some time in the past,' would 
have shown a much more extended range 
and increase in number, 

Macaulay said that "one shelfful of 
European books was worth more than the 
whole native literature of India." Here is 
presented what may be the equivalent of a 
"shelfl:'ur' and even more, and it is a satis- 
faction to find this weighty characterization 
of Macaulay thus fairly applied to the pro- 
ductions emanating from one community 
among all the great numbers of centers of 
intelligence to be found in our countrv. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



LIBRARIES— PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 

(By MAKY B. LINDSAY, Librarian) 



Evanston's First Library — Major Miilford, 
the "Gcntlcmau Pioneer of Evanston" — 
Some Specimens of His Library — First 
Sunday School Library — Friz'ate Libra- 
ries of Today — Unique Collection of Cu- 
rios — History of Evanston Free Public 
Library — Edward Eggleston Prime 
Mover in Its Founding — First Step in 
Organisation — Later History and Grozvth 
— Roll of Librarians and Other Officers 
— Cataloguing and Library Extension — 
Internal Management and Conditions — 
Site for a Library Building Secured in 
1904. 

The first collection of books brought to- 
gether in Evanston was. without doubt, that 
of the private library of the late Major Ed- 
ward H. Alulford, who came here in 1835 
and settled on the Ridge road. The old Kirk 
mansion on Ridge Avenue, we are told, con- 
tains within itself a part of Major Mul- 
ford's old home, the first place occupied 
by him in what was at a later date called 
"Ridgeville." The later home of the family 
was the homestead which still stands on the 
corner of Ridge and Mulford Avenues. 
This place, with its background of wooded 
grove, its grounds fragrant with flowers, 
facing Ridge road, whose avenue of oaks 
extended to the Rogers Park line, was one 
of the most picturesque of the early homes 
of the place. 



Major Mulford was called the "gentle- 
man pioneer of Evanston," because it was 
rare in those early days to possess much ed- 
ucation or to own a library. Of the size of 
this library we have no exact data. Mrs. 
Pliny Brown of Chicago, Major Mulford's 
granddaughter, says her earliest recollec- 
tion is of three large book cases full of 
books. 

Major Mulford died March 5, 1878, and 
the books, with the rest of the property, 
were divided among the members of the 
family. Many of these books are retained 
by Mrs. Pliny Brown, who kindly fur- 
nished a list of them. Of these some of the 
interesting early editions are : 

"John Ouincy Adams," by W. H. Sew- 
ard. Derby, 1849. 

Macaulay's "History of England." Har- 
per, 1849. (^st Amer. ed.) 

"Life and Writings of Dr. Chalmers." 
Harper, 1849-52. 

"Washington's Agricultural Correspond- 
ence," by Franklin Knight. 1847. 

"Louis the Fourteenth and the Court of 
France, in the Seventeenth Century," by 
Miss Pardoe, Harper, 1847. 

"The Near and Heavenly Horizon ; Re- 
marks on Ecclesiastical History," by John 
Jastin. Holbourn, 1752. 

A notable book of local interest is "Wau- 
bun : or, The Early Day in the Northwest," 
by Mrs. John H. Kinzie of Chicago, pub- 



217 



2l8 



LIBRARIES— PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 



lished in 1856. Of this book the "London 
AthenjEiim" of that date said : "Written in 
perfectly simple, unpretending style, but 
with a keen perception of humor and a 
genuine love of adventure, which makes it 
very fascinating to read." 

The old family Bible is dated 1813, the 
year of Major Mulford's marriage. 

Among Major Mulford's books left in 
trust of later tenants of the old home- 
stead, are a number of school-books, many 
of which bear interesting autographs and 
notes made by members of the family. We 
are indebted to Mr. Francis J. McAssey 
for many descriptive notes upon these 
books. In Lindley Murray's English Read- 
er, Lexington, Ky., 1824, the poem by 
Wordsworth, the "Pet Lamb," is marked 
(apparently in Major Mulford's handwrit- 
ing ) , to the effect that this poem was 
"learned by Ann at the age of seven years 
for her father, who was to pay her 25 
cents." The names also occur of E. H. 
Mulford, George G. Mulford, James John- 
son Mulford ; Anna Mulford, Monticello 
Female Seminary ; Mary Mulford, Kemper 
Hall, Kenosha, Wis. 

The autograph of William S. Gibbs, Chi- 
cago High School, is found in Hilliard's 
First Reader, Boston, 1857. 

Among other school books used in those 
early days was "Abercrombie's Intellectual 
Philosophy," Boston, 184 1 ; "Porter's An- 
alysis," Andover, 1828; "Newman's Rhet- 
oric," Andover, 1839. "Comstock's Philos- 
ophy," New York, is inscribed as belonging 
to William Orr "Junor," "Covington Pres- 
byterian Collegiate Institute." 

An animated school-room correspond- 
ence had evidently been conducted upon 
the fly-leaves at intervals during the study 
of philosophy, between the owner and a 
rival in regard to their aft'ections for one 
C. Lindley, who is described as "anjellick." 
It is interesting to speculate who "Bill" 



Orr and his rival, "John Mc," were, and 
what finally became of their beautiful "Miss 
C. Lindley," all of whom "went to school to 
Mister Heir." 

We note the contents of "Specimens of 
American Poetry," arranged by Samuel 
Kettell, Boston, 1829; Whittier, Richard 
Henry Dana and George Bancroft are each 
represented by one poem, Longfellow by 
three, Bryant by nine and John G. C. Brain- 
ard by ten. Whittier is spoken of in a 
biographical sketch as "one of the most 
youthful of our poets, and his verses show 
a more than common maturity of power 
. . . the editor of the 'American Manu- 
facturer,' a newspaper of Boston." 

"Hoyle's Games," New York, 1829, con- 
tains, among other games, "A Practical 
Treatise on the Game of Gofif, or Golf," 
showing that golf was played "according to 
Hoyle" even in those early days. 

The following quotation is found written 
on the last page of Chesterfield's "Men and 
Manners," New York, 1831 : "To do jus- 
tice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly 
with thy God," signed "E. H. Mulford"— 
this quotation, evidently, as the present 
owner of the book observes,- "describing a 
Christian gentleman better, to the Major's 
mind, than the whole book he had finished 
reading." 

"Thomas Jefferson's Manual of Par- 
liamentary Rules," Philadelphia, 1853, is 
another book worthy of note. "The New 
York Book," New York, Geo. Dearborn, 
publisher, 1837, compiled from poetical 
writings of natives of New York State, 
contains "An Address to Black Hawk," 
evidently inspired by witnessing Black 
Hawk led captive through some eastern 
city. This book contains the autograph of 
Mrs. Bertha Gibbs. 

Another contribution to the history of 
New York is "Rochester and Western New 
York," by Henry O'Reilly, Rochester, 1838, 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



219 



containing maps and illustrations of the 
city, also steel engravings of Colonel 
Rochester, after whom the city (Rochester) 
was named, and \'incent Matthews, the 
first lawyer admitted to the bar of Ontario 
County, then (1790) comprising all that 
part of the State west of Seneca Lake. 
This book also covers fully the develop- 
ment of the Erie Canal and early railroad 
projects. Henry C^'Reilly. the author of this 
book, is said to have edited the first news- 
paper published west of New York City. 

The "Musical Carcanet," New York. 
1832, contains the words and music of "the 
most admired popular songs arranged for 
the voice, flute and violin." In a collection 
of poems, entitled "Elegant E.xtracts." is 
included a poem called "The Lighthouse," 
credited to Tom Moore, which is not to be 
found in any of the current editions of 
Moore's works. 

Perhaps the most interesting book, in its 
bearing on local history, is "Laws of Illi- 
nois," published at \'andalia in 1833 — that 
city being at that time the capital of the 
State. This book is now the property of 
the Evanston Historical Society. It is espe- 
cially interesting from the fact that ^lajor 
Mulford was a Justice of the Peace, and is 
said to have held the first court in Cook 
County — which would not be at all sur- 
prising when we consider that, in 1833, 
Chicago had only twenty-nine voters, com- 
prising the entire adult male po])ulation in 
the election of that year. This book prob- 
ably furnished Justice Mulford all the legal 
lore necessary to the settlement of all liti- 
gation arising from cattle breaking down 
fences, etc., in what is now the City of Ev- 
anston. Another book, now in possession 
of the Evanston Historical Society, is Dr. 
Isaac Mnlford's "History of New Jersey," 
1845. The author was a brother of Major 
Mulford, and the book bears the names of 
"Isaac Mulford" and "E. H. Mulford, 



Ridgeville, 111." "Scott's Lessons," a school 
book, published in 1823 and bearing the 
autograph of E. H. Alulford. was also pre- 
sented to the Evanston Historical Society. 

An e.xample of the progress of science of 
that day is furnished in "Bigelow's Tech- 
nology." published in 1815, and especially 
interesting from the fact that its author 
deemed it incomprehensible that the steam 
engine could ever be improved beyoncl its 
capacity at that time. 

Among the works in the line of fiction 
current in the first few years of Major Mnl- 
ford's residence in Evanston may be men- 
tioned : Beaconsfield's "Young Duke," 1831, 
and "\'ivian Grey," 1826; Cooper's "Home- 
ward Bound," Philadelphia, 1838. One of 
the novels of a later date is "The Schcen- 
berg-Cotta Family." by Mrs. Charles, 1863. 

First Sunday School Library. — Close- 
ly allied with the history of this first Ev- 
anston library was the first Sunday School 
Library. This Sunday School, which was 
the seed from which sprang the present 
First Methodist Sunday School, was start- 
ed at the old Mulford place and afterward 
moved to the log school-house which stood 
on the corner of Greenleaf Street and the 
Ridge. Mr. Abraham Wigelsworth was 
then the Superintendent. Mrs. Kate Hag- 
arty, now of Ravenswood, then Mrs. Ed- 
ward Mulford. who was at one time Super- 
intendent, librarian and choir leader, 
brought with her from the East, about 1834, 
a collection of fifty books, which she pre- 
sented to this Sunday School, thus found- 
ing the first Sunday Sciiool Library in Ev- 
anston. 

Private Libraries of Today. — The 
library belonging to Dr. Daniel Bonbright. 
Dean of the College of Liberal .\rts. North- 
western University, is without doubt the 
oldest of the existing private libraries of 
Evanston. Dr. Bonbright. who came to Ev- 
anston in 1855, is the oldest member of the 



220 



LIBRARIES— PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 



Faculty of Northwestern University ; his 
library has grown up in connection with his 
chair of instruction in the Latin language 
and literature, and naturally its most im- 
portant scope is in that direction. 

Notable among the early libraries of Ev- 
anston may be mentioned that of the late 
Rev. Francis D. Hemenway, D.D., who 
came here in 1857 as Principal of the Pre- 
paratory Department of Garrett Biblical 
Institute and later became Professor in the 
Institute. He was Librarian of the Insti- 
tute for many years and until his death in 
1884. Dr. Hemenway was a member of 
the sub-committee to revise the Methodist 
Hymn Book in 1876, and during this work 
he gathered about 200 volumes on hymnol- 
ogy. This remarkable collection was pre- 
sented to Garrett Biblical Institute in 1891 
by his son, Henry B. Hemenway, M. D. 
About seventy-five volumes, once a part of 
this early library, are now in the possession 
of the Evanston Free Public Library, hav- 
ing been presented by Dr. H. B. Hemen- 
way. 

Besides possessing the remainder of his 
father's library. Dr. Henry B. Hemenway 
has a collection numbering about 600 vol- 
umes, more than one-half of which are 
medical works. This library contains the 
following quaint old volumes: "The Cruci- 
fied Jesus ; or, A Full Account of the Na- 
ture, Design and Benefits of the Lord's 
Supper," by Anthony Harneck, D.D., pub- 
lished by Lowndes in London, 1700; an ex- 
tract from Mr. Law's "Serious Call to the 
Holy Life," by Rev. John Wesley, Phila- 
delphia, 1803 ; "Rhetorical Reader, with 
Rhetorical Exercises," by Ebenezer Porter, 
D.D., New York, 1835 — a very popular 
reader some sixty years ago and probably 
the first work published on oratory : a very 
early medical work, "Nine Commentaries 
LTpon Fevers and Two Epistles Concerning 
the Smallpox," London, 1730; a rare old 



book entitled, "Some of the Beauties of 
Free Masonry," by Joshua Bradley, 1816, 
has quite a history, having been left by an 
American soldier at the home of Mrs. Hem- 
enway 's grandmother, at Matamoras, Mex- 
ico. It bears its early owner's signature, 
John R. Bowdish. 1822. 

Among other early Evanstonians. whose 
libraries were a source of inspiration to the 
youth of that day, may be mentioned the 
following : 

Judge Harvey B. Hurd, who came to Ev- 
anston in 1855, and whose library was un- 
fortunately destroyed by fire in recent 
years. 

Rev. Henry Bannister, D.D., who lived 
and taught in Evanston twenty-seven years, 
coming here in 1856. 

Dr. Oliver Marcy, who became Professor 
of Natural History in Northwestern Uni- 
versity in 1862, and left at his deatlj, in 
1899, a well selected library. 

Mr. L. H. Boutell, who came to Evanston 
in 1865 and was identified with the foun- 
ding of the Public Library. His private li- 
brar}- was a carefully selected, scholarly 
collection. 

Edward Eggleston, who came here in 
1866 as editor of the "Little Corporal." and 
whose private library had such an important 
part in the initial steps that led to the found- 
ing of the Free Public Library. 

Probably the largest and most valuable 
private collection of books in Evanston is 
that belonging to Mrs. Charles J. Morse, 
whose library of about 10,200 volumes con- 
sists of three departments: (a) Profession- 
al Engineering; (b) General Literature; 
(c) Art, with especial reference to Oriental 
.*\rt (Japan, China and India). 

The Art Collection serves to trace the 
history of Oriental Art from India into 
China, from China into Japan, and its de- 
velopment in each country. The collection 
of books in English, French and German, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



221 



relating to the History, Religions, Arts 
and Industries, etc., of Japan, China, 
India, Ceylon and other Buddhist countries, 
is more complete than any similar collec- 
tion to be found in any of the large libraries 
of Chicago. 

Supplementing the above library is a col- 
lection of (a) "The Art; or, Illustrated 
Books of Japan," and (b) "The Art, Liter- 
ature and History of Art of China." The 
former is an attempt to form a complete 
collection of the art and illustrated books of 
Japan from the beginning of their publi- 
cation, about 1608, to the present time, so 
far as they were of value to art. This col- 
lection of about 700 titles is representative 
and probably more complete than any in 
this country or in Europe, the similar de- 
partment in the Bibliotheque Nationale of 
Paris containing, in 1900, only 581 titles. 

The Chinese books consist of some 5,000 
volumes, containing nearly the complete lit- 
erature of the art of painting in China, as 
well as Encyclopedias, Histories, the Clas- 
sics, Essays and Belles-Lettres. In this de- 
partment is found the largest encyclopedia 
ever published in any country, consisting of 
1,628 volumes, profusely illustrated. 

One of the largest of the private collec- 
tions in Evanston is that of Dr. Robert D. 
Sheppard, whose library, occupying a beau- 
tiful room on the east side of his home, 
facing the lake, contains about 5,000 vol- 
umes. Dr. Sheppard has made special col- 
lections of English and American history 
and economics. 

Mr. Walter Lee Brown's library, of about 
4,000 volumes, contains many sets of the 
earlier authors of England and America 
and few of the present. It consists largely 
of first editions of Cooper, Hawthorne, Irv- 
ing and Poe, and contains special collec- 
tions of the various editions of the "Medita- 
tions of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus" and 
White's "Natural History and Antiquities 



of Selborne." Mr. Brown has also made 
a special collection of "Chap Books," most 
of which were published during the eigh- 
teenth century, one being dated as early as 
1696. 

Mr. Frank M. Elliott has a library of 
about 2,200 volumes, consisting of standard 
books in fiction and miscellaneous classes. 
Mr. Elliott also has made a valuable collec- 
tion of works on Lincoln and Illinois, and 
Mrs. Elliott has a useful musical library. 

The library of Mr. Charles Cleveland, of 
about 1,600 volumes, is one of the most 
valuable private collections in Evanston. 
Most of the volumes are large paper and de 
luxe editions, and represent not only the 
highest typographical excellence, but the 
most artistic examples of book-binding in 
existence, forming a collection which is 
probably not equaled in this respect by any 
in the West. Among these fine bindings are 
specimens of the art of Cobden-Sanderson, 
Riviere, Zaehnsdorf, Cockrell, Roger de 
Coverley, Tout, Prideaux, Chambolle- 
Durer, Mercier, Ritter, Michel, David, Joly 
and Lortic. 

Of the more notable works may be men- 
tioned : A majority of the Kelmscott Press 
publications ; a full set of Caxton Club pub- 
lications ; full se^ of Eugene Field's first 
editions and presentation copies ; Fiske's 
"History of the United States," extra il- 
lustrated ; Shakespeare's Works, sixteen 
volumes, extra illustrated ; de luxe edi- 
tions of Hawthorne and Emerson and first 
edition of Ruskin's Works. Many of the 
volumes in this library have appeared in 
loan exhibitions, both in Chicago and in 
Evanston. 

The late J. H. Kedzie's library consists 
of some 600 volumes of standard authors, 
with a special collection of scientific works, 
notably on astronomy, in which subject Mr. 
Kedzie had made special research. 

The Orrington Lunt Library of North- 



222 



LIBRARIES— PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 



western L'niversity and the Garrett Bib- 
lical Institute Library, both of which are 
so densely identified with the early history 
of Evanston. will be found described in the 
chapter devoted to the history of those in- 
stitutions. 

The Margaret C. Way Memorial Library 
was presented to the Woman's Educational 
Aid Association by Mrs. Kate V. McMuUen 
in memory of her mother, Mrs. Margaret 
C. Way, who was for eighteen years a 
member of this Association. This library, 
which contains about 400 volumes, is for 
the special use and benefit of the students 
and teachers who reside at the College Cot- 
tage, now known as Pearsons Hall. 

The Evanston Township High School 
has a good working library of some 1,600 
volumes. The graded schools are also pro- 
vided with reference libraries. 

Collection of Curios. — A collection 
— not of books, but of equal value in point 
of historic interest — is that of Honorable 
George S. Knapp, who has gathered to- 
gether what is probably one of the most re- 
markable collections of historic and scien- 
tific curios in the country. Mr. Knapp was 
the general manager of the Columbian Lib- 
erty Bell, which was one of the most inter- 
esting exhibits of the World's Columbian 
Exposition in Chicago of 1893, and to the 
making of which the pennies of 250,000 
children were contributed, together with 
many historic pieces of metal, identified 
with various struggles for liberty. The 
most remarkable of these relics was that 
contributed by Mrs. Roger A. Pryor, of 
New York, which was formed of two bul- 
lets — one from the North and one from the 
South — which met in the air and so imbed- 
ded themselves into each other as to form 
a solid mass and assume the shape of the 
letter "U," typical of the Union of to-day. 

Many things pertaining to the bell are 
still in Mr. Knapp's possession, the most 



interesting being the "International Rope," 
which was used by representatives of all 
nations in ringing the bell on "Chicago 
Day." 1893. The idea, which is a unique 
one, was conceived by Mr. Knapp. The 
rope, which is fifty-four feet long, is made 
of materials from all nations of the earth. 
The central strand, consisting of a piece of 
rawhide contributed by the United States, 
is covered by strands from the other na- 
tions, the whole being wrapped with the 
"red, white and blue." The first contribu- 
tion to this rope was from Queen Victoria — 
a skein of linen thread spun by her own 
hand. The last was a piece of a meteor. 
Thus, as the owner says of it, "Heaven and 
earth helped to make it." 

The Columbian Peace Plow was made 
from the relics, mostly swords and bayo- 
nets, which could not be used in making the 
Liberty Bell. On the beam of the plow are 
the words, "And they shall beat their 
swords into ploughshares, and their spears 
into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift 
sword against nation, neither shall they 
learn war any more." 

Another interesting reminder of the 
World's Fair is the beautiful American flag 
— the official flag of the Exposition — which 
was made of American silk, spun from co- 
coons by women of twenty-six States of the 
Union. This flag was dedicated to the wo- 
men of America at the opening of the Wo- 
man's Building in 1893, and was presented 
to the Board of Lady Managers by Mr. G. 
S. Knapp and his son, G. M. Knapp, and 
was then presented back to them by that 
board. The staiT is made of cherry and in- 
laid with pieces of wood furnished by the 
World's Fair Commissioners from each 
State and Territory in the Union, each piece 
being of great historical value. 

Among the Revolutionary relics in this 
collection may be mentioned the following: 
Piece of Paul Jones' flag, the first to be sa- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



223 



luted by a foreign power ; sword used at 
Bunker Hill by Mr. Knapp's great-grand- 
father ; lanterns used by Washington's 
body guard ; blunderbuss taken from the 
boat from which the tea was thrown over- 
board in Boston harbor. This eighteenth 
century gun is a wicked looking piece, 
which bears on its large mouth the words, 
"Happy is he that escapes me." 

Relics of a later historic period are : Cup 
of white china used by Lincoln ; cigar-hold- 
er used by Grant ; gavel composed of a 
picket from the late President McKinley's 
fence at Canton (given to the owner by Mr. 
]\IcKinley himself) and a piece of the plank 
on which he stood at his inauguration : a 
Confederate flag found in a bale of cotton 
on board a ship which arrived in Liverpool, 
England, in 1864, after having run the 
blockade of New Orleans ; an American 
flag carried by Mr. Knapp through the 
campaigns of Grant, Garfield, Blaine, Har- 
rison and McKinley ; a piece of an old fort 
at San Juan, in the capture of which some 
of our own Evanston troops assisted ; a col- 
lection of swords and daggers used by the 
Filipinos in the late war, and on which the 
stains of blood still show, in spite of clean- 
ing and polishing; a bow used by Black 
Hawk ; a "Rob Roy" pistol from Sir Walter 
Scott's collection ; a revolver carried by 
Robert E. Lee in the Civil War. 

Among relics of a local interest may be 
mentioned: A carved staff made of wood 
from the old City Hall, which stood on the 
present site of the Rookery Building, Chi- 
cago ; a frame made from the steps of the 
old Ogden House, which stood on the pres- 
ent site of the Newberry Library ; the new- 
el-post of the Ogden house. The first two 
were carved by Mr. Knapp, who has done 
several pieces of very intricate carving with 
a pen-knife, notable among which is a series 
of frames held together by links, emblemat- 
ic of events in the historv of the world — 



the whole cut with a pen-knife from one 
solid piece of black walnut, the links being 
cut without disjoining. Not the least inter- 
esting in this unique collection is a piece of 
the first water-pipe laid in the City of Chi- 
cago, as well as samples of every kind of 
pipe used there since that time. 

Evanston Free Public Library. — 
The Evanston Free Public Library had its 
origin in a plan to form "The Evanston 
Sabbath School Union Library" in Febru- 
ary. 1870. For the inception of the idea of 
such a library, however, we must go back 
to 1867 or 1868, when Dr. Edward Eggles- 
ton, then Superintendent of the First Meth- 
odist Sunday School, formed a class of boys 
who met at his house, which stood until re- 
cent years at 1017 Davis Street. This class, 
which was not confined to boys of any one 
church, held a brief religious meeting, aft- 
er which they were invited freely into Dr. 
Eggleston's library and allowed to choose 
books for their home reading. We quote 
from an article in "The Index" of Decem- 
ber 18, 1897, by Dr. Henry B. Hemenway, 
who, describing this class, speaks of Dr. 
Eggleston as the "Father of the Public Li- 
brary": 

"My mental picture of Edward Eggleston 
generally shows him in the half hour after 
the meeting. He sits in a large, easy chair, 
his heavy brown hair pushed back, and his 
face lit up as he looks first to one, then to 
another of his hearers. A bov sits on each 
knee, another on each arm of the chair, one 
or two more hang on its back, while the 
rest get close to his feet on the floor, or on 
low stools. Then he told us stories — stories 
of his boyhood, or of the frontier. Some of 
them have since been printed. Before we 
parted he took us into the little library and 
helped us to select books for our week's 
reading. He did not object to books of ad- 
venture for spice, but I remember that he 
tried to instill into our minds a taste for 



224 



LIBRARIES— PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 



books of more value, like Abbott's histories. 
The class grew until he had to move it into 
the Kindergarten building, which he had 
built for his sister in the yard east of the 
house. He added to his library, but it was 
too small. Then he began to appeal to some 
of our old citizens, L. L. Greenleaf among 
others, for the forming of a public library." 

The impetus thus given resulted in the 
realization of Dr. Eggleston's cherished 
plan, and although his name is not found in 
the records of the library, he having moved 
to Brooklyn just about that time, yet there 
is no doubt that the beloved author of 
"Roxy" and the "Hoosier Schoolmaster" 
and many other books dear to young and 
old, was the inspiration of the present Pub- 
lic Library. 

The first organization was formed at the 
residence of William T. Shepherd, 1738 
Chicago Avenue, by the following named 
persons : L. L. Greenleaf, Rev. M. G. 
Clarke, Dr. E. O. Haven, A. L. Winne, 
William P. Kimball, William T. Shepherd. 
The next recorded meeting was held August 
26, 1870, at the residence of William T. 
Shepherd. Those present at this meeting 
were: L. L. Greenleaf, A. L. Winne, Rev. 
E. N. Packard, H. C. Tillinghast and Wil- 
liam T. Shepherd. At this meeting it was 
voted that the name of the Association be 
"The Evanston Library Association," the 
plan for a Union Sabbath School Library 
not being feasible. A committee which was 
appointed to draft by-laws and a constitu- 
tion consisted of Rev. E. N. Packard, Dr. 
J. S. Jewell and William T. Shepherd. On 
October 18, 1870, this constitution was 
adopted at a meeting held in the Methodist 
Church, Dr. E. O. Haven, chairman, and 
E. S. Taylor, Secretary. This constitution 
provided that the name of the Association 
be "The Evanston Library Association" ; 
that the object be "to establish and main- 
tain a public library and reading room, and 



in connection with this, by all suitable 
means to awaken a desire for sound knowl- 
edge and a correct taste, and to provide for 
the gratification of the same among all 
classes of the community." 

Two classes of membership were pro- 
vided for, viz. : Ordinary and Life — the first 
being open to all residents of Evanston upon 
the payment of $5.00 per annum. The sec- 
ond was open to residents of Evanston 
upon the payment of $30.00 for gentle- 
men and $20.00 for ladies. Annual meet- 
ings of the Association and monthly meet- 
ings of its Board of Directors were pro- 
vided. 

The Nominating Committee who selected 
the first Board of Officers consisted of Gen- 
eral (afterwards Governor) John L. Bever- 
idge, Messrs. E. R. Paul, Merrill Ladd, 
Samuel Greene and Ambrose Foster. The 
following officers were elected : President, 
L. L. Greenleaf ; \'ice-President, H. G. 
Powers : Corresponding Secretary, Charles 
Randolph ; Recording Secretary, Samuel 
Greene : Treasurer, Lyman J. Gage ; Di- 
rectors, Rev. E. O. Haven, D.D. ; Ambrose 
Foster, Andrew Shuman, L. H. Boutell, J. 
S. Jewell, M. D., and J. H. Kedzie. 

On C^ctober 25th at a meeting of the 
Board of Directors at the residence of H. 
G. Powers, the first Committees were ap- 
pointed as follows: Books and Periodicals, 
L. H. Boutell, Andrew Shuman, Dr. E. O. 
Haven ; Rooms and Furnishing, Samuel 
Greene, J. H. Kedzie, H. G. Powers and 
L. L. Greenleaf ; Finance, H. G. Powers, 
Ambrose Foster, L. J. Gage and L. L. 
Greenleaf : Lectures, Dr. J. S. Jewell, 
Charles Randolph and L. H. Boutell. 

Besides fees from members, manv dona- 
tions of money were made by friends of the 
enterprise, the largest of which was $575 
from L. L. Greenleaf. Some revenue was 
also derived, later, from lectures and from 
rent of the Association rooms. Valuable 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



225 



donations of books were made by H. G. 
Powers, Andrew Shuman, J. S. Jewell, L. 
J. Gage and others. 

On December 3, 1870, the Book Commit- 
tee were authorized to purchase books to 
the amount of $1,000. Rooms were secured 
on the second t^oor of Dr. W. S. Scott's 
building, now numbered 613 Davis Street, 
and the Library was formally opened on 
February 9, 1871. The Association was 
organized as a body corporate under the 
laws of the State of Illinois on February 23. 
1 87 1. At this time a Constitution was 
adopted, which was practically the same as 
that adopted by the Association October 18, 
1870. The first monthly report of the 
Library showed one hundred Life and An- 
nual members, thirty-three weekly sub- 
scribers, ninety books in circulation. 

On October 29, 1872 a Committee con- 
sisting of Messrs. L. L. Greenleaf, L. H. 
Boutell and J. S. Page were appointed to 
see what measures were needed to bring 
about the transfer of the Library to the 
town. Through the efforts of this Com- 
mittee the matter was brought to a vote 
of the people at the Spring election, and in 
April, 1873, the citizens of the Village of 
Evanston, without dissent, voted for a two- 
mill tax for a free public library, under the 
provisions of the Illinois Library Law, which 
was passed in March, 1872. The Trustees 
of the \'illage of Evanston thereupon ap- 
pointed as Directors of the Free Public 
Library, Messrs. L. H. Boutell, J. S. Jewell, 
O. E. Willard, J. H. Kedzie, Samuel 
Greene, E. S. Taylor, Andrew Shuman, L. 
L. Greenleaf and Thomas Freeman. 

On May 22, 1873, the Evanston Library 
Association authorized the Trustees to 
transfer the books and other property of the 
Association to the Directors of the Free 
Public Library of the \"illage of Evanston, 
upon condition that the same be forever kept 
as a Free Public Librarv for the use of the 



inhabitants of the village, and upon the 
further condition that said Directors as- 
sume the indebtedness of the Association. 
In accordance with these instructions the 
913 volumes, and other property belonging 
to the Association, were transferred by the 
Trustees on July 3, 1873. The first meet- 
ing of the Board of Directors of the Free 
Library of the Village of Evanston was 
held at the Library rooms on June 21, 1873. 
The ballot for officers resulted in the choice 
of J. H. Kedzie for President and Samuel 
Greene for Secretary. In April, 1889, the 
Library was moved to the lower floor of 
Anton Block's building, 522 and 524 Sher- 
man Avenue. L^pon the erection of the 
new City Hall in 1892, rooms on the second 
floor were assigned to the Public Library. 
These rooms were planned and adapted to 
the needs of the Library under the direction 
of N. C. Gridley, the President of the 
Board, and in April, 1893, the Library was 
removed to these rooms in the City Hall, its 
present quarters. Thus began a period of 
greater growth and expansion. The yearly 
accessions of books which, for the twenty- 
one years since its foundation, had averaged 
465 volumes per year, now ranged from 
1,142 volumes added in 1893, to 2,907 vol- 
umes added in 1897. This impulse toward 
a larger purchase of books was given 
through the generosity of John R. Lindgren, 
who, during the year 1891-92, turned over 
to the Library for a book fund, his salary 
as City Treasurer, amounting to $1,502.36. 

Officers and Directors. — J. H. Kedzie, 
the first President of the Free Public Li- 
brary Board, wtas succeeded by L. H. Bou- 
tell in April. 1877. Mr. Boutell, who, as we 
have recorded, was identified with the first 
Board of Directors of the Library Associa- 
tion, continued in faithful service as a mem- 
ber of the Board and of the Book Commit- 
tee for twentv-nine years until his death, 
January 16, 1899. In May, 1882, N. C. 



226 



LIBRARIES— PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 



Gridley was elected to the office of Presi- 
dent, which he held until his resignation, in 
June, 1895, after twenty years membership 
upon the Board, executing as President not 
only the duties of this office, but much of 
the work incident to the purchase of books, 
etc., usually devolving upon the librarian. 
To the many years of active service of these 
two gentlemen, is due. in large part, the 
successful growth of the library and the 
careful selection of books which formed the 
foundation of a collection well balanced in 
all departments. 

Mr. J. W. Thompson, who was appointed 
a member of the Board in June, 1890, has 
been, since June, 1895, its faithful and 
efficient presiding officer. The first Secre- 
tary, Samuel Greene, served from October, 
1870, to Kovember, 1873. The successors 
to this office have been as follows : E. S. 
Taylor, H. M. Bannister, N. C. Gridley, H. 
G. Lunt, J. S. Currey and Wm. S. Lord, the 
last three named having served for eight 
years each, Mr. Lord still holding this 
office. 

Charles A. Rogers is the oldest in service 
of the present Board of Directors, having 
served continuously since 1876. The re- 
maining members of the present Board, not 
before mentioned are : J. Seymour Currev, 
Vice-President ; Richard C. Lake, Charles 
G. Neely. Fred W. Nichols, George W. 
Paullin, \\ 'alter Lee Brown (resigned). 

Librarians. — Mr. Thomas J. Kellam 
was the first librarian, serving from Jan- 
uary to March. 1871. The compensation 
of the Librarian was fixed at $5 per week, 
this amount being understood to cover all 
expense incurred in the care of the room. 
Mr. Kellam was succeeded by Miss Mary 
E. Greene, who held the position until 
March, 1872, when Miss L. H. Newman 
was elected, and was retained by the Free 
Library Board, thus becoming the first 
Librarian of the Free Public Librarv. 



Those succeeding to this position have been . 
as follows : 

Miss Nellie A. Lathrop, October, 1875, 
to September, 1876. 

Miss L. H. Bannister, September, 1876, 
to November, 1880. 

Miss Lizzie R. Hunt, November, 1880, to 
September, 1882. 

Miss Ada L. Fairfield, September, 1882, 
to September, 1883. 

Miss Anna P. Lord, September, 1883, to 
November, 1888. 

Miss Laura R. Richards, November, 
1888, to May. 1891. 

:\Iiss Mary S. Morse, May, 1891, to Oc- 
tober, 1891. 

Miss May Van Benschoten, October, 
1891, to June, 1894. 

In December, 1893, it was resolved by 
the Board that the increasing work of the 
Library required the services of a trained 
librarian. In accordance with this resohi- 
tion, the present Librarian, Miss Mary B. 
Lindsay, was appointed and entered upon 
her duties, June I, 1894. 

Classification and Cataloguing. — In 
1896 the simple classification imder which 
the books were arranged was found to be 
inadequate to the growth of the Library, 
and the work of reclassifying the Library 
under the Dewey Decimal system was be- 
gun in March of that year, under the direc- 
tion of Dr. George E. Wire, late of the 
Newberry Library, and formerly identified 
with this Library as First Assistant Libra- 
rian. Miss Mary E. Gale was employed 
to make the card catalogue. This work was 
completed in December, 1896, having been 
accomplished without closing the librarv or 
materially interfering with its use. The 
first printed catalogue was published in De- 
cember, 1873, and included a historical 
sketch of the Library for the three years 
since its organization. Later catalogues 
were published in 1877. 1887, 1889 and 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



227 



1892. An "Annotated Finding List of Fic- 
tion, Books for Young People and Selected 
Lists" was published in 1897. The card 
catalogue, which is in dictionary form, 
under names of authors, titles and subjects, 
is kept up to date by a trained cataloguer, 
and thus takes the place of a printed cat- 
alogue, with continuous supplements. Bul- 
letins of new books are published quarterly 
during the year and distributed free to 
readers. 

Library Extension.— One of the chief 
means of promoting and extending the 
work of the Library on broader lines was 
inaugurated in ^larch. 1896, when, in com- 
pliance with a request from F. W. Nichols, 
Superintendent of School District No. 2, 
about 100 books were loaned to the schools 
in that district to be circulated under the 
direction of the teachers. In the following 
year a system of separate school libraries 
was adopted. These school libraries of 
about one hundred books each were sent in 
turn to the schools farthest removed from 
the library, including all the school districts. 
One of these libraries was the gift of Mr. 
' Richard C. Lake, of the Board of Direc- 
tors. This circulation of books through the 
schools, besides giving the children the ben- 
efit of a careful selection of books, has been 
an effectual means of bringing into touch 
with the library the families of those chil- 
dren, who, residing in the remoter parts of 
the city, were otherwise not acquainted with 
the library and its privileges. A graded 
and annotated list of the 300 books in the 
school libraries, compiled by the Reference 
Librarian, has just been published. In Oc- 
tober, 1897, the work for children was made 
a part of the work of the Reference Libra- 
rian and further co-operation of the library 
with the school was made possible by her 
visits to the schools and conference with the 
teachers. 

A "Children's Corner" was established in 



the reading room of the library in October, 

1898, and here, even in its crowded quar- 
ters, is seen something of what might be ac- 
complished in this very important line of 
librarv work, in a building equipped with a 
separate children's room. ' A Children's 
Library League was organized January 26, 

1899, with the object of promoting among 
the young people a better care of the books 
and other property of the library and the 
cultivation of a taste for the best books. 

Reference Department. — The Reference 
Department of about 900 volumes is said to 
be better equipped than most libraries of its 
size. The usefulness of this Department 
was greatly enhanced in October, 1897, 
when the position of Assistant Librarian for 
Reference and Children's work was created. 
The placing of this department in charge of 
a trained assistant has made possible a 
much larger work by the preparation of ref- 
erence lists on special subjects for clubs and 
for individuals, and by bringing to young 
people and adults a better knowledge of the 
various reference books and their use. 

As a means of further extension of the 
library's usefulness and of increasing knowl- 
edge of its methods and work among the 
citizens, an annual "Library Day" was in- 
augurated on December 10, 1897. This an- 
nual event has taken the form of a reception 
or "open house," day at the library, during 
which books were not circulated, but the 
staff and Directors served as a reception 
committee and explained the various de- 
partments and methods of work. Special 
exhibits of books and curios, loaned by 
friends of the library, added to the interest 
of the occasion. The twenty-fifth anniver- 
sary of the opening of the Free Public 
Library was celebrated in this way on Oc- 
tober 13, 1898. The crowded condition of 
the library rooms has made it necessary for 
the past two years to abandon, temporarily, 
this popular annual feature. 



22C 



LIBRARIES— PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 



Hours. — The Library was open from 3 
p. m. to ') p. m., every day, except Sundays 
and holidays, until October, 187 1, when the 
great Chicago fire made it necessary to cur- 
tail expenses. The hours were therefore 
limited at that time to Saturday afternoons 
and evenings, from 2 to 4 and from " to 9. 
In 1873 the hours were extended to three 
afternoons and evenings of the week. In 
April, 1893, the patronage of the library 
warranted its opening every day except 
Sunday from 2 to 9 o'clock p. m. In De- 
cember, 1895, the hours for opening were 
made i p. m. to 9 p. m. daily and from 
9 a. m. to 9 p. m. Saturdays. Beginning 
March 15, 1897, the present hours were 
inaugurated, viz: 9 a. m. to 9 p. m., daily, 
and in January, 1901, the plan of holiday 
and Sunday opening was inaugurated — the 
reading room being open on those days 
from 2 p. m. until 6 p. m. 

Privileges, Etc. — Since the organization 
of the Free Public Library, membership has 
been free to all residents of Evanston upon 
the furnishing of written guaranty. The 
family card, good for three books and the 
individual card good for one book, were 
exchanged in August, 1896, for individual 
cards issued to each resident, without limit 
of age, allowing two books on each card. 
A fee of fifty cents per month, or $2.50 per 
year, gives the privileges of the library to 
non-residents. Non-resident students were 
at first allowed the use of the library for 
reference; in October, 1896, the privilege 
of drawing books from the library was 
granted to them. Since September, 1898, 
the public have been admitted to the shelves 
as far as practicable with the limited room. 

Staff.— On August 29, 1895, the matter 
of employment of Librarian and stafif of 
assistants was placed under the jurisdiction 
of the Civil Service Commission. The 
Stafif at present (1905) consists of the fol- 
lowing: Mary B. Lindsay, Librarian; 



Elizabeth P. Clarke, Reference Librarian ; 
Cora AI. Hill, Superintendent Circulating 
Department ; Gertrude L. Brown, Cat- 
aloguer ; Bertha S. Bliss, Arthur H. Knox, 
Eddy S. Brandt, Assistants ; Wm. E. Lee, 
Janitor. 

From the 913 volumes which formed the 
nucleus of the Free Public Library in 1873, 
the number has grown to about 30,000 vol- 
umes — an average growth of about 1,000 
volumes per year. From the small begin- 
ning represented by about 9,000 books cir- 
culated during its first year, the circula- 
tion has grown to 114,551 volumes, which 
went into the homes and the schools for 
the year ending June i, 190 1. The annua! 
income of the library has risen from twelve 
hundred to about ten thousand dollars. 
The purchase of books, which in 1874 
amounted to $260, has, for the last ten 
years, averaged about $2,000 per year, the 
book purchases for the year 1900-01 being 
2,557 volumes, amounting to $2,459.49. 

It has been the aim of the Public Library 
to keep in touch with the larger library in- 
terests of the country. To this end the 
Library has, in recent years, been repre- 
sented at the meetings of the American 
Library Association and the Illinois State 
Library Association, President J. W. 
Thompson serving for a term as President 
of the latter Association. In February, 
1898, an Inter-State Library Conference 
was held in Evanston, which was attended 
by some 170 delegates, eleven States being 
represented. A number of citizens gener- 
ously aided the Public and L^niversity Libra- 
ries in the entertainment of this conference. 

Library Building.— On May 31, 1884. 
the need for more room becoming apparent, 
Mr. Holmes Hoge was appointed "a com- 
mittee of one to consult with Mr. Deering, 
about the erection of a library building 
suitable for the necessities of the people 
of the village." The annual report of the 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



229 



same date contained an appeal to the citi- 
zens of Evanston to provide a building for 
the Library. In April, 1887, Mr. William 
Deering offered $5,000 toward the erection 
of a library building, following which a cir- 
cular letter was issued signed by the Presi- 
dent of the Board, urging that a generous 
response be given to the Committee who 
would call upon the citizens for further sub- 
scriptions. After earnest efforts made to 
raise the required amount, the plan was 
abandoned in June, 1887, owing to the 
slight encouragement given by the citizens. 

During the next ten years, though no 
action was taken, the question was often 
discussed by the Board, and endeavors 
made to create sentiment toward obtaining 
a building. In December, 1897, ■'^I''- 
Charles F. Grey, of Evanston, offered $10,- 
000 toward a $100,000 building. A com- 
mittee from the Board was appointed to 
confer with Mr. Grey and to take up the 
matter of a new building. Though there 
were no offers toward the remaining $100,- 
000, yet the Board felt confident that the 
required amount would be forthcoming, and 
efforts were continued toward securing a 
suitable site. In October, 1898, a commit- 
tee was appointed to ascertain possible con- 
sent of property owners abutting on the 
City Park in case the City would grant per- 
mission to place the library building there. 
This committee canvassed the matter and 
reported almost unanimous refusal on the 
part of property owners to consent to hav- 
ing the park used as a site. 

In June, 1899, resolutions were adopted 
by the Board asking the City Council to 
appropriate $35,000 for a site for the Li- 
brary. These resolutions were referred by 
the Council to the Judiciary Committee in 
consultation with the Corporation Counsel. 
The appropriation was not granted. In 
January. 1900, Mr. C. F. Grey offered to 
give $100,000 for a library building, pro- 



vided a site should be furnished, cleared of 
buildings, free of cost or incumbrance, and 
the premises after purchase removed from 
the tax list. A committee from the Board 
was appointed to raise funds for the pur- 
chase of a site. Anticipating the securing 
of the amount necessary for the building, 
the Board had previously made efforts to 
secure the property facing east on Chicago 
Avenue, extending north from the Baptist 
church to Grove Street, but efforts to obtain 
options on all of this property failed, and 
before the money could be secured that 
part of this property on the corner of Grove 
Street was sold to the Christian Science 
Church. Options were then obtained on the 
property facing west on Chicago Avenue, 
extending from the alley south to Grove 
Street. 

In June, 1900, the Site Committee issued 
a circular letter to citizens of Evanston call- 
ing a meeting of citizens to consider ways 
and means of raising the needed funds to 
obtain a site. This meeting was held July 
6, 1900, in the City Council chamber, and it 
was voted to attempt to raise the required 
amount on the voluntary assessment plan, 
and a committee of citizens was chosen to 
act with a committee from the Library 
Board in spreading and collecting the as- 
sessment. An equal per cent of each tax- 
payer was determined according to the tax 
lists and notices were sent them stating 
amount of share of each. Notices were also 
sent to non-tax-payers, asking for a per- 
centage of their income. In response to this 
voluntary assessment, there was received 
$2,709.85 in cash from one hundred and 
twenty people. Pledges were received from 
forty-one people aggregating $2,116.80. 
The total amount necessary to purchase a. 
suitable site in a central location was about 
$40,000. Realizing that this plan had failed, 
the money was returned to the donors and 



230 



LIBRARIES— PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 



a final report made by the Treasurer of the 
fund, Rev. F. Clatworthy. in August, 
1901. 

In the meantime another attempt was 
made toward securing the City Park. This 
movement was started by Rev. J. H. Boyd, 
D. D., who interested a number of citizens 
in the matter and announced the subject 
for discussion at his "Conversazione," De- 
cember 13, 1900, at the First Presbyterian 
church. This was made a pubhc meeting, 
and the subject was fully discussed and 
resolutions were passed requesting the 
Library Board to ascertain whether the 
Park could be secured under the law, and to 
endeavor to secure consents of abutting 
property owners and the preferences of the 
legal voters of Evanston as to the site for 
the Library. A special committee was ap- 
pointed from the Library Board, and made 
a careful canvass of the property owners 
abutting on the Park, but they were obliged 
to report in February, 1901, that they had 
been unable to obtain consent of all the 
owners. Though many who had formerly 
objected now consented, yet a few adhered 
to the opinion that their property would 
be largely damaged by the use of any part 
of the park for the purpose contemplated. 
January 31, 1901, Mr. J. C. Shafifer sug- 
gested the probability of securing a site on 
Chicago Avenue between Church and Davis 
Streets. A Committee was appointed to act 
with Mr. Shaffer towards securing this 
site. 

On April 6, 1901, following upon the 
passage of a State law giving to cities the 
power to levy a tax for the purpose of pur- 
chasing sites for public library buildings, 
the Board of Directors passed resolutions 
determining to purchase a site, the esti- 
mated cost of which was $45,000, the collec- 
tion of such cost to be spread over a period 
of fifteen years. A copy of these resolu- 
tions was sent to the Citv Council and 



approved by them, but it was subsequently 
found that the City of Evanston was already 
indebted to its full legal limit ; hence such 
action of the Council was found illegal and 
was rescinded. 

In May, 1901, the Site Committee re- 
ported pledges received to the amount of 
$12,000. In June, 1901, Mr. Joseph M. 
Lyons was authorized to raise subscriptions 
to the site fund at a compensation of one 
per cent, conditional upon his raising a sum 
in addition to that already subscribed suffi- 
cient to pay for the site. Although pledges 
to the amount of $17,000 were secured, this 
enterprise also resulted in failure. After 
various other unsuccessful attempts, in 
June, 1904, the effort to secure a site was 
crowned with success, through the pur- 
chase of one by the city at the corner of 
C)rrington Avenue and Church Street at 
a cost of $31,600.00. 

A glance at the history of the library 
movement throughout the country shows 
the wonderful possibilities of the work of 
the public library in educating the masses, 
and thus making for a higher citizenship. 

The Management of our Public Library 
is still confident that, in due time, some 
solution of our site problem will be reached, 
and Evanston's Public Library will not be 
long hampered by lack of room from at- 
taining to that larger educational work 
toward which, during its twenty-nine years 
of history, it has steadily been advanc- 
ing. 
. The movement for a new building for the 
Public Library culminated in the offer of 
Mr. Andrew Carnegie to provide $50,000 
towards the cost of such a building. This 
was supplemented by a bond issue of the 
City of Evanston of $31,600, for the site at 
the north-east corner of Church Street and 
Orrington Ave., and $25,000 towards the 
cost of the building. This, with some other 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 231 

funds at the disposal of the Library lioard, papers of the day, and various mementoes, 
will enable the authorities to erect a build- The general design of the building is pure 
ing to cost approximately $100,000. classic, fronting on Orrington Avenue, 
The corner-stone of this new building constructed of steel framework with Bed- 
was laid on June 2, 1906. A box was in- ford stone in the exterior walls, and with a 
closed in the corner-stone containing a writ- portico supported by Grecian columns, 
ten account of the efforts made to provide The capacity of the space for books is 
for the new building, reports, photographs double that needed for the present collec- 
of the various persons connected with the tion, thus making ample provision for fu- 
librarv and the citv administration, news- ture 2Towth. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 

(By LODILLA AMBROSE, Ph. M.. Assistant Libiaiiaci) 



First Step in the Orgaiiication of a Uni- 
versity Library — President Foster's Gift 
— Advanec of Fifty Years — The Green- 
leaf Library — University Library is 
Made a Depository for Government Pub- 
lications — Recent Notable Donations — 
Orrington Lunt Library Building is De- 
dicated in 1S04 — The Orrington Lunt 
Library Fund — Internal Administration 
— List of Those zvho have Served as Li- 
brarians — Libraries of Garrett Biblical 
Institute and Professional Schools. 

The Xorthwestern University Library is 
an integral part of the institution whose 
name it bears. The beginnings of the Li- 
brary were small and unheralded ; its 
growth has been gradual, but constant and 
substantial. The earliest mention of a li- 
brary in the University records occurs in 
the minutes of the annual meeting of the 
Board of Trustees, June, 1856, this being 
the first meeting after the University was 
opened to students. The report of the Fac- 
ulty then submitted touched on the question 
of a library. This led to the appointment 
of a committee that made the following 
report : "The Committee on Library rec- 
ommends that the Executive Committee be 
authorized to expend one thousand dollars 
in the purchase of books for the commence- 
ment of a library during the present year, 
and that the same amount be set apart from 



year to year, for additions thereto, the 
catalogue to be selected under the direction 
of the Faculty." 

A little later President Foster gave his 
first year's salary for the purchase of 
books : and in December, 1856, the Financial 
Agent was authorized to fit up a room in the 
L^niversity building to accommodate the Li- 
brary. In June. 1857, the librarian report- 
ed 1.977 volumes and ^y pamphlets; these 
volumes, with a few exceptions, having 
been selected and purchased by President 
Foster. The annual meetings of 1857 and 
1858 suspended the action taken in 1856 
making an annual appropriation of one 
thousand dollars for books. In i860, 675 
volumes, chiefly philosophical and histori- 
cal, were purchased from President Fos- 
ter's library. In 1868, a printed catalogue 
of the library, prepared by Charles K. Ban- 
nister. "60, was published ; a summary 
of the entries in this slight, green-covered 
pamphlet shows that the library then con- 
tained about 3,000 volumes. In June, 1870, 
the librarian reported 3,635 volumes ; twen- 
ty years later there were 23,279 volumes, 
and .\pril 30, 1903. there are 51.658 vol- 
umes and 35,000 pamphlets. 

The first great addition to the library 
came through the gift of Mr. Luther L. 
Greenleaf. Negotiations, begun in 1869 in 
Berlin with the heirs of Johann Schulze, 
Ph. D., a member of the Prussian Minis- 



233 



234 



UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 



try of Public Instruction, resulted in secur- 
ing for the University the valuable library 
of this eminent German scholar and publi- 
cist. In recognition of Air. Greenleaf's 
liberality the collection is known as the 
Greenleaf Library. It contains 11,246 vol- 
umes, and a very large number of unbound 
dissertations and other monographs, the 
publications of universities and learned so- 
cieties. It includes a collection of the 
Greek and Latin classics, with the subsidi- 
ary literature, remarkable for its range and 
completeness. There are also choice selec- 
tions of works in history, philosophy, and 
other leading subjects. 

In 1874, the library of the late Prof. 
Henry S. Noyes, containing 1.500 well 
chosen volumes, was purchased by the Uni- 
versity for the library. In 1878, Mr. Wil- 
liam Deering and the Hon. Lyman J. Gage 
bought and presented a portion of the li- 
brary of the late Oliver A. Willard, chiefly 
volumes of State and local history and po- 
litical science. 

In 1895, ^i^s. R. W. Patterson gave 
nearly 500 volumes, largely biblical and 
philosophical, from the library of her hus- 
band, the late Rev. R. W. Patterson. D. D. 

In 1896, the joint gifts of friends enabled 
the library to purchase a complete set of 
the Hansard Parliamentary Debates. In 
1898. similar gifts secured complete sets of 
the Reports of the United States Supreme 
Court and of the Illinois Supreme Court, 
and also created a fund of $1,850 for the 
jnirchase of the later editions of the Greek 
and Latin classics, supplementing the 
Greenleaf collection of earlier date. 

Another gift received in 1898 was the li- 
brary of German authors (2,533 volumes) 
collected by Geheimer Regierungsrath 
Schneider, of Schleswig, Germany. It in- 
cludes many first and second editions, and 
some early Reformation prints. Gifts from 
leading German citizens of Chicago, se- 



cured by the late Assistant Professor Cohn, 
made possible the purchase of this collec- 
tion. 

In 1900, Dr. Herbert F. Fisk obtained 
for the Academy a supplementary library 
of over 500 volumes. In the same year Mr. 
Xorman W. Harris gave $750 for the pur- 
chase of books on political economy : Mrs. 
Oliver Marcy gave selected volumes from 
the scientific library of her husband, the late 
Dr. Oliver Marcy, Professor of Geology ; 
and Mrs. Henry Cohn presented valuable 
works from the linguistic library of her 
husband, the late Henry Cohn. Assistant 
Professor of German. 

.\ generous donor to the library is the 
L^nited States Government. The library 
was designated as a depository of govern- 
ment publications by Senator John A. Lo- 
gan, May 26, 1876. In April, 1903, its col- 
lection of these documents numbers 6,740 
volumes and 10,154 pamphlets. In addi- 
tion to these, some 3.000 volumes of the 
official publications of States and cities have 
been collected. 

In 1870. the Librarian's report gave the 
list of periodicals regularly received, com- 
prising 39 titles: in 1890, this list contained 
105 titles, and in 1903, 320 titles. 

The hours of opening in 1870, according 
to the record, were four hours each week- 
day afternoon. These hours have been 
gradually extended in response to greater 
demands, until in 1903 the library is open 
thirteen hours each day for six days a 
week, during the college year. Early re- 
ports mention appreciative use of the li- 
brary. Records of later }ears show a 
marked increase in its use along all lines 
— an increase that quite outstrips the 
growth of the library, as well as the advance 
in tlie number of students. 

The library's first habitation was a room 
in the building now called Old College. 
In December, 1869. it was transferred to 



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fi'KAN '=>-' -^CCONJ^ /^OO^ 




PUf/* C-- r^j^^T Ftnofi 



nRKixr;T(>x i.rxr library 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



235 



rooms in the new University Hall. In 
August, 1894, came another migration, this 
time to the Orrington Lunt Library Build- 
ing. As early as 1859 a prudent Trustee 
urged the necessity of a fireproof library 
building: in 1885 the need was emphasized 
in the report of the Committee on Library, 
and, in 1891, the subject was prominent in 
the President's report. July 22, 1891, Mr. 
Orrington Lunt, \"ice-President of the 
Board of Trustees, signified his readiness 
to give $50,000 toward a library building. 
As an addition to this generous gift, $15,- 
000 was contributed in varying sums by 
other friends of the LTniversity. Among 
these contributions was a gift of $5,000 
made by Mrs. Robert M. Hatfield as a me- 
morial of her husband, the late Rev. Rob- 
ert M. Hatfield, D. D., for years a Trustee 
of the Ll^niversity. The amount thus given 
through personal beneficence was raised to 
$100,000 by an appropriation from the 
funds of the University. 

The building is situated on the Universi- 
ty campus at Evanston, facing Sheridan 
Road, and covering an area of 73 by 162 
feet. It is planned so that future additions 
may be made without sacrificing exterior 
eft'ect or interior convenience. The outer 
walls are of buff Bedford limestone, the 
roof is red conosera tile. The building is 
constructed on the slow-burning, or prac- 
tically fireproof, system, sometimes called 
mill-construction. The style of the build- 
ing is an adaptation of the Italian Renais- 
sance ; its outlines are simple with little 
ornamentation, but the whole is harmonious 
and pleasing. The large semi-circular 
porch is supported by Ionic columns ; on 
the frieze, in raised lettering, is the inscrip- 
tion, "Orrington Lunt Library." 

On either side of the entrance are cloak 
rooms ; a broad oak staircase leads to the 
second floor, which provides an assemblv 
room seating 500 persons, art rooms and 
seminar rooms. The third storv, extending: 



only over the central portion of the build- 
ing, is devoted to offices and recitation 
rooms. The basement, well lighted and 
thoroughly furnished, contains among 
others a large document room, seminar 
rooms, work rooms, and toilet rooms. 

The first, or main, story is devoted en- 
tirely to library uses ; in one wing is the 
reading room and in the center and in the 
other wing is the book room, the two being 
separated by the delivery desk and card 
catalogue cases. The windows are large 
and placed so that all light comes from 
above. All the wood-work and furnish- 
ings of this floor are of polished red oak. 
The reading room seats 120 persons. All 
the stories are connected with the book 
room by a book-lift and speaking tube. In 
a central extension of the building, as 
shown in the ground plan, are the Libra- 
rian's room and the cataloguing room. The 
heating is by steam from a detached sta- 
tion and the lighting is by gas and electri- 
city. The architect is William A. Otis, of 
Chicago. 

The Orrington Lunt Library was dedi- 
cated, September 26, 1894. In the after- 
noon in the assembly room of the building, 
the exercises of formal opening were held. 
The program was as follows : invocation by 
the Rev. Franklin W. Fisk, D. D., LL. D.. 
President of Chicago Theological Semin- 
ary : address of presentation by Mr. Or- 
rington Lunt : address of acceptance bv 
President Henry Wade Rogers, LL. D. ; 
dedication ode, by Mrs. Emily Huntington 
Miller; address by Charles Kendal! Adams, 
LL. D., President of the University of Wis- 
consin. In the evening, in the First Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church, a public address on 
'"The Development of the Library" was de- 
livered by the late Justin Winsor, LL. D., 
Librarian of Harvard L'niversity. 

\'arious gifts of books and money have 
already been noted. It remains to mention 
the Orrington Lunt endowment property. 



236 



UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 



In 1865 Mr. Lunt conveyed to the Univer- 
sity 157 acres of land in North Evanston, 
thereby cancelling certain subscriptions 
previously made, and designating the gen- 
erous remainder as a permanent endow- 
ment. Three years later this was set apart 
by the Board of Trustees as the foundation 
for a library, and named the Orrington 
Lunt Library fund. At an early date, a 
portion of the land was sold, expensive im- 
provements have since been made on the 
property ; its present valuation is $90,000. 
When the property becomes productive, it 
is expected to yield an increasing income 
for the purchase of books. 

The details of the administration of the 
library are too technical for presentation 
here. The present system is the result of 
gradual growth and development along the 
lines shown to be important by the great 
library movement of the last twenty-five 
years. During the earlier years, some one 
of the professors was appointed librarian ; 
among those who acted in this capacity 
were W. D. Godman, David H. Wheeler, 
Louis Kistler and Charles W. Pearson. In 
1875-76 the Rev. W. H. Daniels served as 
librarian. For the following ten years the 
name of Horace G. Lunt appeared in the 
catalogue as Librarian. During the last 
two of these years, George E. V'ire was 
Assistant Librarian. No one now bears 
the title of Librarian, but Miss Lodilla 
Ambrose, Ph. M., has been Assistant Li- 
brarian since January i, 1888. Aside from 
student assistants, the present staff are : 
Miss Olinia M. Mattison, Ph. B., First As- 
sistant since September, 1898; Miss Fran- 
ces C. Pierce, Ph. B., Assistant in the read- 
ing room since September, 1901, and Miss 
Adaline M. Baker, B. L. S., cataloguer 
since September, 1902. A committee on 
the library, from their own number, reports 
annually to the Board of Trustees on the 
state of the library. The Library Commit- 
tee of the faculty co-operates with the As- 



sistant Librarian in the administration of 
the library. Of this important committee, 
the late Dr. Daniel Bonbright was, for many 
years, the Chairman, and the library owes 
much to his careful oversight. 

The library of the Garrett Biblical Insti- 
tute, numbering 16,260 volumes and 2,200 
pamphlets, is also on the campus, and is 
open to all students. 

The Dearborn Observatory has an as- 
tronomical library of about 1,000 volumes 
and 1,000 pamphlets. 

The professional schools, located in Chi- 
cago, have special libraries as follows : 

Volumes Pamphlets 

Medical School 3,252 5,200* 

Law School 6,789 No report 

School of Pharmacy 810 No report 

Dental School 2,452 2,000* 

*Estimated. 

The several collections of books belong- 
ing to the University make a total of 65,- 
961 volumes and 43,200 pamphlets. 

The Library of the Law School has made ' 
large gains in the current year, 1903. It 
has completed its sets of the Reports and 
compiled statutes of all of the States, and 
has added about 500 volumes of te.xt-books 
and treatises. Two large gifts have been 
received but are not yet enumerated. The 
Hon. Elbert H. Gary, class of 1867 in the 
Law School, has presented a collection of 
the judicial decisions and leading law jour- 
nals of eight European countries, namely: 
Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, 
Holland, Belgium, Spain, Italy. This gift 
contains about 2,500 volumes.. The late 
Charles C. Bonney gave to the University 
Library some 400 volumes from his own 
law library. 

Thus has the library progressed from 
small beginnings to days of greater things. 
With a generous endowment property in- 
creasing in value, and with the fostering 
management of the great L'niversity, of 
which it is so vital a part, the rapid growth 
of the library is a thins: assured. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



EVANSTON NEWSPAPERS 

(By WILLIAM C. LEVERE) 



The Nezvspal'cr as a Necessity — Introduc- 
tion and Grozi'th of Local Journals — The 
"Suburban Idea," The "Evanston Index" 
and Other Early Papers — Story of the 
"Ez'anston Press" — Advent of the Daily — 
The Chicago Printer's Strike of 1808 — 
Temperance Organ — College Journals — 
A "Frat." and "Barb." Advertising Con- 
test — Quarterly and Monthly Publica- 
tions — High Standard of Ez'anston 
Journalism. 

In an intellectual community the news- 
paper is a necessity rather than a luxury. 
It is an index to the character of Evanston 
that, despite its proximity to a great city, 
it has been the home of several strong and 
able periodicals, the beginnings of one of 
these dating several decades back. In re- 
cent years, when the competition with met- 
ropolitan papers has become keener than 
ever, with a large staflf of local reporters 
representing the great dailies of our neigh- 
boring city, the local papers have not only 
survived, but have increased in usefulness 
and prospered in material things. 

It is the purpose of this chapter to deal 
especially with the publications which have 
made a marked impress on the civic, social, 
educational and business life of Evanston. 
To give a history of every publication 
which has appeared in the city would re- 
quire a volume rather than a chapter, for 



there is scarcely one of the very numerous 
literary organizations, social clubs, and re- 
ligious societies, which has not, from time 
to time, fathered a small magazine or jour- 
nal, the existence of which was ephemeral 
and yet which served its purpose for the 
brief period it lived. Due attention will be 
given to the more important of these in 
this article. The newspaper which will for- 
ever possess the honor of being the pioneer 
of Evanston journalistic enterprise was 
"The Suburban Idea." It first appeared in 
1S64 and continued one year. Its editor 
and publisher was Rev. Nathan Sheppard, 
who, after his removal from Evanston some 
years later, became famous as the author 
of a number of well-known books, the 
most widely circulated of which was, "How 
To Speak in Public." Mr. Sheppard was a 
man of superior literary attainments, and 
the tone of "The Suburban Idea" was al- 
ways high. It was published weekly, had 
four pages and four columns. During its 
short life it served a useful purpose to the 
little village, and cultivated the desire for 
a local newspaper of high grade which was 
to be so amply met by its successor. 

In any history of Evanston, the second 
of June, 1872, ought to figure as one of the 
most important dates, for it was on this 
day the first number of "The Evanston In- 
dex" appeared. Seldom has a paper be- 
come part and parcel of a community, of 



237 



238 



EVANSTON NEWSPAPERS 



its homes, its official life, its every activity, 
as this paper has been in the thirty-two 
years it has been published. The credit for 
the founding of "The Index" belongs to 
Mr. Alfred L. Sewell. Mr. Sewell, togeth- 
er with Mr. John E. Miller, had been pub- 
lishing "The Little Corporal," a paper for 
youth, which attained national circulation. 
Mrs. Emily Huntington Miller was the edi- 
tor of "The Little Corporal." Mr. Sewell 
saw the possibilities of a village newspaper 
from a business standpoint, and that the 
commercial reasons which were his inspira- 
tion for the venture were satisfied, an in- 
spection of the advertising columns of the 
little sheet will show. That it was a little 
sheet, the interesting files on exhibition at 
"The Index" are proof, for by actual meas- 
urement each of the four pages was but 
15 by 203X inches. When the first number 
of "The Index" appeared the \'illage of 
Evanston did not contain a printing estab- 
lishment large enough to handle such a 
ptiblication, despite its tiny dimensions. 
Each week Mr. Sewell would take the 
"copy" to Chicago, and there the paper was 
printed at first. Later in the year, after 
Air. Sewell had disposed of his Chicago es- 
tablishment, the paper was printed by the 
Chicago Newspaper Lnion. When "The 
Index" was a year old, Mr. Sewell opened 
a printing office in Evanston, and from that 
time "The Index" has known no home 
either for editorial room or publishing of- 
fice, save that in the city it has served. In 
November, 1875, Mr. John A. Childs, who 
had been connected with the paper from the 
first, and Mr. David Cavan bought all of 
Mr. Sewell's interest in the paper and two 
years and two months later, in January, 
]\Ir. Childs became the sole proprietor bv 
purchasing the interest held by ]\Ir. Cavan. 
It was just before the sale of "The In- 
dex" to Cavan & Childs tliat "The Evans- 
ton Herald" appeared ; but in the spring of 



1876 it was amalgamated with "The In- 
dex." For some time the latter paper was 
published in a building which stood on 
Davis Street, one door west of where the 
present Century building stands. A fire 
broke out one night and threatened to de- 
stroy the plant. When the good citizens 
realized that danger threatened their family 
paper, they rushed to the rescue, and dump- 
ing the type into buckets, they triumphant- 
ly carried it to safety. The humor of this 
incident will best be appreciated by those 
who are familiar with the printing business. 
The entire building at 526 Davis Street is 
now given up to the"Index"p!ant. The three 
tloors are filled with the latest and finest 
make of presses, while several linotypes are 
kept busy on twenty-four hour runs, all the 
year round. It is not too much to say of 
"The Index," as it now appears, that it is 
the handsomest weekly newspaper in the 
United States. Since 1903 Mr. Albert H. 
Bowman has been associated with Mr. 
Childs in its publication, and is now Sec- 
retary and Treasurer of the corporation of 
which Air. Childs is President. 

The story of "The Evanston Press," its 
conception, evolution and present day pop- 
ularity, is of exceeding interest. The mod- 
ern novelists who are finding the back- 
ground for their stories in business life, 
could write many interesting pages in re- 
counting the incidents which surround the 
growth, struggles, and triumphs of "The 
Press" during its upward progress to its 
present career. The first number of "The 
Evanston Press" appeared January 5. 1889. 
Enterprising at the start, it was fortunate 
enough to secure the services of Miss 
Frances E. Willard, who contributed, week- 
ly for a year, a chapter under the caption, 
"An Old Timer's Story of Evanston." This 
series of reminiscences attracted wide at- 
tention and. before the third issue of the 
paper appeared, it had over one thousand 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



239 



paid subscribers. The founders of "The 
Press" were two young men, both fresh 
from college, Mr. Robert O. Yandercook 
and Mr. Edwin L. Shuman. The latter 
withdrew after one year, but Mr. Yander- 
cook has continued to manage and publish 
the paper, with the exception of one year, 
since its first appearance. In telling of 
the beginnings of "The Evanston Press" 
Mr. Yandercook goes back twenty-five 
years and gives a glimpse of an Evanston 
boyhood of rare interest, for it brings a 
picture to many of experiences along the 
same line. Air. \'andercook, in telling of 
the little seed that was planted, says : "It 
came about like this. Big brother traded 
a boyish knick-knack for a little toy print- 
ing press. The younger brother was very 
envious of the toy and longed to possess it. 
Big brother said he would sell it for $1.50. 
The small boy said he would take it, but he 
didn't have any money, but would pay for 
it in a week. The $1.50 was paid from the 
earnings of the printing press within the 
time named. As fast as other money was 
earned it was added to the outfit. The lit- 
tle toy was soon discarded for a more prac- 
tical machine. That in its turn was dis- 
carded for others, until at the time of leav- 
ing high school, about $500 had been in- 
vested in a printing plant. All was earned 
except one item of $40, which was a pres- 
ent toward a new press." 

From this first start, so vividly depicted, 
came "The High School Budget," and 
though it lived but a year, Mr. Yandercook 
considers the e.xperience gained but one 
more step toward the ultimate goal, "The 
Evanston Press." The corporation which 
first published "The Press" was known as 
The University Press Companv. Mr. \^an- 
dercook tells the story of this publishing 
company in the following words, "It was 
at the end of the sophomore year when 
good old Dr. Cummings, the President of 



the University, called one of the founders 
of W'hat was then known as The University 
Press, and gave him the kindliest words of 
fatherly advice. The good old Doctor said, 
'I hear you have just formed a University 
Press Company and have spent considera- 
ble money for type and equipment. I want 
to warn you to go slow. You know noth- 
ing, or practically nothing, of the printing 
trade. What little experience you have had 
may have been all right along lines you 
were pursuing, but I am fearful that 
branching out will only result in failure Vo 
yourself and disappointment to your 
friends!' Some people called it obstinacy, 
some perseverance, that caused disregard of 
Dr. Cummings' advice, but in later years it 
seems to us it was as much obstinacy as 
perseverance. Much additional equipment 
was added to the little printing plant and 
the Universit}- Press Company, capital 
stock $1,000, was fully organized and in- 
corporated under the laws of the State of 
Illinois, H. H. C. Miller, attorney. The 
University Trustees, in order to assist the 
new corporation, gave it office room, jani- 
tor's service, light and fuel free. The plant 
was set up in the basement of the gymna- 
sium building. Here four or five students 
earned their way while in college by setting 
type on "The Northwestern," the college 
paper and the college catalogue, and a 
number of others also earned a large share 
of their college expenses. This was the 
■quid pro quo' why the university fur- 
nished what it did." 

It was not until "The Evanston Press" 
had been published two years that the name 
of the corporation was changed to the Ev- 
anston Press Company. For six years, 
"The Press" was published in the Simpson 
Market Building on the south-east corner 
of Fountain Square. The next five years 
it was located in the Park building, between 
the Davis Street depots. Since 1900 "The 



240 



EVANSTON NEWSPAPERS 



Press" has occupied the three story brick 
building at 6og Davis Street, and there it 
has had the most successful period of its 
life. Mr. Robert O. X'andercook continues 
to retain the financial and editorial control, 
and the outlook is, that this publication will 
continue for years to come to give valuable 
service to the cause of honorable journalism 
and integrity in civic affairs. 

An interesting incident in the history of 
"The Index" and "The Press" is that at 
one time they became dailies and were sold 
on the streets of Chicago as such. It was 
during the Spanish-American War. There 
was a strike in the mechanical department 
of the Chicago dailies, and all of them had 
suspended publication. The great sea 
fight at Santiago was fought and the peo- 
ple of Chicago were mad for news. For 
several days the cry of "Index!" "Press!" 
sounded on the city streets, instead of the 
familiar names the people were wont to 
hear. "The Press" became so enterprising 
that it published three editions a day. It 
secured a special correspondent at Wash- 
ington and still preserves in its office the 
telegram it received announcing the de- 
struction of Cervera's fleet. 

Evanston for a brief period had a regular 
daily paper. It was called "The Evanston 
Daily News," and was published by Milton 
A. Smith, who came to Evanston from An- 
niston, Ala., to establish the paper. At An- 
niston Mr. Smith had been the successful 
publisher of "The Hot Blast," but the peo- 
ple of Evanston did not regard his scheme 
with favor and the life of the daily was 
short, the first number appearing in No- 
vember, 1897, and the last in February, 
1898. The paper had eight pages, half of 
which were devoted to news from through- 
out the country. As this was plate matter 
and was considerably later than the date 
when the same matter appeared in the Chi- 



cago dailies, it was not an overwhelmingly 
popular feature. 

Old-timers in Evanston remember two 
publications which flourished many years 
ago. Just after the Chicago fire of 1871, 
Mr. L. C. Pitner issued "The Real Estate 
News." It had no regular time of publi- 
cation, but appeared at intervals for two 
years. It had four pages and these were 
filled with real estate advertisements and lo- 
cal news items. The other of the two was 
"The Lake Breeze." It was published 
monthly during 1875 by Harry W. Taylor. 
Miss Frances E. Willard wrote a serial 
story entitled "Miriam," which appeared 
in "The Lake Breeze." 

William Duffell was editor and publish- 
er of "The Evanston Citizen," a weekly 
newspaper, the first number of which was 
issued November 3, 1882. It was a strong 
advocate of the prohibition cause and it 
was a popular paper during its life. The 
last number appeared the last week in De- 
cember, 1891. 

Since December, 1903, Evanston has 
been the publication headquarters of "The 
Union Signal," the national organ of the 
Woman's Christian Temperance Union. 
This weekly publication with its large cir- 
culation, has brought new fame to Evans- 
ton as the home of important periodicals. 
Together with "The Union Signal" is fos- 
tered "The Crusader Monthly," a child's 
paper, published by the temperance work- 
ers. 

Northwestern University has been the 
home of many publications, the best known 
of which has been and is "The Northwest- 
ern," which is now published tri-weekly. 
"The Northwestern" is the successor of 
two college papers, "The Tripod" and "The 
Vidette," which united in January, 1881, 
and adopted the now familiar name. "The 
Tripod' was a monthly and first appeared 
January, 1871. It was published by the lit- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



241 



erary societies of the university. It was 
a twelve-page, three-coliinin magazine. 
"The Vidette" was a semi-monthly and its 
publishers were the entire student body. 
When "The Northwestern" first appeared 
it was published semi-monthly. 

In 1890 a college war broke out between 
the fraternity and non-fraternity students 
of the university. "The Northwestern" 
was controlled by the fraternity students, 
and their rivals, wishing an organ of their 
own, established "The Northwestern 
World." The first number appeared Octo- 
ber 17, i8qo, and it was published weekly 
during the college year until June, 1892. 
Its demise was caused by its last elected 
editor becoming a fraternity member. An 
amusing phase of the struggle for advertis- 
ing patronage between the two journals has 
been told in the college novel, " 'Twixt 
Greek and Barb," which is devoted to the 
story of college life at Northwestern. The 
contest was such a unique feature of jour- 
nalistic adventure that we quote the story 
as it appears in the book. The genesis of 
the contest is first told as follows : 

"The big Sophomore grinned blandlv at 
his friends as he said, "If you howling man- 
iacs will be cool, calm and collected for a 
brief space of time, I'll tell you something 
interesting. Harburton has told you that 
I have been getting 'ads' for the new paper. 
Tedlon, the dry-goods man, does as much 
advertising as any merchant on Davis 
Street. I called on him today, and he de- 
clared that he would be able to advertise in 
only one of the two papers. I made a tre- 
mendous stagger to get his business, but 
the old man was foxy, and declared that he 
wanted to find out which paper would do 
him the most good. In the next issue of 
both papers, he will advertise a special sale 
for Saturday. In "The Northwestern" he 
will advertise underwear, and in "The New 
World," kid gloves. The advertisement 



bringing in the greatest returns will win 
for its paper his advertising for the vear. 
The sale will begin at eight o'clock in the 
morning, and will close at five in the after- 
noon. Now, fellows, here is a chance to let 
\our patriotism wax warm. The fraterni- 
ties know of the offer, and they intend to 
land that advertising contract for their 
sheet. Every mother's son and daughter 
of the Greeks will stock up with enough 
underwear to last them the rest of their 
lives. This will be the first clash, and we 
must draw first blooil. Everyone of us 
ought to buy enough gloves to cover the 
fingers of an octopus. Each fellow must 
make himself a committee of one, and get 
all his friends to buy their season's supply 
of gloves ne.xt Saturday, and above all buy 
them at Tedlon's. These fraternity people 
must learn that we mean business. 'It's 
war to the knife, the knife to the hilt and 
the hilt to the heart." 

"Keg's speech aroused the enthusiasm of 
the crowd. The contest arranged by the 
shrewd merchant furnished the rival fac- 
tions a tangible basis upon which to begin 
the struggle for supremacy When the 
meeting adjourned, the crowd poured down 
the stairway with many suggestions of 
method and prophecies of victory." 

The result of the fight between the fac- 
tions in this queer journalistic war is told 
in another chapter as follows : 

"The sole topic at the breakfast table was 
the contest to take place that day between 
the frats and the barbs for Tedlon's ad- 
vertising. Excitement ran high in univer- 
sity circles, and both sides were as full of 
prophecies as politicians at election time. 
After finishing breakfast, Steve and Leslie 
started for Tedlon's, where the sale was to 
commence at eight o'clock. It was a few 
minutes before the hour when thev arrived 
there, and they found a long line of stu- 
dents waiting for the doors to open. At 



EVANSTON NEWSPAPERS 



eight o'clock, Mr. Tedlon appeared and 
throwing back the doors, welcomed them 
in with a gesture. The struggle had be- 
gun. The first man to buy a pair of gloves 
was the veteran captain of the Life Saving 
Crew, who said that, being a barb himself, 
he would have to stand by the cause. The 
fraternity men and women came in force, 
and, as each left with great packages of 
goods, the eyes of the proprietor glistened. 
At noon the contest seemed about even. 
There had been more barbs who had made 
purchases than Greeks, but the latter had 
purchased greater amounts, and Harney 
Dale, who was acting as one of the manag- 
ers for the frats, declared that they were 
sure to win. Later in the afternoon as he 
stood on the edge of the walk before the 
store, he cried, "Great Scotland, we are un- 
done.' The sight that brought forth ihis 
exclamation was a long line of 'bibs,' who 
were approaching. It was known that the 
sympathies of the Heck Hallites had been 
enlisted by the Barbarians, but the fraterni- 
ty men had hoped that the "theologs' would 
simply lend their moral influence to the 
foe. Now that they saw them approaching, 
led by Jack Williams, who had rounded 
them up with the skill of a veteran politi- 
cian, they were seized for the first time 
with the fear of defeat. There were more 
than a hundred 'bibs' in line, and, from tlie 
looks on their faces, it was evident the}' 
meant business. 

"Harney stepped in front of Jack and de- 
manded, 'Say, old man, are you going to 
ring in the whole Methodist conference on 
us?' 

" 'Just watch my smoke,' said Jack, 
winking, as he steered the first of the crowd 
into the store. 

" 'Oh, Lord ! Rennick,' whispered Har- 
ney to his friend, 'what shall we do?' 

" 'Bless me, if I know,' was Tom's reo'y, 
'I'm afraid they've got us on the b\p.' 



" 'Can't we turn in a fire alarm,' asked 
Harney, 'and tell them that Heck Hall is 
burning to the ground ?' 

" 'Why not set it afire?' suggested Tom, 
'What a sweet revenge that would be.' 

" 'Stop fooling, and let's get our think- 
ing caps on. or we are done for.' 

" 'Well, then," said Rennick, 'they've 
brought down Heck Hall ; we might go 
up and bring down the fair flowers cf Wil- 
lard Hall.' 

" 'Why, half of them have been here al- 
ready," said Harney, 'but I'll go up and see 
Laura Merrill, and have her try to persuade 
the rest of the girls to come to our rescue, 
while you go and hunt the fellows and tell 
them that they must come and buy again.' 

" 'Buy again! Why half the fellows who 
have been playing this game, have gone 
broke now, but it's all for the cause, and 
I'll see what I can get them to do.' 

"Harney and Tom gathered all the fra- 
ternity folk that they could find, and sent 
them to bring the needed aid. A strong 
rally was made, and the hopes of the 
Greeks began to rise once more. Five 
o'clock came at last. 

" 'We've won," cried Jack Williams. 

" 'We've won," cried Harney Hale. 

" 'You both deserve to win,' cried Mr. 
Tedlon, rubbing his hands together with 
joy. It had been the greatest day for sales 
in the history of the store. No matter who 
else had won. Mr. Tedlon, was certainly a 
winner by a large majority. 

"It was a brief matter for the sales of the 
day to be counted up, and the beaming 
face of Mr. Tedlon again appeared at the 
door. The street was blocked with stu- 
dents — Greeks, barbs, 'bibs,' 'preps' and 
'co-eds,' all anxious to hear the announce- 
ment. 

"Mr. Tedlon waved his hand to silence 
the cheers. 'Dear friends," he said, 'I will 
not keep you in suspense. The contest has 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



243 



been won by the friends of the Northwest- 
ern World.' If the Barbarians, when they 
sacked Athens, had uttered such a cry as 
then went up to the heavens, it is no wonder 
the inhabitants were stricken with terror. 
The latter-day Greeks, at least, fled as pre- 
cipitously, and left the field to the victori- 
ous enemy." 

Numbered with other college publica- 
tions are "The Northwestern University 
Record," a quarterly edited by a joint com- 
mittee from the faculties ; "The Euphron- 
ian," published by the Euphronian Literary 
Society : "The Academian," the organ of 
the students of Northwestern Academy, 
and "The Northwestern Magazine, " a liter- 
ary magazine which appeared for one col- 
lege year, that of 1903-04. 

Among the papers of general circulation 
which are now published in Evanston, are: 
"Correct English," a magazine dealing with 
the intricacies of the language, appearing 
monthly and published and edited by Mrs. 
Josephine Turck Baker; "The National 



Stenographer," a monthly published and 
edited by C. H. Rush. Our colored citi- 
zens are represented by the "North Shore 
Colored American," the editor of which is 
Francis Stewart and the publisher \V. H. 
Twiggs. This is not the first periodica! 
which the colored citizens have had. Dur- 
ing the year 1889, "The Afro-American 
Budget," a monthly magazine, attracted 
favorable attention. 

"The Day," a weekly, appeared during 
1904. It survived a short time. Its editors 
and publishers were Wesley Stanger and 
Charles \'an Patten. "The Noon," a mag- 
azine of selected poetry, made its initial 
appearance in October, 1900, and continued 
for two years. William S. Lord was edi- 
tor and publisher. 

Looking back over this list of publica- 
tions, representing the aspirations, interests 
and progress of the community, Evanston 
has reason to take pride to herself. The 
standard has always been high ; the ideal, 
the best. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



MEDICAL HISTORY 

(regular) 

(by henry bixby hemenway, m. d.) 



Primitive Health Conditions — Freedom 
from Malarial Diseases — Some Old- 
Time Physicians — Sketch of Dr. John 
Evans — Drs. Liidlam, Welter and Blaney 
— Dr. N. S. Dazis the Nestor of Medical 
Education — An Early Drug Store — 
Sketches of Later Day Physicians — Drs. 
Webster, Bannister, Burchmore, Bray- 
ton, Bond, Phillips, Haven, Hemenivay, 
Kaufman, and others — Evanston Phy- 
sicians' Club. 

When Marc Anthony said : 

"The evil that men do lives after them : 
The good is oft interred with their bones." 

he clearly was not speaking of physicians. 
If any of them ever made mistakes, those 
errors have been covered with the daisies 
of charity and hidden by the snow of ob- 
livion, while their good deeds continue to 
grow and multiply as the years pass by. 

Evanston is itself a memorial to the med- 
ical profession. It is called in honor of a 
distinguished member of a former faculty 
of Rush Medical college. Its principal 
business street was named after the Nestor 
of the American Medical Association. The 
old village depended upon the Northwest- 
ern University for its existence. The first 
subscription for starting the University 
bore obligations to the amount of $20,600, 
and of this amount $5,500 was subscribed 



by Drs. John Evans, N. S. Davis and Wil- 
liam Justice. Of the amount actually paid 
in on this subscription physicians gave over 
one-third. A regular practitioner of medi- 
cine has been the chief executive of the 
village ; another was Postmaster, and doc- 
tors have borne their share of the work of 
education, and other public service. 

Early Health Conditions.— Before 1855 
there was no doctor residing in Ridgeville, 
as the place was then called. Then, as 
now, this was a particularly healthy section. 
Whereas, Chicago, and the ground south 
of the river, was only eight feet above the 
lake, here it was three times as high, and 
drainage was correspondingly better. B. 
F. Hill said to the writer that he never 
knew of a case of fever and ague occurring 
in those early days, along this north shore 
and east of the North Branch. The early 
settlers were familiar with the use of bone- 
set for malarial fevers, rue for worms, lo- 
belia for fevers, butterfly weed for pleurisy, 
tansy, camomile, safifron and other herbs. 
Thev knew how to use poultices and the 
wet pack, as well as other home remedies. 
Manv of the better educated had such 
books as "Beach's American Practice." 
Seldom was a physician sent for to attend 
any one here. Alonzo Burroughs, who 
lived then in the campus at what is now the 
edge of the lake opposite Memorial hall. 



246 



MEDICAL HISTORY 



never had the assistance of a physician 
in his house until after the birth of his sev- 
enth child. I find that, for a time, a young 
doctor bv the name of Smith lived with 
the Dennis family near the present Gage 
place on the shore in \Mlmette. Dr. John 
Kennicott, who lived at Xorthfield, cov- 
ered th' ' territory in his "drive." Dr. 
HofTma'h in Niles practiced amony our 
German citizens. 

Dr. John Evans, from whom the place 
has its name, was born at Waynesville, O., 
March 9, 18 14, of Quaker ancestry. His 
parents at one time lived in South Carolina, 
but they were obliged to emigrate on ac- 
count of abolition <:— '" -■' j. In »hio his 

,. ,. .1. 

father continue^.' . .inufacture of tools 

for which the fai'ilily had been somewhat 
noted for three generations. John was 
graduated from Clermont Academy and, in 
1836, having received his medical degree, 
he began the practice of medicine along the 
Illinois River. Later he settled in Attica, 
Ind. While there he began the agitation 
which resulted in the establishment of the 
first State Insane Asylum at Indianapolis, 
of which he was appointed the first Super- 
intendent. In 1845 lis moved to Chicago 
and took the chair of midwifery in Rush 
Medical College, which he held for ten 
years. He also edited the "Northwestern 
Medical Journal." He inherited a taste 
for business and gradually devoted more 
attention to secular affairs. He aided 
largely in building the Chicago and Fort 
Wayne Railroad. He secured for them 
their terminal facilities in Chicago. As 
was before stated, he took an active part 
in starting the Northwestern University, 
and he was the President of its Board of 
Trustees for forty-two years. 

In 1855 he built and moved into his Ev- 
anston home. It was a Gothic cottage 
which has since been moved to 1317 Chi- 
cago Avenue. It still retains manv of its 



older decorations, but it has lost some of 
the original Gothic beauty by the substitu- 
tion of clapboards for battens. Originally 
it stood facing south on Clark Street in the 
middle of the block from Hinman to Jud- 
son Avenue. It was surrounded with a 
white picket fence, the east half of the 
block being a rolling lawn, while the Hin- 
man Avenue side was given up to flowers 
and shrubs, among which gravel walks 
wound in geometric designs. Behind the 
house was the Gothic barn (now the resi- 
dence of Sandy Trent, No. 181 5 Benson 
Avenue), the hot-beds and vegetable gar- 
den, and further back the modest cot- 
tage of the doctor's man, Mike Cavenaugh. 
I have described this, my old playground, 
as a type of the better homes of the village. 

In 1862 Dr. Evans became Governor of 
Colorado, and was never here much of the 
time afterward, though the family home 
was nominally here until 1867. From '63 
to '65 the house was occupied by Luther 
L. Greenleaf. \\'hile in Evanston the Doc- 
tor practiced little, chiefl}- in consultation. 
Of his deeds in politics and railroad build- 
ing we have nothing here to say further 
than that, to him more than to any other 
one man, does Colorado owe her present 
prosperity. As a student and practitioner 
of medicine he was literally in the front 
rank. In opposition to the prevailing opin- 
ion of the profession of that time, he af- 
firmed, in the 'forties, the contagiousness of 
cholera, and yet, as late as 1862, his wife 
rode in a carriage with the casket contain- 
ing a victim of scarlet fever, and on re- 
turning home took her little Margaret upon 
her knee. The result was another little 
grave in Rose Hill. 

While teaching in Chicago he spent 
much time perfecting an extractor which 
he had invented. He was quite proud of 
his results and showed the instrument to his 
class. One of the students obtained a 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



247 



patent on it. Dr. Evans, instead of attempt- 
ing to have the patent set aside, so thor- 
oughly condemned the patenting of any 
professional article, and so perfectly 
showed forth every possible objection to 
the use of that particular instrument that, 
today, there are very few living who ever 
have heard of it. Dr. Evans died in Den- 
ver, Colo., July 3. 1897. 

Dr. James W. Ludlam. — After Dr. 
Evans, Orrington Lunt and others had 
completed the purchase of the Evanston 
farm for the University, they stopped to 
water their horses at the tavern kept by 
Major Mulford. This tavern was a por- 
tion of the building since known as the 
James S. Kirk home, and is now used by 
the Sisters of St. Francis as a hospital. \'is- 
iting the Major at the time were Dr. and 
Mrs. Jacob Watson Ludlam. They had 
come West to see their sons Reuben and 
James, who had located in Chicago. After 
talking with the university folks. Dr. Lud- 
lam became impressed with the future of 
the town and purchased of the Major ten 
acres of land on the west side of Ridge 
Avenue. He built there his. first Evanston 
house just south of Oakton Avenue. The 
locust trees that he planted show the loca- 
tion of the house which was burned some 
twenty years ago. When Dr. Ludlam 
found that the new town would not be near 
the old settlement, he first purchased the 
southeast corner of Hinman Avenue and 
Clark Street, opposite Dr. Evans, which he 
later exchanged for the present site of the 
Evanston Club. Here he erected the house 
since moved to 1206 Hinman A^'enue, and 
now occupied by his children, Jacob Wat- 
son, Jr., and Miss "MoUie." 

Dr. Ludlam was born at Camden, X. J., 
November 28, 1807. He graduated from 
the I'niversity of Pennsylvania, and prac- 
ticed at Deerfield, N. J., until he came to 
Evanston, March 31, 1855. He died here 



July II, 1859, and his body was the first 
interred in Rose Hill. With the exception 
of Dr. Blaney, Dr. Ludlam was probably 
the most thoroughly educated man in the 
profession among the early settlers. In 
those days it was not unusual for a manto 
begin practicing after from th^ee to six 
months' study, but Dr. Ludlam >jok three 
years, and as long as he lived in the. East 
it was his custom to frequently spend a 
month at one of the schools of medicine. 
Tall in stature and polished in manner, he 
was an ideal physician. 

The Ludlam family were not an unim- 
portai. ,ari ' Mie social life of the burgh. 
Of Reuuen, the ^ who later be- 

came President ot i e State Board of 
Health, the old Doctor said to one of the 
then old settlers : "I have a boy practicing 
in Chicago : I have this satisfaction about 
him, that he will never kill any one with 
his medicines." Reuben remained in Chi- 
cago, but James, or Major, as he has since 
been known, went with the Evanston boys 
— General Beveridge, Major Russell, Lieu- 
tenant Harry Pearsons and others — into the 
Eighth Illinois Cavalry. And "Miss Mol- 
ly !' I remember hearing one of the young 
ladies remark one day after a wedding: 
"Xow, Molly Ludham has been a brides- 
maid seven times, and that is a sign that 
she never will be married." She never has. 
For manv years she taught in the old Ben- 
son Avenue School, and she did her work 
well. 

Evanston's Second Physician. — The sec- 
ond physician to locate here was Fayette 
Montrose Weller. who came in the summer 
of 1855, and settled on Ridge Avenue op- 
posite the present site of the Academy of 
the Msitation. His ancestors were early 
settlers of Xew England from Bavaria, 
Holland, Scotland and England. He was 
born at Sardinia, X. Y., April 13, 1825. He 
first studied for the ministry, but changed 



248 



MEDICAL HISTORY 



his mind and graduated from the medical 
department of the University of Michigan 
in 1854. His first wife, Marie Antoinette 
HypoUte, died in Evanston in 1858. Three 
years later he married Philena M., the eld- 
est daughter of George M. Huntoon, one 
of the earliest settlers of Ridgeville. Dr. 
Weller was for three or four years the 
village Postmaster, using the Max Hahn 
building, which stood at 619 Davis Street. 
Here he kept the second drug store opened 
in the village, though it could not have 
been as attractive as the colored lights and 
soda fountains are at present, for it did not 
impress itself upon the memories of the 
girls of the day. When Ed. Clifford be- 
came Postmaster, Dr, \\^eller sold to him 
the drugs which he moved into the little 
store, No. 1610 Chicago Avenue. Dr. 
Weller was a thick-set, dark-complexioned 
man, of medium height and a good practi- 
tioner. In 1865 Dr. Weller sold his prac- 
tice to Dr. Ira B. Geier, but he returned to 
Evanston in the 'seventies for a short time. 
In 1878 he moved to Chicago, where he died 
at the age of 70. 

Dr. Blaney. — James \'. Z. Blaney was 
born at Newcastle, Delaware, May i, 1820, 
into a family known for its refinement and 
education, with ample means to provide a 
thorough education. The son was gradu- 
ated from Princeton College when eighteen 
and, as soon as he reached his majority, he 
received the degree of Doctor of Medicine 
from Jefferson Medical College. In 1842- 
43 he was on duty at Jefferson Barracks, 
St. Louis. A year later he located in Chi- 
cago, and became Professor of Chemistry 
at Rush. He also edited the "Northwestern 
Medical Journal." In 1857 he added to his 
other work the chair of Chemistry in the 
University and moved to Evanston. He 
built and occupied the house which recent- 
ly gave place to Mayor Patten's new one 
on Ridge Avenue. As with Dr. Evans, Dr. 



Blaney's Evanston practice was chiefly 
consulting. At the outbreak of the war 
Dr. Blaney was ordered East as Medical 
Inspector, and never returned to Evanston 
to reside. Later he was returned to Chi- 
cago as Medical Purveyor, and at the close 
of the war he was mustered out as a Lieu- 
tenant Colonel. He died in Chicago, De- 
cember II, 1874. 

After the death of Dr. Ludlam, Dr. J. H. 
Hobbs, a recent graduate from Rush, made 
a short sojourn in our midst. About the 
same time a dapper little graduate from the 
University of Pennsylvania, in the class of 
'54, made his appearance. He wore eye- 
glasses — the only ones in town, perhaps. 
He was a perfect gentleman, and the admi- 
ration of all the young ladies. He started 
the first baseball club in the village. But 
William \'arian was also a man of skill. 
He was the nephew of one of America's 
best surgeons — Washington Atlee — and at 
the beginning of the war he became a 
Brigade Surgeon. On one occasion, on 
reaching a new post, he was at once ar- 
rested as a spy, being mistaken for a Con- 
federate General whom he strongly re- 
sembled. At the close of the war he settled 
in Titusville, Pennsylvania, where he is 
now an honored member of the profession. 

I am told that in "61 there was a woman' 
physician living in the house on the campus 
formerly occupied by Alonzo Burroughs, 
but she was probably not a graduate. At 
the same time there was a Dr. Barker living 
opposite the old }iIethodist church, corner 
of Orrington and Church Streets. He 
served in the army and after the war he 
settled in Wisconsin. 

Ira B. Geier, a brother of Mrs. Mary F. 
Haskins, came in '65. He was a bachelor, 
and at the last lived in a cottage which he 
built on the northeast corner of Benson 
Avenue and Davis Street. He was a native 
of Central New York. He was a very 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



249 



well informed physician, but he never had 
a large practice. He lacked the decision, 
energy and backbone which are necessary 
for the work. A slight indisposition always 
caused him to fear his coming dissolution. 
On the other hand, he was an enthusiastic 
Mason, and was the real founder of Evans 
Lodge, for the first two years acting, and 
the next real. Worshipful Master of the 
lodge. He moved to Florida in 1872. 

Dr. Leonidas P. Hamline, son of Bishop 
Hamline of the Methodist Church, was 
born at Zanesville. O.. August 13, 1828. 
He graduated at Castleton Medical College, 
\'t. He moved to Evanston with his family 
in 1865, and built the residence now occu- 
pied by his daughter, Mrs. T. S. Creighton. 
at 1722 Judson Avenue. There he died 
January 22. 1897. During his early days in 
Evanston Dr. Hamline cHd most of the sur- 
gery performed here and saw an occasional 
sick patient, but he had practically retired 
from practice when he came here. 

Later Physicians. — Dr. Washington S. 
Scott came to Evanston i\Iarch i, 1865. 
Born near Wellsburg, Brooke County. W.. 
he went to college at Meadville, Pa. He re- 
ceived his medical education in Philadel- 
phia, Cincinnati and Xew r)rleans. Before 
coming to Evanston he practiced for some 
time in Iowa. He was not in active practice 
long here, but sold out to Dr. Poole in 
1867. He threw all his energy into busi- 
ness. He started a drug store at 613 Davis 
street, almost on the same spot on which a 
man by the name of Donovan started the 
first store several years earlier ; but, where- 
as Donovan soon went out of business, Dr. 
Scott's is still in existence, two doors west, 
now under the ownership of Hill & Leffing- 
well. Dr. Scott was a Democrat, but not 
offensively so. Naturally a Southern sym- 
pathizer, few ever heard him say it. He 
put forth his best thought in the interest 
of Evanston. He built the first brick busi- 



ness block in town, 611 and 613 Davis 
Street, and the first public hall. He built 
the first building intended for a postoffice, 
and the first Masonic temple. He died at 
the age of 70, in Springfield, 111., June 25, 
1901. 

Dr. Isaac Poole was born in Halifax, 
Plymouth County, Mass., July 26, 1837. 
He was graduated in medicine from 
the Berkshire Medical College, Pittsfield 
Mass., in November, 1862. For two 
years he was interne at the Kings 
County, N. Y., Hospital. For two 
years he served as a Surgeon in the United 
States Navy. He came to Evanston in 
February, 1867, and has practiced here ever 
since. He is now the oldest physician in 
Evanston, and the oldest in the practice of 
medicine. He is of revolutionary and of 
Puritan descent. His grandfather, John 
Poole, was a minute man during the entire 
War of Independence. He is also descended 
from Dr. Samuel Fuller, the physician of 
the Mayflower. 

James Stewart Jewell was born at Galena, 
111.. September 8, 1837. He was graduated 
from the Chicago Medical College in i860. 
He was Professor of .\natomy in the same 
institution from 1864 to 1869, and of Ner- 
vous Diseases during the later years of his 
life. In 1870 he received the honorary de- 
gree of A. M. from Northwestern Univer- 
sity. He died in Chicago, April 18, 1887. 

Dr. Jewell was naturally a brilliant man. 
He was a most entertaining lecturer and 
conversationalist. He was a linguist of 
more than ordinary ability. Soon after he 
came to Evanston, about 1868, he started a 
Bible class in the Methodist Sunday-school, 
then under the superintendence of Ed- 
ward Eggleston. The class grew rapidly, 
and it was soon postponed until after the 
regular session of the school for two rea- 
sons : first, that they might have more 
room ; and second, that members of other 



250 



MEDICAL HISTORY 



churches might attend. So popular was he 
that the old Methodist church, then the 
largest auditorium in the village, was filled 
every week. He illustrated his lectures 
with large charcoal sketches and maps of 
his own drawing. So interested did he be- 
come that he started to write a book on the 
Life and Travels of St. Paul, and with that 
in view, he took a party of Evanston young 
men to Palestine in 1870. In his party was 
Frederick Huse. later a doctor of medicine. 
The book was never finished. He became 
interested in psychology, and through that 
he began a closer study of the nervous sys- 
tem. This led to a study of the diseases of 
the nervous system, to which he limited his 
later practice. He started a "Journal of 
Nervous Diseases," and left a partially 
completed work upon this subject, but death 
overtook him in the midst of his labor. 
I have heard them tell how he first appeared 
in the medical school, a tall, awkward boy, 
wearing blue-jeans trousers. I have heard 
him narrate about his weary work in coun- 
try practice before he came to Evanston, 
often sleeping as he rode upon his horse's 
back, awakening with a start as he uncon- 
sciously ducked his head to avoid an over- 
hanging branch. He killed himself by over- 
work, and a disregard of the very rules 
which' he so well taught us. 

James Henry Etheridge, the son of a phy- 
sician, was born in Johnsville, N. Y., March 
20, 1845. After studying at Ann Arbor 
he graduated from Rush Medical College in 
1868, and settled in Evanston. His sister 
was the wife of Lyman J. Gage, who then 
lived on Hinman Avenue. After practicing 
here for a year and a half. Dr. Etheridge 
married Harriet, the daughter of H. G. 
Powers, and, in 1870, went to Europe for 
further study. When he returned he settled 
in Chicago, where he died in i8qi, having 
been a professor in his alma mater for thirty 
vears. 



It is not probable that any man has ex- 
erted a more powerful influence upon the 
medical profession of the L'nited States than 
my old preceptor. Dr. Nathan Smith Davis. 
The Davis family lived opposite the First 
Alethodist church from 1871 to 1881. and 
it had been the doctor's expectation to spend 
here the remainder of his life, but the un- 
timely death of his son Frank changed his 
plans. 

The Nestor of Medical Education. — N. 
S. Davis, the youngest of seven children, 
was born on a farm which his father had 
cleared at Greene, N. Y., Jan. 9, 1817. This 
son, after attending Cazenovia Seminary, 
began the study of medicine in 1831 with 
Dr. Daniel Clark, at Smithville Flats. Ac- 
cording to custom the boy lived with his 
preceptor, taking care of his horses and 
doing other work. In 1837, before he was 
of age, he graduated with honor from the 
College of Physicians and Surgeons, at Fair- 
field, N. Y. His thesis was upon animal 
temperature. While in college he boarded 
himself much of the time. He settled first 
at Vienna, N. Y., and then at Binghamton, 
where, for a time, he had as an associate, 
Dr. A. B. Palmer, later the Dean of the 
Medical Department at Ann Arbor. In 
1847 Dr. Davis became a professor in the 
College of Physiciansand Surgeons in New 
York City. Two years later he came to 
Chicago as a Professor of Practice in Rush 
Medical College. Dr. Davis early began 
to advocate a more systematic course in the 
study of medicine, and in 1859, he started 
the Chicago Medical College, now owned 
by the Northwestern University. This was 
the first medical school in this country to in- 
sist upon a graded course of three years' 
study. Harvard being the second, more than 
a decade later. Chiefl\- at his own expense 
he started a hospital in the old Lake House, 
which later became Mercy Hospital. In 
honor of Dr. Davis the American Medical 



i 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



251 



Association, several years ago, had a medal 
struck, thus recognizing him as its founder. 
It was his pen that drew up the code of 
ethics which still governs that body. 

Dr. Davis was a clear thinker and forcible 
speaker. He was tireless in his original 
investigations. He did his share of editor- 
ial work, the last being upon the "Journal of 
the American Medical Association." Dr. 
Davis always took a most active part in 
sanitary matters. In Chicago and in Evan- 
ston, by popular lectures and constant agita- 
tion, he did much toward the establishment 
of public water supply and sewerage sys- 
tems. There was a time in Chicago when 
he was spoken of as "Pope Davis," because 
of his influence over the Irish people. This 
influence was noted in the dark days of the 
Civil War. when recruits were badly wanted 
but were slow to come. Then Dr. Davis, 
standing on the court house steps, so elo- 
quently pleaded with them that large num- 
bers came forward to enlist. 

Dr. Davis was one of the first physicians 
to decry the use of alcohol as medicine, and 
later, through his eilorts, the Washington- 
ian Home was started in Chicago for the 
care of inebriates. 

Dr. Davis was always an active member 
of the ^lethodist Church, and while he lived 
in Evanston he seldom was absent from the 
morning or evening service, and as regular 
as the hour for Sunday-school, you might 
see him walk down the middle aisle to his 
Bible class. For two or three years he was 
President of the Board of Village Trustees. 
On one occasion a Trustee sent in a bill for 
hotel and livery entertainment of some 
visitors to the village. Dr. Davis cast it 
aside with the remark that such matters 
were private and should not be paid from 
village funds. "I think we should pay the 
bill," said one of the Trustees, indicating 
thereby a dissent from the decision of the 
chair. "All right." said Dr. Davis, putting 



his hand into his pocket, "III give five 
dollars, what will you give?" "One," was 
the feeble reply. 

Dr. Davis was always the poor man's 
friend. On one occasion a lady brought her 
daughter to the doctor, insisting that 
she wanted him to give her special atten- 
tion, and she was willing to pay whatever 
he asked. The Doctor's head was bent over 
as he listened to her. Then he replied : 
"]My fee is one dollar. I give my best care 
to every patient, the poor as well as the 
rich. I cannot do more in your case." 

The son of Bishop Whitehouse once came 
to consult Dr. Davis. He was dressed in 
the height of fashion. The office girl gave 
him a number and requested him to take 
a seat ; but, looking with scorn upon the 
long line of working people ahead of him, 
he rapped at the private door. He explained 
to the Doctor that he wished to consult him. 
"Take a seat," was the reply. "Probably 
}'ou do not know who I am," said the young 
man. "I am the son of Bishop White- 
house." "Take two seats," responded Dr. 
Davis, as he turned to hear the troubles of 
"next." 

The Doctor's advice to his students as to 
treatment was. "First determine what is 
wrong. Then find the cause and remove 
it. Lastly determine what in your judg- 
ment is the best remedy to be used in the 
case and use it." I have often heard him 
tell with a twinkle in his eye how he once 
sent to an eclectic physician for some simple 
remedy for one case and of his neighbor's 
boastful pride over the fact. Dr. Davis re- 
ceived the honorary degrees of A. M., and 
LL. D. from Xorthwestern University. He 
died June 16, IQ04. 

An Early Drug Store. — In the early 
'seventies Dr. T. S. Blackburn, a native of 
Canada and graduate from Ann Arbor, 
opened a drug store in the brick building 
east of the Central Street station of the 



252 



MEDICAL HISTORY 



Northwestern Road. The North Evanston 
practice was divided between Drs. Black- 
burn and Jenks, both of whom are now 
dead. 

In the late 'seventies there appeared in 
the village a fine looking gentleman, of 
middle age, who promised to cut a wide 
swath in the local profession. Whence he 
came or where he studied I have not found. 
His name was Trimble. In a short time 
he had upon his list the names of several 
prominent families, but an unfortunate 
series of fatal accidents discouraged him 
and he sought the balmy air of Florida, 
followed by a threat of shooting if ever he 
were seen in town again. 

Latter Day Physicians. — Dr. Edward 
H. Webster was born of old Puritan stock 
at Wells River, Vt., in 1851. He traces his 
ancestry in this country to the middle of the 
seventeenth century. In 1867 the family 
moved to Evanston, where the father was 
known for his generosity to the poor. Ed- 
ward attended the university and was a 
member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He 
graduated from the Chicago Medical Col- 
lege in 1877, and has been located in Evan- 
ston since '79. In his later student days, 
and for two years following, he was in 
charge of the infirmary of the Chicago & 
Northwestern Railway in Chicago, and 
ever since he has been the District Surgeon 
of that company. 

Henry Martyn P.annistcr, son of Profes- 
sor Henry Bannister, D. D.. of the old Insti- 
tute faculty, was born at Cazenovia, N. Y., 
July 25, 1844. The family came to Evanston 
in 1856. Here the son received his degree of 
A. M. From 1864 to 1873 he was con- 
nected with the Smithsonion Institute, at 
Washington. He was badly frozen, separ- 
ated from his companions and nearly lost 
his life, while on the exploring expedition 
sent out by the Government before we pur- 
chased Alaska. He was graduated from the 



medical department of Columbia University 
in 187 1. For some years he was a physician 
at the Kankakee Asylum, but during much 
of his professional career he has been en- 
gaged in medical journalism. He is now 
on the stafif of the "Journal of the American 
Medical Association." 

Gustav A. Fischer, born in 1846, came 
here about 1875. He was graduated from the 
University of Prague, .--Vustria, in 1871. He 
now resides in Chicago. John J. Scheuber 
came here from Switzerland about the same 
time. He had quite a practice among the 
Germans. He treated cancer with plasters, 
and had a diphtheria cure which still has 
some reputation. He married a sister of J. 
H. Stephen, the genial manager of Muno's 
bakery. Dr. Scheuber died in Joliet, in 
lyoo, at the age of 64. 

John H. Burchmore was born November 
12, 1849, '11 Salem, Mass., where his family 
had resided since before the Revolution. He 
was graduated from the medical school of 
Harvard University in 1875. and. after serv- 
ing as interne in the Massachusetts General 
Hospital and resident physician in the 
Boston Lying-in Hospital, in 1877 he lo- 
cated in what was then North Evanston. 
He married a daughter of John W. Stewart, 
one of the most prominent residents there. 

Dr. Sarah H. Bray ton was born in Eng- 
land in 1849. She was graduated in medi- 
cine by the New York Free Medical Col- 
lege for Women, in the spring of 1875. In 
1883 she settled in Evanston. 

Thomas Sheldon Bond, the son of a Con- 
gregational minister, was born at Lee, 
Mass., December 14, 1842. He graduated 
from Amherst College with the degree of 
A. M., in 1863, and taught at Lake Forest. 
In 1867 he graduated from the Chicago 
Medical College and the next year received 
a like degree from the College of Physicians 
and Surgeons of New York. From i86q 
to 1874 he was demonstrator of anatomy 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



2^ 



DO 



and from 1874 to 1879. Professor of Anat- 
omy in Chicago Medical College. He then 
retired to private life and, in 1882 moved 
to Evanston, where he died December 4, 
1895. Dr. Bond was as fine an anatomist 
as there was in Chicago, and a most excel- 
lent teacher. 

William A. Phillips, son of William B. 
Phillips, was born in Chicago, January 18, 
1861. His genealogy in this country 
reaches back to George Phillips, who came 
to Salem, Mass., in 1632. In 1870 the fam- 
ily moved to Evanston. Here the son re- 
ceived the degree of Ph. B. He studied in 
the Northwestern Medical School, and in 
1887 received the degree of M. D. from 
Harvard. After spending a year at \'ienna 
he settled in Evanston. For a time he was 
lecturer on comparative anatomy in the 
University. He is an enthusiastic student 
of anthropology, and his valuable collec- 
tion is one of the attractions of the Univer- 
sity Museum. 

Otis Erastus Haven, the eldest son of 
Bishop E. O. Haven, once President of 
the University, was born in New York City, 
July 2, 1849. He was graduated as an 
A. B. from Ann Arbor, in 1870, and went 
to Iowa to teach. In 1873 he received his 
master's degree, and came to Evanston as 
Superintendent of the Public Schools. Then 
he studied medicine while teaching, and was 
graduated from Rush in 1882. He spent 
some months in New York Hospital and 
then opened an office here. He was at 
once elected a member of the Board of Ed- 
ucation and served until his death, February 
3, 1888. His professional career had been 
short, but he was universally beloved as a 
man and physician. 

Henry Bixby Hemenway was born at 
Montpelier, \'t., December 20, 1856. He 
traces his family in Salem, ]\Iass., back as 
far as 1636. He came to Evanston in 
September, 1857, where his father became 



professor in the Theological School. He 
received the degrees of A. B. and A. M. 
from the University, and was licensed to 
practice in 1880 by State examination. He 
was graduated from Chicago Medical Col- 
lege in 1 88 1 and located at Kalamazoo, 
Mich. While there he was City Health Of- 
ficer, Secretary of Board of United States 
Examining Surgeons, Division Surgeon of 
the Michigan Central and of the Grand Rap- 
ids & Indiana Railways, and held offices in 
the local and State Medical Societies. In the 
fall of 1890 he returned to Evanston. He 
taught one year in Rush College and gave 
a course of lectures at the College of Physi- 
cians and Surgeons in 1900, during the 
illness of Professor Carter. He is the 
Surgeon of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. 
Paul and the Chicago & Milwaukee electric 
roads. 

Gustav W. Kaufman was born in Han- 
over, Germany, in i860. He was educated 
in the German Gymnasium and School of 
Pharmacy. In 1881 he came to America 
and engaged in the drug business in St. 
Louis. He was graduated from the St. 
Louis College of Pharmacy in 1886, and 
four years later received the doctor's degree 
from the St. Louis College of Physicians 
and Surgeons. He settled in Evanston in 
1890. 

Lack of space prevents more than the 
mere mention of Dr. Gray, a copy of Jewell, 
who conducted a small private asylum here 
in the 'eighties : of Bentz, who at one time 
lived in North Evanston and moved to 
Wheeling ; of O. T. Maxson, who graduated 
from Rush in 1849, ^"cl came to South 
Evanston in '84, taking great interest in 
that village ; he died in '95, as did also 
Hawlev, after a short residence here ; or 
Leonard, also of the south wards ; of Ly- 
ford, wdio came in the 'eighties, and re- 
turned to Port Byron ; of Stewart, who 
was killed by the cars in 93 : of Josiah 



254 



MEDICAL HISTORY 



Jones, who gave up the Health Comniission- 
ership to dig gold in the Klondike : of 
Drs. O. Mueller. Bernard Miller, Frazier 
and Kimmet, returned to Chicago : of W. A. 
Palmer, removed to Minnesota, and Ivaats, 
returned to England ; of Harriet Wolfe, who 
became a Goodrich and retired from prac- 
tice ; of Wilder, who married Marie Huse, 
and died in Iowa : of Harding, who married 
Mary Clifford, an old resident, and in 91 
returned to Evanston from Goshen ; of Da- 
kin, an Evanston boy, who graduated from 
Physicians and Surgeons, New York, in '90, 
and came back two years later; of Bjork- 
man, who died in 1903 : of Harder, Stock- 
ley, Baird, Balderston. Mars, East, the 
McEwens, Clyde, who came here since 
1890, and the various specialists who have 
resided here : such as Ridlon, the leading 
orthopedic surgeon of the West ; Dodd, 
the eye surgeon ; Ballenger and Walters, 
the laryngologists ; Pusey and Andrews, 
all of whom now reside in Evanston. 
William R. Parks, our present Commis- 



sioner of Health, was born in Milwaukee in 
1869. He received the degrees of Ph. B. 
and Ph. M. from Northwestern University, 
and in 1893 graduated from Rush Medical 
College. After two years in the Presby- 
terian Hospital he returned to Evanston to 
practice. 

In 1883 a Medical Society was organized 
by some of the more recent settlers in the 
profession in Evanston. It was known as 
the Physicians' Club. Its meetings were held 
at the Avenue House. Its Officers were Dr. 
Hemenway, President ; Kaufman, \'ice- 
President ; and Palmer, Secretary and 
Treasurer. At the close of the year the or- 
ganization was a thing of the past. 

In 1902 one of the first branches organ- 
ized of the Chicago Medical Society was 
established in Evanston. Its membership 
is not limited to Evanston, but it includes 
resident physicians of the North Shore to 
the County line. In the effort to unify the 
profession, this society opens its doors to all 
reputable practitioners. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



MEDICAL HISTORY 

(HOMCEOPATHIC.) 
(By DR. M. C. BRAGDON) 



First Case of Homoeopathic Treatment in 
Evanston — Suceessful Results — Early 
Homoeopathic Physicians — Dr. Hazvkcs 
First Local Practitioner — He is Folloivcd 
by Dr. C. D. Fairbanks — Sketch of Dr. 
Oscar H. Mann — His Prominence in 
Local Educational, Official and Social Re- 
lations — Founding of the Evanston Hos- 
pital — Doctors Marcy. Clapp and Fuller 
— Roll of the Later Physicians and Sur- 
geons. 

About 1854 a child living in the neighbor- 
hood of the Alulford tavern was taken sick 
one night, and the family feared that she 
could not live till morning. There was no 
doctor nearer than Chicago, and it was not 
likely that one could be obtained before 
the next day, too late to save the patient. 
It was ascertained that the wife of one of 
the early settlers then stopping at the 
tavern had a case of homoeopathic rem- 
edies. The gentleman did not believe in 
that mode of treatment, but his wiie did. 
As she was ill. the husband took the case 
of pills in one hand and a manual of prac- 
tice in the other, and went to the patient's 
relief. He knew little, if any. of the signs of 
disease, but he sat by the bed and studied the 
book. He said, in telling of the incident, 
that while he was not very hopeful of do- 
ing good, he felt sure that he would do no 



harm. In the morning the patient was suf- 
ficiently recovered so that it was not con- 
sidered necessary to send for a physician. 
So far as known, this was the first record of 
homoeopathic treatment in Evanston. 

Many of the early residents were ac- 
customed to this method before they came 
to Evanston. It was not uncommon to find 
a copy of Small's "Manual of Homoeopathic 
Practice" on the book shelf, or some other 
book for family use. and the more common 
remedies were kept on hand, even by those 
who were accustomed to employ the old 
school doctors. The simplicity of the sys- 
tem, the ease with which it could be used, 
and the freedom from harmful results, 
recommended it. 

Homoeopathy in Evanston has always had 
the support of many of the best educated 
people in the village, and among the earlier 
residents were many strong believers in the 
new school. Doctors Adam Miller, J. 
Nicholas Cooke, Reuben Ludlam. and 
other Chicago practitioners, made frequent 
professional trips to the village. 

First Resident Practitioner. — At that 
early time there were few homoeopathic 
schools. Most of the practitioners were 
graduates of the old school who had be- 
come dissatisfied with the heroic treatment 
then in vogue, and so had taken refuge in 
this more simple system. Many of them 



255 



256 



MEDICAL HISTORY 



however did not adhere strictly to the law 
of similars. In 1856 one of this style came 
and settled in the village. His name was 
Hawkes. So far as the writer has been 
able to find, he was not related to Prof. W. 
J. Hawkes who came later, though they 
have often been confounded with each 
other. This man was in some way related 
by marriage to Dr. Moses Gunn, one of 
the foremost surgeons of half a century 
ago in Chicago, and to Mr. Gould, who 
long occupied the position of clerk at Rush 
Medical College. He was also a distant 
connection of the Judson family, and for 
his use Rev. Philo Judson had erected the 
commodious house which was removed to 
give place to the Young Men's Christian 
Association building in 1898. Dr. Hawkes 
remained only a year. 

From that time until the middle 'sixties 
there was no resident homoeopathic physi- 
cian. Dr. C. D. Fairbanks lived in Evan- 
ston about 1865. Little is known of him. 
All who knew him spoke well of him, both 
as a man and as a physician. It is said 
that he moved from our midst to Engle- 
wood, but this is uncertain. 

Dr. Oscar H. Mann. — In 1866 Oscar 
H. Mann took the place vacated in the com- 
munity by Dr. Fairbanks. Dr. Mann w-as 
born at Providence, R. I.. November 24, 
1835. His great-grandfather was an of- 
ficer in the American Revolution. The 
doctor received his earlier medical educa- 
tion in New York City, and began prac- 
ticing. He received the degree of Doctor 
of Medicine from Hahnemann Medical Col- 
lege, Chicago, March. 1866. Afterward he 
came to Evanston where he was for many 
years a prominent factor in the life of the 
village, socially and politically. For about 
three years he lectured on Chemistry and 
Hygiene at the Northwestern Female Col- 
lege, which was familiarly called the Jones 
College from its founder and Principal. Dr. 



Mann was one of the prime movers, and the 
first President of the Evanston Social Club, 
the first organization of the kind in our 
midst. L'nder its auspices were held 
theatricals, dances, and card parties. At 
this time it is hard to realize with what 
horror such an organization was then gen- 
erally regarded. It occupied the rooms now 
devoted to the Odd Fellows, 604 Davis 
Street. Dr. Mann served as Township, and 
\'illage Trustee. He was the last Presi- 
dent of the village, and the first Mayor of 
the city. Under his administration the old 
\illage of South Evanston, which was or- 
ganized because its residents did not wish 
to be taxed for a general water supply, was 
merged with Evanston, in order to get the 
benefit of our superior water system. The 
present City Hall was erected with rooms 
for the Police and Fire Departments, and 
for the Public Library. His home, once 
the scene of frequent parties, stood where 
the present Mann building now houses the 
Postoffice and Masonic Temple. In 1889 
the house was removed to 811 LTniversity 
Place, where it now stands. He was one of 
the first officers of the Evanston Com- 
mandery Knights Templar, and served one 
year as President of the State Homoeopathic 
Medical Society. He gradually retired from 
practice, and, on the completion of his ser- 
vice as Mayor, spent some years on his ranch 
at Okobojo, South Dakota, though still re- 
taining his legal residence and interest in 
Evanston. 

Dr. M. C. Bragdon. — In the summer of 
1873 Dr. Mann took into partnership a 
young man from Evanston, then fresh from 
his studies in Vienna. Merritt Caldwell 
Bragdon was born at Auburn, N. Y., Jan- 
uary 6, 1850. His father. Rev. Charles P. 
Bragdon, was sent to Evanston in 1858 as 
the pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal 
Church. The family moved into the house 
which had beeti built for Dr. Hawkes, on 



i\ 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



257 



Orrington Avenue. Here the father died, 
leaving his widow, three boys and two girls. 
Merritt, the second, son, was graduated in 
1870 from the Northwestern University, 
served as a clerk in the State Senate, studied 
in Chicago Medical College, and finally, in 
1873, was graduated from the Hahnemann 
Medical College and Hospital of Philadel- 
phia. After some months spent in foreign 
study, he entered upon his duties in Dr. 
Mann's office. He is a trustee of his 
father's church, and a member of the Uni- 
versitv Board of Trustees. He has devotetl 
his attention to the practice of his profes- 
sion. He is a member of the State and 
National Homoeopathic Medical Societies. 
His chief public service in the community 
was the establishment of the Evanston Hos- 
pital, of which he is now one of the staff 
of physicians. Seeing the need for such an 
institution, he urged it upon one of his 
patrons, Mrs. Rebecca Butler, and his old 
neighbor, Mrs. Marie Huse Wilder — now 
Mrs. Daniel Kidder — and those ladies 
undertook its organization. Beginning in a 
small way. it has steadily grown until now 
it is one of the most modern, well equipped 
and best managed hospitals in America. 

Dr. Anson L. Marcy. — After Dr. Brag- 
don left the office of Dr. Mann, Anson L. 
Marcy took his place. Dr. IMarcy was a 
nephew of Prof. Oliver Marcy, of the Uni- 
versity, and a classmate of Dr. Bragdon in 
the Hahnemann Medical College of Phil- 
adelphia, where he received his Doctor's 
degree in 1873. He came here originally 
as a student in the Academy and University, 
though he did not graduate. In his student 
days he was an expert taxidermist, and 
there are still many evidences of his skill to 
be found in the University Aluseum. After 
graduating in medicine he settled in Dakota, 
but having made a matrimonial alliance with 
the daughter of 'Squire Curry, he was 
drawn back to this village. He is now prac- 
ticing in Richmond, \'a. 



Dr. Clapp. — Eben I'ratt Clapp, the son 
of one of the oldest homoeopathic practi- 
tioners in the State. Dr. Ela H. Clapp, was 
born at Rome, 111.. March xo, 1859. The 
family came to Evanston to educate the 
son, and he was graduated from the North- 
western University in 1881. He was grad- 
uated from the Hahnemann Medical College 
of Chicago in 1882, and after studying in 
Europe, settled in Evanston, where he has 
since practiced. For six years he served 
as an efficient Commissioner of Health for 
the City of Evanston. He is a member of 
the stafif of physicians at the Evanston Hos- 
pital. He has now retired from active 
practice and spends his winters in Cali- 
fornia. 

Dr. Ela H. Clapp was the second hom- 
oepathic physician to settle in Illinois. 
He first studied in Cincinnati and began 
practice in Ohio, and later, after practicing 
for some years, he went to Cleveland for 
special study. After leaving Ohio he set- 
tled in Central Illinois. Having retired 
from active work he came to Evanston 
in 1874. His home overlooked the lake, 
and stood at the northwest corner of Church 
Street and Judson Avenue. Though not 
engaged in practice in Evanston, his posi- 
tion among the profession of the State en- 
titles him to recognition here. He died 
April 12, 1888, of paralysis. 

Later Homoeopathic Physicians. — Har- 
rv Parsons was the son of an Evanston mer- 
chant. The family lived in the northern 
part of the village. Harry was graduated 
from Hahnemann ^Medical College of Chi- 
cago in 1880. He practiced in Evanston 
after graduation, but later moved to Ravens- 
wood, where he is now enjoying an active 
practice. 

Prof. William J. Hawkes, a native of 
Pensylvania. came here in the 'eighties, 
but returned to Chicago, and later removed 
to Southern California. He was graduated 
from the Hahnemann Medical College of 



258 



MEDICAL HISTORY 



Philadelphia, in 1867. During his residence 
here. Dr. Hawkes continued to occupy the 
chair of Materia Medica in Chicago Hah- 
nemann College. He was a man of good 
address, genial, well posted in his profes- 
sion, and successful in pi-actice ; yet for 
some reason he never took root in our soil. 

Dr. Allen Benjamin Clayton came to 
Evanston in 1885. and was the only one of 
our homcEopathic practitioners to die while 
practicing here. He was born January 26, 
1849, at Aylmer, Ontario. His preliminary 
education was obtained in the schools of 
Aylmer and Saint Thomas. He received 
his medical training in the College of Phy- 
sicians and Surgeons at Toronto, and in 
the Hahnemann Medical College of Chi- 
cago, '^eing graduated from the latter 
school in iSCn). He settled first in Chatham, 
Ontario, moving thence to ^Marinette, Wis. 
He came to Evanston in 1885. He was a 
gentleman of fine literary tastes, affable in 
manner, and at one time he had a lucrative 
practice. His father had wished him to 
enter the legal profession, but this was not 
to his liking. He died in Chicago, of rectal 
cancer. September 15, lyoo. 

Eugene E. Shutterly was born at Can- 
nonsburg. Pa.. January 2, 1862. He came 
to Evanston in 1877. He studied in the 
Academy, graduating in 1886. He then 
entered the Hahnemann Medical College of 
Chicago, from which he was graduated in 
1888. He immediately began practice in 
Evanston. He has also served the citv as 
its Commissioner of Health, conducting the 
office with satisfaction to all concerned. 
He is a member of the staff of physicians 
at the Evanston Hospital. 

Mary F. McCrillis was the first woman 
homoeopathic physician to settle among us. 
She was born in New Hampshire in 1856, 
of New England parentage. She was grad- 
uated from the Boston University School 
of Medicine in 1882. She came to Evanston 



in 1888. and has since that time been 
engaged here in general practice. She is 
a member of the staiif of Physicians at the 
Evanston Hospital. Quiet and unobtrusive 
in manner, and well versed in her profes- 
sion, she has proved a worthy member of 
the fraternity. 

F"rances B. ^^'ilki^s, a graduate of the 
Hahnemann ^Medical College of Chicago 
in 1876, has several times resided in Evan- 
ston. Her husband, John M. Wilkins, re- 
ceived his M. D. degree from the Chicago 
National Medical College in 1896. 

Alice B. Stockham. born in Ohio in 1835, 
and graduated from the Chicago Homceo- 
pathic Medical College in 1882, came to 
Evanston about 1894. Here she did not 
enter general practice, but devoted herself 
to literary and commercial pursuits. She 
was the author of several books and pamph- 
lets, the best known of which are "Tokol- 
ogy" and "The Koradine Letters." 

Charles Gordon Fuller, born at James- 
town. N. Y., April 9, 1856, has resided in 
Evanston over fifteen years. Having re- 
ceived his early education in the schools of 
Jamestown and at Columbia College, he 
entered the Chicago Homccopathic Medical 
College, graduating in 1880. Later he took 
special studies at the College of Physicians 
and Surgeons. New York, at the New York 
Ophthalmic College and Hospital and the 
New York Ophthalmic and Aural Institute. 
He is ex-Major and Surgeon of the First 
Regiment Infantry of the Illinois National 
Guard, ( )phthalmic and .\ural Surgeon to 
several Cliicago Hospitals and a member 
of the consulting staff of the Evanston Hos- 
j^ital. He is also a member of the .American 
Institute of Homoeopathy, the American 
Homoeopathic Ophthalmological, Otological 
and Laryngological Society, e.x-.\ssistant 
Surgeon to New York Ophthalmic Hospital, 
Fellow of the Royal ]\Iicroscopical Society, 
England, member of the A. A. A. S. Asso- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



259 



ciation, Alilitary Surgeons of the United 
States, and the American Microscopical So- 
ciety. Dr. Fuller's office is in Chicajjo, 
where he has confined his attention to dis- 
eases of the eye and ear. 

Burton Haseltine graduated from the 
Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago in 
1896. and, after being associated with Dr. 
Shears of Chicago for two years, came to 
Evanston, limiting his practice to diseases 
of the eye, ear, nose and throat. He is the 
author of numerous monographs. Secretary 
of the State Homoeopathic IMedical Asso- 
ciation, member of the National and Chi- 
cago Homoeopathic Societies, Senior Pro- 
fessor of Nose and Throat in his alma 
mater, and attending Eye and Ear Surgeon 
to Cook County Hospital and Home of the 
Friendless. He has now removed to Chi- 
cago. 

Samuel M. Moore, a native of Kentucky, 
and a graduate from the Chicago Homoeo- 
pathic Medical College in 1895, and also 
serving as interne at Cook County Hospital, 
came to Evanston in 1897. For several 
years he enjoyed a prosperous hospital prac- 
tice. He was a member of the staff of 
Physicians at the Evanston Hospital, but he 
.retired in 1904 to engage in mercantile pur- 
suits. He has now resumed his practice 
in Sheridan Park. 111. 

Guernsey P. Waring was graduated from 
Dunham Medical College in 1897, and is 
a Professor of Materia Medica in the Hah- 
nemann Pkledical College of Chicago. He is 
a member of the State and National Medical 
Societies. 

Dr. James T. Kent, who received his de- 
grees from the Eclectic School in Cincinnati 
in 1871. and the Homoeopathic College of 
St. Louis in 1884. is now Professor of 
Materia Medica at Hahnemann Medical 
College of Chicago, a member of the State 
and National Homoeopathic Medical Soci- 
eties, and the author of "Kent's Repertor}-," 



"Kent's ^Materia ^Medica,'' and "Kent's Phil- 
osophy." 

Edwin H. Pratt was graduated from 
Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago in 
1877. He is the author of a work on Ori- 
ficial Surgery, is known as a successful 
operator and has for many years been one 
of the leading homoeopathic surgeons. He 
has resided in Evanston since 1900. 

Abbie J- Hinkle was born in Philadelphia 
in 1853. There she received her preliminary 
education. After several years spent in 
teaching in the public schools, she turned 
her attention to medicine, being graduated 
from the Hahnemann Medical College of 
Chicago in 1887. She first settled in Chica- 
go. In January, 1895, she located in Evan- 
ston. During her student days she was an 
officer in the college clinical society, and 
more recently she has been a Vice-Presi- 
dent of the Illinois Homoeopathic Medical 
Association. 

Thomas H. Winslow, a native of Nor- 
way, was graduated from the Herring Col- 
lege in Chicago in 1896. Since graduation 
he has practiced in Evanston. Having 
taken special work in the branches per- 
taining to diseases of the nose, throat, ear 
and eye, in February, 1904, he moved to 
Oakland, Cal., to practice that specialty. 

Ransom M. Barrows, born in Michigan 
in 1849, i* ^ brother of the late Rev. Dr. 
John H. Barrows, previous to his death 
President of Oberlin College, Ohio. Dr. 
Barrows received his education in his na- 
tive State, being graduated from the Michi- 
gan University Medical School in 1877. In 
1884 he took a degree from the Hahne- 
mann Medical College of Chicago. After 
several years spent in Chicago he located 
in Evanston in 1901. He moved to Wil- 
mette two years later. 

George F. M. Tyson was born in Chica- 
go, October 30, 1872. He has practiced in 



26o 



MEDICAL HISTORY 



Evanston since his graduation from the 
Chicago National IMedical College in 1898. 

Frank H. Edwards grew up in Evanston. 
He was born in Irving Park, Cook County, 
November 16, 1871. He was graduated 
from the Evanston High School, and be- 
gan his professional studies under the di- 
rection of Dr. Clayton. In 1895 he was 
graduated from the Chicago Homoeopathic 
Medical College, and began his career at 
Rockford, 111. After three years he re- 
turned to Evanston. In 1902 he received a 
diploma from Rush Medical College. He 
then spent some time studying in Vienna, 
and later with his uncle. Dr. Ira Harris, in 
Tripoli, Syria. He is the author of several 
monographs. He has joined the Christian 
Scientists. 

G. F. Barry was born in Chicago, Janu- 
ary 12, 1875. He was graduated from the 
Chicago Manual Training School in 1894, 
and from the Hahnemann ^ledical College 
and Hospital of Philadelphia in 1902. He 
immediately settled in Evanston. He is a 
member of the Illinois Homoeopathic Medi- 
cal Association and a graduate of the Chi- 
cago Lying-in Hospital. He is a member 
of the staff of Evanston Hospital. 

Dwight M. Clark, who took the practice 
of Dr. Moore, was born at Yellow Springs, 
Ohio, March 29, 1878. He studied at the 



Michigan University, was graduated from 
Chicago Homoeopathic Medical College, in 
1 90 1, served as an interne at Cook County 
Hospital, received a diploma from Rush 
Medical in 1903, and came to Evanston in 
January, 1904. He is a member of staff 
of Evanston Hospital. 

From the foregoing it may be seen that 
the homoeopathic practitioners of the city 
have not been entirely occupied with pri- 
vate affairs. To members of this profes- 
sion is largely due the praise for the pres- 
ent existence of two of our public build- 
ings, — the City Hall, and the Hospital. 
Two of these doctors have served the city 
well as Commissioners of Health. Aside 
from these, others have done much toward 
the development of the city in a more 
quiet way, by the improvement of vacant 
property, erecting thereon residences and 
business blocks. Three for years showed 
an interest in the Cniversity by maintain- 
ing therein prizes for oratory, declama- 
tion, and scholarship. One is a director in 
one of our banks, and one is a Trustee in 
the University. But beyond all that has 
been said, in the quiet every day work of 
relief of distress and suffering the disci- 
ples of Hahnemann have done their full 
share. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



EVANSTON HOSPITAL 

(By WILLIAM HUDSON HARPER) 



The Evanston Benevolent Society — First 
Steps ill Founding a Hospital — Organ- 
iaation is Effected in i8qi — First Board 
of officers — Medical Staff — Fund and 
Building Campaign — Enlargement of the 
Institution Projected — Munificent Gift 
of Mrs. Cable — Other Donations — 
The Endowment Reaches $^o.ooo — Hos- 
pital of the Present and the Future — /;;- 
ternal Arrangement and Official Admin- 
istration — List of Principal Donors - — 
Present Officers. 

When the exigencies of life in the grov- 
ing X'illage of Evanston had made the care 
of its dependent and other sick more and 
more inadequate ; when lives had been lost 
in the transportation of the afflicted to 
Chicago, and in insufficient ministration to 
those sought to be cured within the village. 
a movement arose in Evanston to brnig on 
a better day. This movement was not 
based upon an abstract philanthropy. It 
was the offspring of the Evanston Benevo- 
lent Society, whose charitable service had, 
for several years, met an appealing emer- 
gency. 

The Beginning. — The seed of the Ev- 
anston Hospital was planted at a meeting 
of- citizens at the Avenue House, November 
17, 1891. Strictly speaking, it was a meet- 
ing of the Evanston Benevolent Associa- 
tion, called to consider the report, on the es- 



tablishment of a hospital in Evanston, of 
a special committee consisting of J . J- 
Parkhurst, Dr. D. R. Dyche, Mrs. Maria 
Huse \\'ilder and Mrs. Rebecca X. But- 
ler. There were present William Blanch- 
ard. Dr. D. R. Dyche, H. B. Hurd. J. J. 
Parkhurst, J. M. Larimer. \\'. A. Hamil- 
ton, Frank M. Elliot, \V. E. Stockton, 
Mrs. Jane Bishop, Henry A. Pearsons, 
Mrs. J. M. Larimer, Mrs. Davis. Mrs. 
Frank M. Elliott, Mrs. Butler. Mrs. Wild- 
er. Mrs. Pearsons and Mrs. Bishop. It was 
agreed that Evanston should have an emer- 
gency hospital, and there were appointed as 
a committee on incorporation Mr. Hamil- 
ton, Mr. Larimer. Dr. D. R. Dyche, Mrs. 
Butler, and Mrs. Wilder. The meeting au- 
thorized overtures contemplating assistance 
by the \'illage Trustees and Board of 
Health : and from Mr. Parkhurst, on behalf 
of the executive committee of Northwest- 
ern University, assurance was received of 
the possibility that the University would 
lend financial help to the enterprise. 

Organization — First Officers. — One 
week after, in the same place, a meeting of 
citizens affirmed the decision of the pre- 
vious meeting that "an emergency hospital 
is a necessity for the village of Evanston." 
Incorporation followed December 2, and 
on December 4, 1891, there was organized 
tlie Evanston Emergency Hospital. The 
first administration of the institution, now 



261 



262 



EVANSTON HOSPITAL 



in its successor almost unique in its per- 
fections, was entrusted to the following 
citizens : 

President — John R. Lindgren; 

Vice-President — Julia M. Watson; 

Secretary — Marie Huse Wilder; 

Treasurer — Frank E. Lord ; 

Executive Committee — Win. Blanchard, 
J. M. Larimer, John H. Kedzie, F. Stuy- 
vesant Peabody, Frank M. Elliot, Maria 
A. Holabird, Rebecca N. Butler, Marie 
Huse Wilder, and Catherine L Pearsons. 

The hospital organization began its ex- 
istence with sixty-three directors — public- 
spirited and influential, and with a truly 
liberal conception of the mission of the in- 
stitution contemplated. The directors, 
soon afterwards reduced to thirty, were 
elected for service in three classes, sever- 
ally for one, two, and, three years. The 
site chosen for the hospital, after resources 
and proposed service had been considered, 
was on No. 806 Emerson Street. Here 
was bought for $2,800 a lot, 45 by 170 feet, 
bearing an eight-room cottage which was 
duly made suitable for hospital purposes 
at a cost of about $1,500. It was not an 
imposing structure, but well enough adapt- 
ed to the needs of the time, and it was a 
verv healthy acorn. Then fifty feet of ad- 
joining property, costing $1,650, was 
bought, and thus-wise Evanston seemed 
safeguarded for many years. To make 
this unpretentious start in the founding of 
an institution indispensable to Evanston, 
many active people had done much efficient 
work when, at the first annual meeting, No- 
vember I. 1892, the hospital was reported 
in possession of funds amounting to $7,- 
J02 — a total composed of subscriptions, 
dues from annual and life members, a dona- 
tion of more than $3,000 from the proceeds 
■of a summer kirmess conducted by the Wo- 
man's Club and others, and by a donation of 
$320 from the Apollo Club of Chicago. 



which had sung the "[Messiah" in public 
concert in Evanston. 

First Medical Staff. — The hospital was 
opened for service, March 27, 1893, w-ith 
Miss Emilv E. Robinson, matron, and the 
following physicians as a medical staff: 
Isaac Poole, M. D. ; E. H. Webster, M. D. ; 
W. A. Phillips, M. D. ; Sarah H. Brayton, 
M. D.; H. B. Hemenway, M. D.; A. B. 
Clayton, M. D. : M. C. Bragdon, M. D. ; O. 
H. ' Mann, M. D. ; E. P. Clapp, M. D. ; 
Mary F. McCrillis, M. D. ; I. V. Stevens. 
M. b.; and S. F. Verbeck, M. D. The 
hospital recognized all accepted schools of 
medicine and opened its doors to patients 
both paid and free. Month by month the 
management perfected equipment and sys- 
tem, the rate of charge for service in the 
wards being from $5.00 to $10.00. and for 
a private room from $15.00 to $25.00 a 
week. Directing an institution for public 
service, the hospital management in these 
early years looked with justifiable hopes 
toward the city authorities for assistance. 
By no means was it promptly vouchsafed : 
and when the executive committee was in- 
formed at its meeting in June, 1893, ^^^^.t 
it was impossible to get an appropriation 
from the Evanston Common Council, it was 
felt by more than one public-spirited mem- 
ber that the service of the new institution 
to the common weal was receiving but scant 
recognition. None too robust a child was 
the Emergency Hospital at this period. 
Funds were not too plenty, and citizens at 
large were not yet so trained in systematic 
benevolence as to make excessive provision 
for this municipal necessity. So, along 
w-ith the manifold activities of committees 
and directors to keep and improve Evans- 
ton's first refuge for the afflicted, there 
arose discussion about the inauguration of 
the practice of Hospital Sunday. This hap- 
py and profitable way of contributing to 
hospital support in time took hold, and is 



> 
z 

c 




HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



263 



to-day, in Evanston, as in other cities, a re- 
liable vehicle for large public benevolences. 

Official Board. — At the first annual 
meeting of the hospital corporation, Ao- 
vember 14, 1893, the following officers 
were elected : 

President — Arthur Crr; 

Vice-President— Airs. Rebecca X. But- 
ler; 

Secretary — Alarie Huse \\'ilder; 

Treasurer — E. B. Quinlan. 

Mr. Orr subsequently . resigning, Hon. 
J. H. Kedzie was elected in his stead. Not 
long after. Mrs. Wilder resigning. Miss 
Mary Harris, February 5, 1894, was elect- 
ed to the secretaryship, and began a period 
of service long, meritorious, and of a char- 
acter that goes not a little unrewarded. 

Raising Funds. — In 1894, reaching 
about for popular ways and means to let 
the public know that a hospital in Evanston 
was up and doing, and that it would wel- 
come all possible support, the institution's 
friends conducted a so-called "magazine 
entertainment" in Bailey's Opera House. 
The entertainment proved a novel and 
sprightly potpourri of "stunts" by home 
talent, and brought into the hospital treas- 
ury $319. But the little hospital was truly 
an emergency institution, itself not infre- 
quently its own chief emergencv ; and so 
to meet its needs, its industrious sponsors 
fell upon a venture of considerable magni- 
tude and genuinely artistic attributes. This 
was an open-air performance of Gilbert 
and Sullivan's charming opera, the "Mika- 
do." A stage was erected on the vacant 
lot at the northwest corner of Davis Street 
and Judson Avenue, and with clever prin- 
cipals, and equally clever auxiliaries from 
the young people of the village, the opera 
was sung on four successive evenings, in 
July, 1894, and before large and delighted 
audiences. The net proceeds of this very 
praiseworthy entertainment amounted to 
$2,000. Among the efficient managers of 



this enterprise were W. J. Fabian, Mrs. 
William Holabird, W. L. Wells, John M. 
Ewen. Mrs. F. A. Hardy, and Frank M. 
Elliot. 

The Evanston Emergency Hospital was 
now a fact. It was at work. The public 
knew it was at work, and had gratefully 
profited by its ministrations. But it was not 
big enough, complete enough, modern 
enough— in short, it was inadequate. It 
smiply would not do. So it was quite in 
order at the annual meeting of the associa- 
tion, November 6, 1894. that the following, 
presented by Henry A. Pearsons should 
have been, as it was, unanimously adopted: 
"Resolved, that it is the sense of this meet- 
ing that the board of directors be request- 
ed to appoint a committee to consider the 
question of procuring a more suitable site, 
and commencing the erection of a more 
suitable building for use of the hospital." 

Plans for Extension.— The committee 
authorized to take up this proposition was 
Frank M. Elliot, William Blanchard, Dr. 
Sarah H. Brayton, and Henry A. Pearsons, 
this committee working under the adminis- 
tration of the following new board of of- 
ficers : 

President — Hon. J. H. Kedzie ; 

A'ice-President— Mrs. William Holabird; 

Secretary— .Miss Mary Harris; 

Treasurer— E. B. Quinlan. 

The Committee on Building and 
Grounds was shortly re-enforced by one 
consisting of Wm. H. Bartlett, Dr. Charles 
G. Fuller, and Dr. Sarah H. Brayton, who, 
with broad outlook and knowledge of the 
relation of a hospital to the many-sided 
needs of a growing community, set out to 
determine the scope and functions of the 
proposed institution. On February 11, 
1895, the corporation, desiring to disasso- 
ciate from its name and work anything 
suggestive of an impromptu, transient, or 
tentative character, formally changed its 



264 



EVANSTON HOSPITAL 



name from Evanston Emergency Hospital 
to Evanston Hospital Association. Having 
enlarged its name, it was appropriate that 
the new association should enlarge its 
place of work, and so, on April 13, 1895, 
at a meeting of the Directors to consider 
the report of the committee on a proposed 
new building site, it was unanimously 
ordered that negotiations be opened for the 
purchase of a lot on Ridge Avenue, in the 
University sub-division, 280 feet on Ridge 
Avenue, and extending 600 feet to Girard 
Avenue, for $12,000. the terms being 
$6,500 and the transfer of the existing hos- 
pital property at a valuation of $5,500. A 
committee to raise the necessary money was 
appointed, consisting of Frank M. Elliot. 
John R. Lindgren. and E. H. Buehler. At 
a meeting on May 2d. purchase of the lot 
in question was authorized for the above 
price, a mortgage of $3,500 being ordered 
assumed, and a two years' lease of the 
Emerson Street property made. The build- 
ing site was deemed an exceptionally de- 
sirable acquisition, and its subsequent im- 
provement has been worthy its natural ad- 
vantages. A month later plans for a hos- 
pital building were laid before the executive 
committee by George L. Harvey, architect. 
A Fund and Building Campaign. — A 
building site and building plans meant large 
prospective drafts upon a none too plethoric 
treasury, and the association again tried 
the magic of an open-air opera as a benefit 
performance. Again, under professional 
guidance, social Evanston threw itself at 
the jolly task, and through the agency of 
the opera of "Powhattan," contributed 
$1,800 to the hospital's funds. Again Mr. 
Fabian and assistants received official 
thanks for their happy management of the 
agreeable enterprise. At a meeting of the 
Hospital Directors. July 8. 1895. it was re- 
solved to raise $25,000 for the proposed 
administration building, in addition to 



funds for purchase of site. The new asso-' 
ciation year 1895-1896 was inaugurated 
November 8th by the election of the fol- 
lowing officers : 

President — Frank M. Elliot ; 

\'ice-President — Julia M. Watson ; 

Secretary — Miss Mary Harris ; 

Treasurer — E. B. Ouinlan. 

The new administration entered the cam- 
paign for hospital funds by making its 
entire Board of Directors a subscription 
committee. At a meeting of the directors. 
March 30, 1896. the services of Mr. Harvey, 
as an expert in hospital construction, were 
accepted, and the subscriptions to date were 
found to be $12,780; the cost of the pro- 
posed first or administration building was 
estimated at $22,000, and it was determined 
that, to open the new place free of debt, 
there would be needed $26,750. This was 
too expensive and the administration build- 
ing was reduced in size to bring the cost 
within the limits of the fund that could then 
be realized. 

The hospital year of 1896- 1897. begin- 
ning with the election of officers November 
10, 1896, was marked with but one change 
among the executive officers, Mr. Quinlan 
\ielding to William G. Hoag as Treasurer. 
A rushing stream was to be crossed before 
the hospital should appear, and horses 
would better not be swapped. So Mr. 
Elliot continued President. At this stage 
in the financing of the new hospital project, 
an unusual opening developed to make an 
honest pcnn}-. Mr. Uriah Lott, an Evan- 
ston citizen, wishing to dispose of his house- 
hold efifects — and they were of more than 
ordinary elegance — ofifered to the hospital 
association a liberal percentage of the gross 
receipts of a public sale, should the asso- 
ciation lend the sale its direction and pat- 
ronage. The ofl^er was accepted, and 
through the activity of Mr. Elliot. I\Iiss 
Harris, and Mrs. Charles T- Connell. the 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



265 



hospital fund was increased $1,364. This, 
recruited by a contribution of $136 from 
the surplus of a citizens' Fourth of July 
fund, was welcome money in a year when 
much energy and organization were needed 
to raise the building funds to achieve the 
level of the plans proposed, and when in- 
deed curtailment and modification were 
finally pursued. But energy and organ- 
ization on the part of the association, and 
co-operation on the part of Evanstonians 
at large, determined this, the summer of 
1897, to be the hospital's building summer 
the committee in charge being Frank M, 
Elliot, William H, Bartlett, Dr, Sarah H. 
Brayton, Howard Gray, and William B. 
Phillips, When October came, contracts 
for over $15,000 of an authorized expendi- 
ture of $16,000 had been let, an incum- 
brance of $3,500 had been paid, and the 
new and perfect hospital was a no distant 
fact. And, to rush the building fund, there 
came out of the hurly-burly of a football 
game in November, a sturdy little check for 
$210. The association, at the annual meet- 
ing, November 2, 1897, continued its re- 
tiring officers, and fi.xed the endowment of a 
bed in terms of an annual donation of $300 
or a single donation of $5,000. Suljse- 
quently there was determined an important 
matter in executive policy, in a resolution 
that adjoining towns should not be allowed 
to endow beds in the new institution. 

The new hospital building ( the adminis- 
tration building) was opened for the recep- 
tion of patients February 8, 1898. The as- 
sociation had a credit balance in bank of 
$2,707 ; and through its executive commit- 
tee it unanimously thanked Dr. Sarah H. 
Brayton for efficient work in procuring the 
proper furnishing of the building without 
cost to the association. 

New Enlargements Projected. — The 
annual meeting of the Evanston Hospital 
Association, assembling at the Avenue 



House, November I, 1898, was a meeting 
of congratulation and a declaration of prog- 
ress in a branch of public service that was 
doing honor to its workers and to all sym- 
pathetic citizens who had lent aid and com- 
fort. The main building of the hospital, 
capable of sheltering as many as eighteen 
patients, was now a monumental fact. As 
complete as it was, its very usefulness 
emphasized its inadequacy, and its friends 
already looked forward to needed e.xten- 
sions : to wards for contagious, infectious 
and obstetrical cases, and to minor new ac- 
commodations. Noteworthy in the hos- 
pital's new equipment was an ambulance for 
service, a gift of Mrs. John M. Ewen, as 
a thank-offering for preservation in an hour 
of great danger ; and, to bind it closer to 
the public, the hospital had now the tem- 
porary endowment of four free beds — one 
being supported by the Ladies' Aid Society 
of the Presbyterian Church, two by North- 
western University, and one by Mrs. Wat- 
son, Mce-President of the association. 
Further sustained on strong shoulders, the 
hospital felt itself to be, by the gratuitous 
service, two months each, of its entire med- 
ical stafif. An abstract from the treasurer's 
report for one year made at this annual 
meeting will suggest the financial career 
of the hospital at this period ; a period, be 
it remembered, marked between 1894 and 
1898 by general strenuous efl^ort in re- 
covery from national panic and depres- 
sion. 

Subscriptions for building fund and site: 
1895, $250; 1896, $4,615: 1897, $11,040: 
1898, $9^513. 

Amount allowed for old hospital. $5,500. 

Expended on new site, $14,691. 

Expended on new building, $17,140. 

Receipts from entertainments, $1,802. 

Receipts from memberships, $500. 

Receipts from donations, $115. 

Receipts from patients' board, $2,108. 



266 



EVANSTON HOSPITAL 



Receipts from support of beds, $575. 

Receipts from subscriptions for furnish- 
ing, $1,725. 

Expenses for maintenance, $5,707. 

The association continued for 1898-1899 
the officers of the previous year. Early in 
1899 the City of Evanston, without specified 
obligations upon the hospital, made to the 
institution an appropriation of $300. At 
the annual meeting of the association, Xo- 
vember 7, 1899, the latter prepared for 
the aid and prestige which future donations 
might prove to the institution, by determin- 
ing the privileges which should pertain to 
endowments of various amounts, and fixing 
classification for the same. With renewed 
persistency now appeared the need of a 
contagious ward, as well as of a wing to the 
hospital, and both interests were committed 
to a special committee. Another year the 
association continued its efficient executives 
in office, and strengthened its medical stafT 
by the addition of a consulting stafT in 
the persons of eminent Chicago specialists — 
Dr. Christian Fenger, Dr. John Ridlon, and 
Dr. Charles Adams. But the year 1900 
brought to Evanston and its hospital a real 
loss in the death of Hugh R. Wilson. When 
the hospital association came to formally 
deplore the death of this stanch friend and 
good citizen, it did so, in part, in the=e 
feeling words : "Resolved, That, in the 
death of 'Sir. Wilson, the hospital 
loses one of its most active and 
interested supporters. In his readiness to 
assist the suft'ering ; in his broad-minded and 
judicious charity ; in his kindliness and 
gentleness of action, !Mr. Wilson has. at all 
times during his connection with the asso- 
ciation, been a helpful inspiration to those 
who have worked with him. His foresight 
and good judgment, together with his gen- 
erosity of support, have served to advance 
our work in every practical way." 

Munificent Gifts of 1900. — Institutions. 



like men. must be in the way of opportunity 
if they would have fortune knock at their 
door. A rather mysterious notice sum- 
moned to a special meeting the directors of 
the Evanston Hospital Association, March 
19, 1900. When met, F. F. Peabody, 
Chairman of the Finance Committee, threw 
his associates into happy consternation by 
the following remarks : 

"Mrs. Herman D. Cable wishes me to 
say that she will give $25,000 for the erec- 
tion of a needed addition to the hospital to 
be known as the Herman D. Cable Memorial 
Building, and that, if this gift is accepted, 
she will give an additional $25,000 to endow 
a children's ward in the new building." 

We may be sure this gift was accepted, 
and that the thanks, then formally voted 
Mrs. Cable, were deep and sincere ; and it is 
also to be recorded that the Directors made 
it their duty to amplify the unexpected op- 
portunity, to enlarge the existing building, 
and to raise, on their own part, an additional 
endowment fund of at least $25,000. 

The hospital year of 1900-1901, inaugu- 
rated by continuance in office of the retiring 
executive officers, was also marked by resig- 
nation from the directorate of Hon. J. H. 
Kedzie, long identified with hospital inter- 
ests, and the election of Mrs. Alice A. 
Cable, whose gift of a memorial building, 
with alterations in the main building, the 
Board now formally voted to realize. The 
year 1901 was one of expansion and con- 
struction in hospital interests. From a 
"rummage sale" in January the hospital 
received $1,813. In April Air. Irwin Rew, 
a public-spirited citizen of Evanston, 
offered — and the offer was accepted — to 
equip the hospital with a heating and 
laundry plant at an estimated -cost of 
$4,680. In October there was borne in 
upon the hospital management, both by the 
City Board of Health and by the hospital 
staff, the need of an extension in the wav of 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



267 



an isolation ward. At the annual meeting. 
November 5th, the retiring officers were 
re-elected, and the very important additions 
to the institutions represented by the gifts 
of Mr. Rew and Mrs. Cable were formally 
acknowledged — the Cable Memorial Build- 
ing being characterized as completely fur- 
nished and the children's ward endowed in 
memory of Anita Mutchins Cable. 

Endowment Secured. — The association 
began its hospital year of 1901-1902 with 
its same efficient officers, and welcomed 
from another "rummage" sale a donation 
amounting to $1,440. In February the en- 
dowment fund had reached $46,000 of the 
contemplated $50,000 : and in April the 
coveted goal was finally attained. As the 
good year closed divers talented amateur 
artists of Evanston contributed as the re- 
ceipts of a performance of the "Rivals," at 
the Country Club, more than $500 to in- 
crease the usefulness of this popular refuge 
of rest and healing. In the history of 
amusements in Evanston this admirable 
presentation of the sterling old comedy will 
prove of long life in local reminiscence. So 
well in hand was the work of the associa- 
tion now coming, that the reduction of the 
floating debt of about $11,000 became an 
achievement to be undertaken until accom- 
plished. Feeling its strength in the substan- 
tial work done, and in the officers whom it 
re-elected for the year 1902- 1903, the asso- 
ciation was also brought to know its weak- 
ness when, on April loth. it was confronted 
with the death of Hon. John H. Kedzie, 
and on May 20th of Mr. Dorr A. Kimball. 
In terms of sorrow and appreciation Mr. 
Kedzie was formally lamented as "a friend 
who has met every emergency of the asso- 
ciation's existence with generous words and 
generous deeds" ; and, to Mr. Kimball's 
memory, the association oflfered no mean 
tribute when it declared him "an upright 
business man and honorable citizen of 



Evanston. whose pure life and public spirit 
made him an example for all." When the 
association, at its eleventh annual meetine. 
November 10, 1903, elected its former 
officers, and checked of? a reduction of near- 
ly half the floating debt in pledges received, 
the feeling was general that the hospital was 
truly founded and that its beneficiaries, the 
public, would never ])ermit it to decline. 

Hospital of the Present and the Future. 
— When this volume — the stor\- of a re- 
markable American community — shall have 
received more than one supplement, there 
will still be rising on the highest land in 
Evanston — the city itself but a borough 
in a mammoth municipality of 5,000.000 
or 10,000,000 people — a group of buildings 
enveloped in the kindly shade of many trees, 
and looking to be, what it probably will be, 
a haven for the afflicted. What the hospital 
of that day will be to the city of that day 
none knows ; but we do know that the 
Evanston Hospital of today is, to the Ev- 
anston of today, the most complete agency 
for practical philanthropy that any institu- 
tion of its kind in the world, with the same 
equipment, fulfills. The Evanston Hospital, 
as it stands today — structure, equipment, 
and administration — is briefly this : 

On the summit of Ridge Avenue, No. 
2650, at right angles to the thoroughfare 
and several rods removed, rises the hos- 
pital's administration building. It is of 
stone and vitrified brick, the latter a struc- 
tural material of the highest resistance and 
of good color tone. The building is of 
three stories, with high pitched and tile 
roof. Its architectural style has decorum, 
and suggests repose. .An ample porch 
front, with balcony, looks eastward over 
a falling landscape toward the lake, 
a quarter of a mile distant. x\t right 
angles to this building connected therewith 
by a two-story and basement corridor, rises 
the second of the hospital Ijnildings, the 



268 



EVANSTON HOSPITAL 



memorial gift of Mrs. Alice A. Cable. This 
is in architectural keeping with its dignified 
fellow, and the forerunner of others yet to 
rise in stately alignment westward and 
northward to the boundary of the insti- 
tution's property. The following taken 
from the President's report for 1905 is 
interesting ; 

"For several years reference has been 
made in our annual reports to the neces- 
sity of providing a maternity hospital, and 
last year particular emphasis was given to 
this subject. In response to this appeal, Mr. 
Lucian M. Williams, on behalf of himself, 
his brother and sisters, made known their 
desire to build this hospital, and requested 
the Board of Directors to prepare plans and 
obtain estimates for a most approved and 
scientifically constructed building, to be 
erected as a memorial to their mother, 
Elizabeth Williams. Such plans and esti- 
mates were secured and presented, and the 
sum of $25,000 was promised for this pur- 
pose. It is expected this much needed hos- 
pital will be completed and ready for occu- 
pancy bv June i, 1906. The erection of this 
building will be the consummation of a 
hope long deferred. It will be located north 
of the administration building, fronting on 
Ridge Avenue, and will correspond in ma- 
terial and style of architecture with our 
present buildings. There will be thirteen 
beds for patients, an operating room with 
dependencies, diet kitchens, children's nur- 
sery, etc. The rooms for private patients 
will be on one floor and those for ward and 
free patients on the other floor. The private 
rooms will be arranged with adjoining bath 
rooms and so planned as to give the utmost 
privacy and comfort. This generous gift 
will open the way for enlarging the char- 
itable work of the Hospital. It is expected 
the income will be augmented by the use 
of the private rooms, and that it will be suf- 
ficient to meet the expenses of this addition- 



al building after the first year. The need 
of this new and thoroughly equipped Hos- 
pital has become more apparent with each 
year. This magnificent gift is, therefore, 
most timely, and will be a valuable addition 
to our present admirably equipped hos- 
pital. This is another instance in which 
generous friends, desiring to perpetuate the 
memory of some beloved member of their 
family, have made it possible to erect a 
building as a memorial that will be con- 
stantly in use for the benefit of the sick and 
afflicted." 

This, then, is the main architectural mass 
of the Evanston Hospital. When this sys- 
tem of buildings shall have its complete 
setting of verdure, when its hundreds of 
trees and shrubs, selected and planted with 
design, shall have arisen to enfold it, the 
tourist of the north shore will linger with 
delight in its presence, .and the household 
word will become fixed, that the Evanston 
Hospital is a place to behold as well as a 
place to seek new life in. Piut a hospital 
is what it is within. 

In operating equipment the Evanston 
Hospital is highly efificient. A visiting and 
consulting stafif of the first class, com- 
manding the support of a community of in- 
telligence and wealth, would naturally lead 
this to be secured. Therefore this hospital 
has a special room for the administration of 
anaesthetics, whence the patient is wheeled, 
an ample hydraulic elevator being used 
when necessary, to any part of either build- 
ing. The hospital also has a generous re- 
ceiving room hard by a driveway approach- 
ing the connecting corridors from the rear ; 
and here, where water may be applied with 
convenience and profusion, an emergency 
case may be prepared for the operating 
table. The operating room, with apparatus 
for water and instrument sterilization ad- 
joining, is placed in a swelling bay with 
top and side lights and north exposure. Its 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



269 



table, operating outfit, plumbing, and 
snowy enameled walls tell the story of an 
American warship — the cleanest place in 
the world, and the most effectual instru- 
ment for the purpose for which it is created. 
Supplementing these main factors for per- 
fect operating service are medicine closets 
and lavatories for the professional staff. 

The first and last impression of the do- 
mestic equipment of the Evanston Hospital 
is, that it is scientifically chosen and used ; 
that such parts of it as should be dainty and 
feminine are superlatively dainty and fem- 
inine ; and that, through all, spreads the 
genius of reason, cleanliness, and order. 
These various characteristics are generally 
expressed in the exquisite neatness and re- 
finement of the institution's housekeeping ; 
in the furnishing of the private rooms ; in 
the simple, restful details of ward furnish- 
ings ; in the ample dining-room for nurses, 
as well as in their ample and beautiful club 
room ; in the home-like sleeping rooms of 
the nurses ; in the practical machinery for 
bathing, cooking, storage ; and in the cleri- 
cal service of administration. So much for 
operating equipment, but the right people 
must use it ; and so much for domestic fur- 
nishings, but not yet do walls, tools, and 
furnishings make a hospital. There must 
be a soul in the place, a god in the machine. 

Arrangement and Internal Administra- 
tion. — The administration of the Evan- 
ston Hospital is full worthy its physical out- 
fit ; and this is so because it stands in every 
way for the high technical and humanita- 
rian standards of the institution's founders. 
With far more effort than the average cit- 
izen of Evanston appreciated, the sworn 
friends of the enterprise, now so firmly 
assured, shaped its early fortunes, besought 
donations of money and utilities, show'ed it 
worthy of confidence and large bequests, 
and finally with such capital built their 
grand work high upon a hill. So it is in the 



nature of things, this hospital being a mon- 
ument to sacrifice, that a strong, wise, and 
tender spirit should vitalize its administra- 
tion. In Miss Annie L. Locke, who has 
been Superintendent eight years, is this 
spirit personified. 

In this sketch of one of Evanston's most 
important institutions, ranking next to the 
municipal departments of police, fire, water, 
and public works, two types of inquiry 
about the place should find satisfaction. 
How good a place is it to get well in ? Wha; 
about it should interest the tourist and gen- 
eral visitor? To both of these inquiries 
answer has in the main been made ; but 
there remain details of equipment and ad- 
ministration that should not go unnoted. 
The first fioor of the administration is 
the greater part of the governing depart- 
ment of the hospital. Here is the reception 
parlor for visitors, office and apartments 
for the Superintendent, and rooms for sur- 
gical treatment. Beneath, in the basement, 
is the private dining-room of the Superin- 
tendent, the nurses' dining-room, and an 
extensive culinary equipment. On the sec- 
ond floor are private rooms and semi-private 
wards, occupants of the former enjoying an 
environment and retiracy surpassing that of 
a private home, and occupants of the latter 
being privileged to have a private, as well 
as a hospital, physician. On the third floor 
are rooms for domestic use. Two long 
sunny corridors — enticing haunts for con- 
valescents — unite the administration with 
the Herman D. Cable Memorial Building. 
This latter, in structure, equipment and con- 
tented occupants, is, like its companion, 
something good to see. It is the house of 
the men's ward, the women's and children's 
wards, and the private rooms of the nurses. 
On the first floor, with outlook east and 
south, is the ward for men with seven beds, 
and the ward for women with ten beds. 
The building's southern end is one enor- 



270 



EVANSTON HOSPITAL' 



mous bay, furnishing a sun-room annex to 
the women's ward on the first floor, and to 
the children's ward on the second. Capa- 
cious and comfortable are these sun-rooms 
— blissful half-way houses to health. The top 
floor shelters, in home-like chambers void 
of the institutional air, the members of the 
nursing staff, and has space for their large 
and inviting club and lecture room. Char- 
acteristic details of equipment in this build- 
ing are the marble outfittings of the men's 
bath-room, the treadle action plumbing in 
the administration room, the ventilator sys- 
tem by steam exhaust fans, the diet kitchen, 
and the commodious elevator. On every 
floor of the combined buildings are reels 
of hose and extinguishers for emergency 
fire uses. A pumping service auxiliary to 
city pressure is also supplied. 

An important and complete annex to the 
ward and administration buildings of the 
hospital, is an auxiliary building housing its 
steam-plant and laundry. The heating 
agent of the hospital is hot water circulated 
from boilers in this same building, where 
a reserve set of boilers promise capacity 
sufficient for future additions in the way of 
buildings, which the unoccupied area of the 
present hospital grounds can accommodate. 
The steam laundry, located on the second 
floor of the heat and power plant building, 
is admirably equipped for dispatch and 
perfection of work. Its centrifugal wringer 
and extensive drying compartments include ' 
apparatus nowhere excelled. The wood fin- 
ishings of the hospital buildings are in oak. 
save where stained or white painted wood is 
used to supplement the more domestic fur- 
nishings of private apartments. 

The grounds of the Evanston Hospital 
have ample space for departmental addi- 
tions : and. it is the hope of its manage- 
ment, that there shall, in the near future, be 
added a pavilion for contagious, and a 
building for private patients — such addi- 



tions taking systematic place along lines 
westward of the Herman D. Cable Memor- 
ial Building and parallel thereto. When 
the time is opportune the buildings will be 
provided. 

To remind the management of the hos- 
pital's need of a maternity retreat, there 
came one season, to a friendly niche in the 
hospitable structure, a busy home-making 
robin which mothered two broods. This, 
explains the superintendent with a smile, is 
the Evanston Hospital's first maternity 
ward. The hospital in 1899 opened a train- 
ing school for nurses. It has now graduated 
twenty students, all pupils of the selected 
practitioners of Evanston lecturing at the 
hospital, and nearly all, at one time and an- 
other, members of the hospital nursing 
stafi^. In the school at present are thirteen 
pupils. 

Such has been the evolution of the Evan- 
ston Hospital, and such, in the main, is its 
characteristic equipment and administra- 
tion. But for those who will read this 
record in years to come, as well as for 
the prospective beneficiaries and benefac- 
tors of today, still further information about 
this unique place of refuge and health 
should be supplied. And. first, no applicant 
whose condition will not imperil the insti- 
tution is turned from its doors. The chil- 
dren's ward is specially endowed by Mrs. 
Cable for the free use of crippled and sick 
children, and there are also private rooms 
for children. In the women's and men's 
ward a patient may pa}- as much as $1.00 
a day or nothing. In the semi-private wards 
the charge is $10.00 a week: in the private 
rooms, $15 to $30 per week. It is the in- 
come from the private rooms — and more 
such rooms are needed — that helps supply 
the deficiency in hospital revenue caused, in 
part, by increasing charity work in the gen- 
eral wards. The hospital work of 1905 may 
be expressed as equivalent to 7.561 service 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



271 



days given its free and i)ay patients. Of 
this over 34 per cent was service to free 
patients. The expense of hospital mainte- 
nance in 1905 was $24,182.41, to defray 
which receipts from hospital service con- 
tributed $14,854.11. The paid-in endow- 
ment fund is $50,500. The only indebted- 
ness was incurred for buildings, and this 
has been reduced to $5,010. To operate the 
hospital with its present mechanical equip- 
ment and staff, consisting of Superinten- 
dent, its efficient Assistant Superintendent, 
Miss Edith A. Bird, and fifteen nurses, 
there is needed, from voluntary subscribers 
( aside from material donations, income 
from receipts and endowment income — the 
latter amounting to $2,259) t'''c s'^"" of 
$7,500. A free bed in a ward may be per- 
petually endowed for $5,000: a bed and a 
room for $10,000. The hospital has 
eighteen free befls and fifteen rooms. A 
gift of $100 or more to the endowment fund 
makes the donor an endowment member, 
or a like sum to the general fund, a life 
member. A gift of $10 secures a year's 
membership in the Hospital .Association. 
The hospital stands — including the mater- 
nity hospital and 100 feet of land recentlv 
purchased for $4.250 — as a total invest- 
ment of about $130,000. Since organization 
the hospital has cared for 1,982 patients, 
and, in 1905, 491 people contributed to the 
institution's support. From its start, the 
hospital in every form of favorable pub- 
licity has been upheld by the "Evanston 
Press'" and the "Evanston Index." 

The administrative policy of the hos- 
pital is, of course, non-sectarian. Its re- 
ceipts from the Protestant churches, on 
Hospital Sunda\-, February 14, 1905, were 
$4,394.13. The City of Evanston appro- 
priates yearly to the hospital the sum of 
$300. Free beds are maintained by the 
Presbyterian and Congregational churches, 
and bv Northwestern Universitv. The 



medical and surgical attendance is the vol- 
untary and unpaid daily attendance of two 
competent Evanston practitioners, rotating 
in service with associates, composing a total 
volunteer staff of twelve. For consultation 
the resident statt calls upon the most emi- 
nent physicians and surgeons of Chicago. 
The ambulance of the Evanston Hospital, 
is modern, up-to-date, with full equipment, 
and is under the direction of the superin- 
tendent. 

Official Administration. — The affairs of 
the Evanston Hospital are guided by its 
executive officers and thirty Directors, oper- 
ating in twelve committees. In all co-oper- 
ative effort certain people voluntarily take — 
or, are besought to take, and do take — posts 
high and posts humble, but all of laborious 
duty. Hundreds of public-spirited' citizens 
united to raise the Evanston Hospital, and 
hundreds continue to unite to make it the 
most attractive and useful place of its scope 
and equipment in the United States. Among 
these hundreds there must be some, even 
more than others, whom circumstances 
have elected to service peculiarly long, dif- 
ficult and efficient. ( )f this smaller band 
common consent would approve the men- 
tion of Frank AI. Elliot, President ; Julia 
AI. Watson, Vice-President : and Mary 
Harris. Secretary, the association's execu- 
tive officers for eleven consecutive years ; 
of F. F. Peabody, Charles R. Webster. 
David R. Forgan. John R. Lindgren, Rol- 
lin A. Keyes. Irwin Rew, \Villiam G. Hoag. 
for their service in finance and investment 
committee work ; of William B. Phillips, 
for care of the variegated plant life that 
beautifies the grounds ; of Mrs. Charles J. 
Connell. Mrs. Julia ]\I. Watson, Mrs. \'ir- 
ginia Creighton, P. R. Shumway and Wil- 
liam B. Phillips for faithful and sym- 
pathetic service on the Executive Commit- 
tee ; of Dr. Sarah H. Brayton. for work 
contributed to the furnishing of the hos- 



EVANSTON HOSPITAL 



pital ; of the Msiting Committee, Mrs. 
James A. Patten, and of E. H. Buehler on 
the Medical Supply Committee. 

List of Donors. — Donors to the funds 
of the Evanston Hospital have been many, 
and at least two sources of income, not 
directly personal, are an interesting illus- 
tration of how an enterprise of this char- 
acter mav profit by public movements 
animated by belief in its merits and faith 
in its future. These two sources are the 
fixed annual institution of Hospital Sunday, 
and the benefit entertainment conducted by 
clubs or by society at large. 

Benefactions have been generally meas- 
ured by the competency of benefactors. 
While many small contributions have been, 
and continue to be, as the breath of life of 
this institution, certain large ones, at crit- 
ical periods, have fixed the lines of its 
growth and the scope of its mission. 

The Endowment Fund of $50,500 was 
contributed by the following Endowment 
Members: L F. Blackstone. William Listen 
Brown, Mrs. Alice A. Cable, Frank E. 
Lord, James A. Patten, Mrs. Lilly Parker 
Stacey, Thomas L Stacey, Mrs. Julia At. 
\^'atson, Mrs. Hugh R. Wilson, and un- 
named friends in sums of $5,000, 1,500 and 
$2,500, respectively. 

The following Life Members have each 
contributed $100 or more to the hospital: 
M. C. Armour, Mrs. M. C. Armour, C. A. 
Barry, William H. Bartlett. Dr. M. C. 
Bragdon. Mrs. W. L. Brown, Mrs. Edwin 
F. Brown, Mrs. Rebecca N. liutler, Daniel 
H. Burnham, William Blanchard, William 
H. Bartlett, William L. Brown, Rev. 
Charles F. Bradley, E. H. P.uehler. Mrs. W. 
B. Bogert, Charles T. Boynton, E. J. Buf- 
fington, Mrs. W. H. Burnet, Mrs. Alice A. 
Cable, David S. Cook, Mrs. Louise Condict, 
Mrs. T. S. Creighton, C. P. Coffin, J. J. 
Charles, Ira B. Cook. Charles B. Congdon, 
Charles B. Cleveland, William Deering, 



Frank M. Elliot, John M. Ewen, Mrs. John 
M. Ewen, C. W. Elphicke, Mary Fabian, 
W. J. Fabian, D. R. Forgan, Frank P. 
Frazier, J. H. Garaghty, Mrs. P. W. Gates, 
P. W. Gates, Charles F. Grey, Clara Gris- 
wold, A. H. Gross, Mrs. A. H. Gross, Mrs. 
\'irginia Hamline, Mrs. A. J. Harding, F. 
A. Hardy, Mrs. C. H. Hall, E. A. Hill, 
Mrs. Janet W. Hubbard, William G. Hoag, 
Mrs. T. C. Hoag, W. H. Jones, Marshall 
M. Kirkman, N. C. Knight, E. S. Lacey, 
Richard C. Lake, John R. Lindgren, 
Thomas Lord, George S. Lord, Frank E. 
Lord, David R. Lewis, P. L. McKinney, 
M. D., Roger B. McMullen. Mrs. James A. 
Patten, F. F. Peabody, F. S. Peabody, 
H. A. Pearsons, William B. Phillips, Kate 
C. Ouinlan, Irwin Rew, George B. Rey- 
nolds, Fleming H. Revell, W. T. Rickards, 
Mrs. C. H. Rowe, George Scott, R. L. 
Scott, R. S. Scott, J. E. Scott, Rev. H. P. 
Smyth, J. S. Shaffer, George M. Sargent, 
George Watson Smith, Robert D. Sheppard, 
William E. Stockton, Philip R. Shumway, 
Mrs. Lucy D. Shuman, Mrs. T. I. Stacey, 
H. C. Tillinghast, Leroy D. Thoman. H. J. 
Wallingford"", C. A. Ward. Mrs. J. F. Ward, 
Mrs. Julia M. Watson, Margaret S. Wat- 
son, Milton H. Wilson, ]Mrs. H. R. Wilson, 
John E. Wilder, Charles E. Yerkes, A. X. 
Young. 

The total cash receipts to the Evanston 
Hospital since its organization have been 
$308,719.00. This sum has been expended 
as follows : 

Buildings and land $128,086 

Endowment Fund 50.500 

Maintenance for twelve years 130.133 

On May 15, 1006, Mrs. Julia M. Watson died 
suddenly, depriving this association of .one of its 
most devoted and valuable members. Mrs. Wat- 
son had been identified with the hospital from the 
beginning, and during these sixteen years had 
beeii an officer and active worker in its behalf. 
The hospital was peculiarly near to her heart 
and the object of her special devotion. ^ 

At a special meeting of the Executive Commit- 
tee of the Hospital .Association the following me- 
morial paper was adopted : 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



273 



"The sudden and, to mortal vision, untimely 
death of Mrs. Julia M. Watson, on the 13th inst.. 
has not merely deprived the Evanston Hospital 
Association of its honored Vice-President, and 
this committee of one of its most active and valu- 
able members, but has taken away one who has, 
from the very beginning of the institution to the 
present time, been so closely identified with its 
growth and development, so constant in her unsel- 
fish devotion to its interests and so generous in its 
support, that she had become an essential part of 
its very existence. 

"Her wise counsel, her faithful attention to the 
duties of the various committees upon which she 
has continuously and most efficiently served and 
her strong and inspiring personality, no less than 
her generous gifts have contributed in a very 
large degree to the splendid results that have been 
accomplished. 

"To express a proper appreciation of the value 
of such services as she has rendered, and of the 
loss this committee and the association have sus- 
tained is impossible. We can only record our 
profound sense of sorrow in her loss. Its more 
adequate appreciation will not be expressed, but 
will be preserved in the grateful and affectionate 
remembrance which we shall ever cherish in our 
hearts. 

"Franiv jVI. Elliot, Chairman, 
Wm. G. Ho.ag, 
Wm. B. Phillips. 
Philip R. Shumwav. 
RoLLiN A. Keves, 
Irwin Rew. 
Mrs. T. S. Creichton, 
Mrs. C. J. CoNNELL, 
Mrs. James A. Patten, 
Mary Harris, Secretary." 

Present Officers. — The complete govern- 
ing body of the Hospital Association for 
the year 1906, is as follows: 

General Officers — Frank M. Elliot, Pres- 
ident ; Julia ]\I. Watson, \'ice-President ; 
William G. Hoag, Treasurer ; i\Iary Harris, 
Secretary ; Annie L. Locke, Superinten- 
dent ; Edith A. Bird. Assistant Superin- 
dent. 

Executive Committee — Frank J\I. Elliot, 
Chairman : Mr. William B. Phillips, Mr. 
Philip R. Shumway, Mr. Rollin A. Keyes, 
Mr. Irwin Rew. Mr. William A. Hoag, 
Mrs. Julia M. Watson. 2vlrs. T. S. Creigh- 



ton, Mrs. C. J. Connell, Mrs. James A. 
Patten. 

Finance Committee — Mr. Irwin Rew, 
Chairman ; Mr. Frank H. Armstrong, Mr. 
Charles R. Webster. 

Investment Committee — Mr. William G. 
Hoag, Chairman ; Mr. J. R. Lindgren, Mr. 
Rollin A. Keyes. 

Auditing Committee — Mr. Philip R. 
Shumway, Chairman ; Mr. W. B. Phillips, 
Air. Clyde M. Carr. 

House and Grounds Committee — Mr. 
William B. Phillips, Chairman; Mr. M. C. 
Armour, Mr. Frank P. Frazier. 

Admission Committee — Mrs. C. J. Con- 
nell, Chairman ; Mrs. James A. Patten, 
Miss A. L. Locke. 

Supplies Committee — Mrs. Julia M 
Watson, Chairman ; Mrs. W. J. Fabian, 
]Mrs. Caroline S. Poppenhusen. * 

Medical Supplies Committee — Mr. Ed- 
ward H. Buehler, Mr. R. J. Bassett. 

Printing Committee — Mr. Philip R. 
Shumway, Chairman ; Miss Mary Harris, 
Mr. William G. Hoag. 

Training School Committee — Mrs. Julia 
M. Watson, Chairman ; Mrs. Alice A. 
Cable, Miss Mary Harris. 

Hospital Saturday and Sunday Commit- 
tee — Mrs. T. S. Creighton, Chairman; 
]Mrs. Parke E. Simmons, Mr. C. F. Mar- 
low. 

Msiting and Delicacies Committee — 
Mrs. James A. Patten, Chairman ; Mrs. W. 
S. Powers, Mrs. Irwin Rew, Mrs. A. R. 
Barnes, Mrs. E. J. Buffington. Mrs. M. A. 
Mead, Mrs. H. H. Hoyt, Mrs. John C. 
Spry, Mrs. T. M. Holgate, Mrs. J. H. 
Garaghty, ]\Irs. W. H. Warren, Mrs. James 
W. Howell, ]\Irs. Philip R. Shumway. 

Directors. — Term Expires 1906 — Mr. 
William B. Bogert, Prof. J. H. Gray, Mr. 
William B. Phillips, Mrs. W. L. Brown, 
Mr. Rollin A. Keyes, Mrs. William Hola- 



2/4 



EVANSTON HOSPITAL 



bird, Mrs. James A. Patten, Mr. Frank M. 
Elliot, Mr. E. H. Buehler, Mr. Clyde M. 
Carr. 

Term Expires 1907 — Mrs. H. D. Cable, 
Mr. Philip R. Shumway, Mrs. C. S. Pop- 
penhusen, Mrs. John C. Spry, Mrs. T. S. 
Creighton, Mr. M. C. Armour, Mr. Irwin 
Rew, Mrs. E. J. Buffington, Mr. R. L. 
Scott, Mr. Charles F. Marlow. 

Term Expires 1908 — Mr. F. P. Frazier, 
Mr. F. F. Peabody, Mr. C. R. Webster, 
Mr. D. R. Forgan, Mr. Robert J. Bassett, 
Mrs. Julia M. Watson, Mrs. C. J. Connell, 
Mrs. Lucy J. Rowe, Mr. William G. Hoag, 
Mr. Frank H. Armstrong. 



Medical Staff.— E. H. Webster, M. D. ; 
W. A. Phillips, M. D. ; William R. Parkes, 
M. D. ; P. D. Harding, M. D. ; Sarah H. 
Brayton. M. D. ; Frank C. Dakin, M. D. ; 
M. C. Bragdon, M. D. ; E. E. Shutterly, 
M. D.; Mary F. McCrilHs, M. D.; Dwight 
Clark, M D. : B. C. Stolp, M. D. 

Consulting Staff. — Charles Adams, M. 
D. ; C. S. Bigelow, D. D. S. ; Frank Billings, 
^I. D. : Arthur R. Edwards, I\I. D. ; Charles 
G. Fuller, M. D. ; D. W. Graham, M. D. ; 
Fernand Henrotin, M. D. ; Hugh T. Pat- 
rick, M. D.; John Ridlon, M. D. ; Will 
Walter, M. D. ; W. S. Alexander, Patholo- 
gist. 



CHAPTER XXX. 



LOCAL MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 

(By PROFESSOR SAIDEE KNOWLAND COE) 



Evanston as it Existed in JS§6 — Primeval 
Church Music — IVar So)igs — A Com- 
mencement Concert — The Hutchinson 
Family — Jules Lnmbard — 0. H. Merzvin 
Becomes A Choir Leader — Other Nota- 
ble Musicians — Evanston' s First Musical 
Club — Some Famous Teachers and Per- 
formers — Thomas Concert Class Organ- 
iaed — Mrs. Edward IVyman — Musical 
Department of Evanston Woman's Club 
— Jl'omen's Clubs as a Factor in Musical 
Training — Evanston Musical Club — 
Macnncrchor Organized — Programs — 
Officers. 

Evanston has become such an acknowl- 
edged musical as well as literary center, 
that the tracing of the steps leading up 
to its present high state of development 
affords unusual interest. Let us close our 
eyes and picture to ourselves the town in 
1856. It consisted, as a reliable authority 
informs us, of a few houses : the University 
represented by the old Academy building, 
which then stood on the corner of Davis 
Street and Hinman Avenue ; the North- 
western Women's College, further south on 
Chicago Avenue : the Alethodist Church, a 
wooden building which everybody attend- 
ed : and a general store and postoffice. At 
this stage it is natural that musical interest 
should have centered around the music in 
the church. This, at first, consisted of sing- 



ing by the congregation of old familiar 
hymns. A little later a choir was formed of 
the young people of the church, led first by 
Air. Hart P. Danks, who afterwards be- 
came well known as a composer of songs 
and church music. Mrs. Mary Willard 
was a member of this choir, which sang not 
only the hymns and old-fashioned anthems 
for the church service, but was always on 
hand for p^rayer meeti'ngs, lectures, so- 
ciables and even sleigh-rides and picnics. 
Mr. Danks was succeeded as choir-leader 
by Air. John A. Pearsons. In the war meet- 
ings, held in the old University chapel, the 
choir thrilled its hearers with its rendering 
of patriotic songs. 

The first brass band in the town was or- 
ganized in 1857, and was led by Frank 
Steel, an Evanston boy, who afterwards 
achieved some reputation as bandmaster 
in a New York regiment during tire war. 
About this time Air. J. B. Alerw-in — a dis- 
tant relative of Air. O. H. Alerwin, whose 
notable work for music in Evanston will 
be mentioned later on — succeeded in stir- 
ring up considerable musical enthusiasm 
among the young people. Under his direc- 
tion they gave one or two sacred cantatas, 
which were greatly enjoyed. At commence- 
ment time a concert was always given in the 
Alethodist Church by the music teacher and 
pupils of the Women's College. This was 
the most pretentious musical event of the 



275 



276 



LOCAL MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 



year for the town. From time to time vari- 
ous musicians from outside gave concerts 
in Evanston. Among these are remember- 
ed the Hutchinson Family and Jules Lum- 
bard, whose singing was very popular dur- 
ing the war. 

In 1869 Mr. O. H. Merwin came to 
Evanston and was made director of the 
choir, a position he held for thirteen years, 
until 1882. The period of Mr. Merwin's 
activity in this work may be said to mark 
the musical transition between the Evan- 
ston of the past and the Evanston of the 
present. During his regime the choir, 
which was made up from the young people 
of the church and students of the L^niver- 
sity, numbered from forty to seventy mem- 
bers. Among the names we find many famil- 
iar ones. Miss Ella Prindle, now Mrs. 
Amos W. Patten, was leading soprano for 
eight or ten years ; Mrs. Frank P. Crandon 
and ]\Irs. H. F. Fisk occupied front seats 
in the soprano row, while Professor James 
Taft Hatfield reinforced the tenors. Mr. 
and Mrs. John B. Kirk, Miss Lindgren 
(now Mrs. Nels Simonsen), Mr. and Mrs. 
Inglehart, Miss Nellie Hurd (now Mrs. 
Comstock), the Raymond brothers, ^Ir. 
Scott Matthews, Miss Pomeroy, and many 
others whose names are well known to old 
Evanstonians, mingled their voices in Mr. 
Merwin's choir. This organization gave 
frequent entertainments for the benefit of 
the church, on which occasion the choir was 
reinforced by all the singers in the town. 
In the spring of 1879 a concert was given 
in which ]\Iiss Annie Louise Cary took the 
leading part. The following year "The 
Messiah" was produced with Myron Whit- 
ney as basso. In 1882 I\Ir. Merwin was 
succeeded by Mr. Locke, director of the 
Music Department of the L^niversity. 

The Evanston Amateur Musical Club. — 
The first important musical club in Evanston 
was the Evanston Amateur ^Musical Club, 



a musical and social organization which 
flourished for five years — -from 1882 to 
1887. Its founder and presiding genius 
was Miss Nina G. Lunt, to whose perse- 
verance and untiring energy the success of 
the enterprise was due. She started the 
club with fourteen young amateur musi- 
cians as a nucleus. The membership grew 
with such rapidity that it comprised large 
active, associate and honorary lists. The 
last included the names of many prom- 
inent Chicago musicians, notably Mrs. 
Regina Watson (who was always a great 
source of inspiration and help to the clubj, 
Miss Fannie Root, Miss Amy Fay, Mr. 
Carl Wolfsohn, Mr. Fred W. Root, Mr. 
Emil Liebling and others. For two years 
fortnightly afternoon musicals were given 
during the season at the homes of the mem- 
bers. The programs were furnished large- 
ly by the active members. Frequent even- 
ing recitals by well known artists added 
much to the interest of the association. It 
was finally deemed best to do away with the 
afternoon meetings and have the entertain- 
ments all given in the evening, the programs 
to be furnished by artists of established 
reputation. At the same time the term 
"amateur" was dropped, the name of the 
club appearing as the Evanston Musical 
Club. The list of artists who appeared 
in recitals before this club is a notable 
one. It includes Seeboeck, Amy Fay, 
Carl Wolfsohn, Emil Liebling, Frank 
Root, Mrs. Walter Wyman, Mme. Carreno, 
Sherwood, Annie Rommeiss, Mrs. May 
Phoenix Cameron, Mme. Hopekirk, Mme. 
Trebelli, Jacobsohn, Musin, Fannie Bloom- 
field Zeisler, The Mendelssohn Quintette 
Club of Boston, Rummel, Lilli Lehman 
and others. There were also Chamber Con- 
certs given under the direction of Mr. 
\\'illiam Lewis. 

Church Music. — With the growth of 
Evanston. churches of various denomina- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



277 



tions have sprung up and their choirs have 
added no httle to the musical development 
of the town. The Congregational Church 
choir has become noted as a training-ground 
for some of our best known concert sing- 
ers. Among them are Mr. Francis Fisher 
Powers, Mrs. Minnie Fish Griffin and Mrs. 
Minnie D. Methot, who has recently gone 
into opera. The following excerpt is taken 
from an interesting article on "Church 
Music" by Mr. Frank M. Elliot, in which 
he sketches the musical history of the Evan- 
ston Congregational Church : 

"One of the choirs long to be remember- 
ed was, in 1875 and 1876, known as the 
Powers Quartet, composed of Miss Emily 
Powers, Miss Lottie Powers (now Mrs. 
Ullman). Mr. Francis Fisher Powers and 
Mr. Fred Powers. They were all musical 
and their singing was always enjoyed. 

"In 1881, 1882 and 1883 the music was 
under the direction of Mr. George H. lott. 
This was the first of our paid choirs. Mr. 
lott entered upon his duties with enthusi- 
asm, and unquestionably did more to edu- 
cate our people in good sacred music than 
anyone before or since. His selections 
were always of a high order of merit. His 
exactness with the musicians, his fine ap- 
preciation of music, together with the 
superb quality of his voice, gave a render- 
ing that was always satisfactory and help- 
ful to his listeners. The Te Deum became 
one of the most enjoyable of the selections 
given. It was his custom to give a Te 
Deimi at every morning service, and this 
feature became so characteristic that his 
choir was known ever after as the 'Te Deum 
choir.' 

"In 1890, 1891 and 1892, the choir com- 
posed of Miss Grace E. Jones, Miss Esther 
A. Pitkin, Mr. Henry Taylor, Jr.. and Mr. 
J. P. McGrath, gave an excellent rendering 
of all their music. They were together so 
long that thev became accustomed to each 



other's singing. Their ensemble work was, 
perhaps, as good as that of any choir we 
have had. By far the best choir we ever 
had was composed of Mrs. Alinnie Fish 
Griffin, Miss Alice Hayes, I\Ir. Johnston 
and Mr. William Richards. Unfortun- 
ately this choir was together only three 
months. Their voices were evenly balanced, 
and all were experienced and artistic sing- 
ers, so that every selection that they under- 
took was sure of proper interpretation. 

"There have been other excellent choirs, 
but, as a rule, one or more of the voices 
were defective. The singers who have 
endeared themselves to our people — and 
who will always be regarded with the high- 
est esteem, both for their musical ability 
and for their sincerity and devotion to their 
work while in the choir — are Miss Owens, 
]\Iiss Carpenter, Mrs. Bartlett, Mrs. Goetz, 
]\Irs. Brewer, J\Irs. Lamphere, Mrs. Minnie 
D. Methot, Mrs. Stella Lawrence Nara- 
niore, Mrs. Grace Jones Taylor, Mrs. Esther 
Pitkin-Bartlett, Mrs. Jennie Sugg Carson, 
Mrs. JMinnie Fish Griffin, Miss Hayes, Miss 
Sohlberg. Aliss Kelley, Mr. George H. 
lott, Mr. Homer F. Stone, 'Sir. James F. 
Bird, ]\Ir. Charles A. Dew, Air. Henry 
Taylor. Jr., Mr. J. P. McGrath, Mr. William 
Richards, Mr. James F. Johnston and Mr. 
L. F. Brown. 

"The organists, who, by their association 
with this church, have become a part of its 
history, are J. \\'. Ludlam, Clarkson Rey- 
nolds Larabee, Arthur Cutler, Prof. W. S. 
B. Mathews, Prof. Oscar Mayo, Miss 
Mollie Ludlam, Miss Lydia S. Harris, R. H. 
L. Watson, L. P. Hoyt, H. D. Atchison, 
Hubert Oldham, W. W. Graves, A. F. 
McCarrell, John A. West. Edwin Barnes, 
Irving Proctor, John Mills Mayhew and 
Scott Wheeler." 

In recent years the most marked feature 
of the music of the Congregational Church 



278 



LOCAL MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 



has been the artistic singing of Airs. Sanger 
Steele. 

St: Mark's (Episcopal) Church has a 
vested choir, which furnishes the music 
for the regular service throughout the year 
and in addition, usuall}- performs the St. 
Cecilia Mass at Easter. 

In June, 1897, a series of free organ re- 
citals was inauguarated in the Presbyter- 
ian Church. These were continued through 
four seasons. The expenses were borne 
by private citizens who contributed each 
year in response to an appeal from the 
pastor, Dr. Boyd. The organists who fur- 
nished the programs were Miss Tina Mae 
Haines, organist of the church, to whom the 
credit of the enterprise is largely due, Scott 
Wheeler, Arthur Dunham, James Watson, 
A. F. McCarrell, Francis Moore, Ada 
Williams, Francis Remington, William 
Zeuch and Clarence Dickinson. During the 
summer of 1899 the entire group of six re- 
citals was given by Miss Haines, assisted 
by prominent vocalists. Among the solo- 
ists who assisted during the four seasons 
the most notable are George Hamlin, 
Charles W. Clark, Jennie Osborne, Helen 
Buckley and Holmes Cowper. One of the 
most notable concerts ever given in the 
church was the Farewell Concert given for 
Miss Haines before her departure for a 
year's study in Paris. The program was 
given by Miss Haines, Harrison Wild, 
Charles W. Clark, Leon Marx and Mrs. 
Edwin Lapham. 

During the summer of 1904-5, the sum- 
mer concerts were resumed and were so 
successful that a series will be given the 
coming summer, 1905-6. The programs are 
given by Miss Haines, with the assistance 
of prominent soloists. The most impor- 
tant concert ever given in the church was by 
the organist, Guilmant, in October, 1904. 
Miss Greta Masson assisted on this pro- 
gram, with soprano solos. In the summer 



of 1901 a series of organ concerts was 
given in the First Methodist church by 
Professor P. C. Lutkin, Miss Mary Porter 
Pratt, Miss Tina Mae Haines, Mr. William 
E. Zeuch and Mr. A. F. McCarrell. After 
the installation of the new organ especially 
noteworthy recitals were given with the 
following programs : 

Toccata and Fugue, D minor Bach 

Prof. P. C. Lutkin 

.\ntliem — "Praise the Lord" A. Randegger 

(a) Chorus — "Sing unto God" G. F. Handel 

tb) "La Cygne" (The Swan) C. Saint-Saens 

(c) Nuptial March A. Guilmant 

^Ir. Clarence Eddy 
Quartette — "Thou Shalt Bring Them In".. .A. S. Sullivan 

Quartette 
Allegro Cantabile. From the fifth Organ Symphony 

Toccata C. M. Widor 

Lamentation, op. 4.') A. Guilmant 

Mr. Eddy 

Soprano Solo— "I will Extol Thee. O Lord" Costa 

Miss Ridgeley 

Barcarolle E. H. Lamare 

March and Chorus from Tannhauser Wagner 

Mr. Eddy 

The following program was given by 
Mr. Frederick Archer on February 28, 
1901 : 

Allegro Moderato from Organ Symphony. .. .W. Faulkes 

(a) Pastorale .lorgan 

(a) Scherzo Gigout 

Chorale in B minor Caesar Franck 

(a) Chanson sans Paroles E. H. Lamare 

(b) Humoritisque J. Callaerts 

Toccata in F Claussman 

Poeme Symphonique — "Rouet d' Omphale". . . .St. Saens 

Theme and Variations Schubert 

Finale from Octette for strings Mendelssohn 

Serenade Molique 

Overture — "Love's Triumph" W. V. Wallace 

During the summer of 1902 a series of 
organ recitals was given in the Presbyter- 
ian and First Methodist churches, alternate- 
ly, by Mr. Clarence Dickinson, assisted by 
prominent vocalists. Among the noteworthy 
vocalists who have been members of the 
choir are Mr. Frank Hannah, Jenny Os- 
born Hannah, Mrs. Furbeck, J\linnie Fish 
Griffin and Mr. Frank Webster. The pres- 
ent organist (1905) of the church. Miss 
Katherine Howard, has carried on with 
much success monthly musical vesper ser- 
vices during the winter and a series of 
organ concerts during the summer. 

The Thomas Concert Class. — The Thom- 
as Concert Class was started in October, 
1896, and has had nine thoroughly success-" 
ful years. The membership is limited to sub- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



279 



scribers to the Thomas Orchestra Concerts. 
Mrs. Edward T. Wyman and Miss Cora 
Cassard, now Mrs. Toogood, were the 
starters of the enterprise, going about 
among their musical friends to stir up an 
interest in the new venture. They soon 
enhsted the co-operation of Mrs. C. L. 
Woodyatt, Mrs. Curtis H. Remy and Mrs. 
Charles G. Fuller, and to the energy and 
devotion of these five ladies the Class owes 
its launching into a most successful career. 
The purpose has been, primarily, the study 
in advance of the numbers announced on 
the programs of the orchestral concerts. 
Since its organization, the Class has regu- 
larly held meetings on the day preceding 
each concert, when members have played 
and analyzed the program numbers of the 
following day. The value of this work 
to the members can hardly be over esti- 
mated. It has aroused and stimulated an 
interest in the greatest works of orchestral 
composition, while the study necessary for 
analyzing and playing these masterpieces 
has amounted to more thai; an ordinary 
course of music study. The devotion and 
perseverance shown by the ladies in pre- 
paring and presenting these programs, 
through nine consecutive seasons, are 
worthy of emulation. 

In addition to the direct study of the 
Thomas programs, courses in Theory of 
Music have been given before the Class 
by Professor P. C. Lutkin and, through the 
season of 1900, a course in History of 
Music, outlined by Mrs. Coe, was finally 
carried out by the members. Theodore 
Thomas, during his life, always took a live- 
ly interest in the work of the Class, and 
Mrs. Thomas has addressed the members 
on several occasions. Artists" recitals, given 
under the auspices of the Class, have in- 
cluded the Brahms Piano Recital by Mr. 
Arthur Whiting and a program for the 
wood-wind instruments, besides a Histori- 



cal Chamber Alusic Recital given by mem- 
bers of the Chicago Orchestra. 

The Presidents of the Thomas Concert 
Class have been : Mrs. Curtis H. Remy, 
Mrs. Charles G. Fuller, Mrs. Frank M. 
Elliot, Mrs. John R. Lindgren, Mrs. H. D. 
Cable and Mrs. Newell C. Knight, each of 
whom has been responsible, in no small 
degree, for the uniform success which has 
attended the work of this organization. 
Mrs. C. L. Woodyatt has always been tha 
presiding genius to whom, more than to 
any other individual, is due the harmony 
which has prevailed among the members 
and the spirit of helpfulness which has 
pervaded each meeting. The analytical 
work of Mrs. Woodyatt and Miss Tina M. 
Haines is especially worthy of mention, as 
well as the valuable work done in piano 
illustrations by Mrs. William Vance, Mrs. 
George Lord, Mrs. Knight, Mrs. Gold- 
schmidt, Mrs. John H. Gray, Mrs. John R. 
Lindgren, Mrs. Underwood, Mrs. Hypes 
and Mrs. Seymour. The following resume, 
prepared by Mrs. Woodyatt at the close of 
the fifth year, gives a comprehensive idea 
of the work accomplished : 

"The Thomas Concert Class, being an 
original venture without precedent or ex- 
ample, has felt its way along from its be- 
ginning in 1896, evolving year by year its 
own method of procedure. The musical 
numbers assigned by Mr. Thomas for our 
study do not afford much consecutive re- 
lation from week to week. For this reason 
it was recognized, at the outstart, that con- 
tinuity and cohesion could only be secured 
by giving a portion of the time each morn- 
ing to systematized theoretical study. With 
so large a membership, and one including 
so many grades of musical experience, this 
has been perhaps the most difficult question 
we have had to meet. Professional instruc- 
tion can seldom be adapted to such mixed 
requirements, and, by the close of the fourth 



28o 



LOCAL MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 



year, we had pretty well exhausted the 
possibilities along this line, without enter- 
ing upon study of too technical a nature to 
be of value to the class as a whole. At the 
same time, it became evident that, with most 
of us, a mass of detached ideas and 
knowledge had been accumulating which 
would bear crystallizing into symmetrical 
form. 

"With these facts in mind the list of top- 
ics was drawn up. which has formed the 
basis of the morning papers for the year 
just closing. This course, it was hoped, 
would form a clear outline of the history 
of the development of music. I am sure 
that I voice the opinion of the Class in say- 
ing, that this hope has been justified, and 
that the papers of this series have, told — 
and told well — the story of music's growth 
from the primitive utterance of emotion 
in the savage, down through the centuries, 
until it has become the art we know to-day. 
The first paper was ably given by ]\Irs. 
Coe, to whose interest and experience we 
are indebted for the arrangement of the list 
of subjects. A few weeks later, in Novem- 
ber, we had the pleasure of listening to a 
beautiful essay upon the period of the 
Troubadours, generously given to us bv 
Miss Lunt. In January and in March im- 
portant topics of the course were treated 
by Professor Liitkin. whose unfailing read- 
iness to respond when occasions call for 
his assistance, has been of immeasurable 
value to us throughout our five years' ex- 
perience. The second of these lectures — I 
refer to the one upon the 'Representative 
German Composers of the 19th Century,' 
in which he summarized and contrasted the 
influence of the great masters upon the 
development of the art — was the product 
of a comprehensive and keenly discriminat- 
ing mind. The last paper of the course was 
given by ]\Irs. Theodore Thomas in the 
form of a resume of musical production 



in this country, particularly during Colonial 
and Revolutionary times. The remaining 
twelve papers were written and read by 
members of the Class. To the gifted women 
who have loyally and skillfully carried this 
course through without a single interrup- 
tion, we cannot too warmly express our 
gratitude and appreciation, sentiments not 
unmixed with pride. 

'"Taking the courses collectively, they rep- 
resent an immense amount of faithful re- 
search and study. The cream of all this 
reading has been placed before us from 
week to week, and has afforded those in 
regular attendance such an understanding 
of the general subject as could have been 
obtained only by the devotion of a large 
amount of time to the exclusive study of 
Musical History, while the variety af- 
forded by the methods of the dift'erent es- 
sayists has added great interest and unfail- 
ing charm. To those who have been with 
the class from the first, a glance at what 
has been accomplished during the five years 
cannot fail to afford deep satisfaction. In 
1896, when, through the enthusiasm and 
personal effort of Mrs. Edward Wyman, the 
little band was marshalled, in closing her 
remarks at the introductory meeting, I re- 
member that she said, 'of course we have 
high hopes.' A group of vi'omen holding 
subscriptions to the concerts of one of the 
greatest orchestras the world has ever 
known, unite into a class with the purpose 
of becoming better fitted to appreciate this 
beautiful music. With this single aim they 
meet, each gladly giving to the others what- 
ever she can perform, whether of artistic 
eft'ort or of the silent inspiration of the 
listener. These are the simple conditions. 
But which of us can measure the growth 
in herself resulting from the interchange? 
— and, in the community in which we are 
a part, it is said that our influence is wide ; 
that we occupy a position of responsibility. 



Jl 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



281 



Mav we continue to realize our supreme 
privilege of listening to the greatest music 
of the centuries under the leadership of the 
greatest of living conductors. May we 
continue to hold to the 'high hopes' with 
which we began, always mindful that such 
measure of success as has been ours, has 
been in exact ratio to our obedience to the 
divine law which orders all of Giving and 
Receiving." 

During the past three years, in addition 
to the study of the Thomas programs, the 
subject of chamber music has been taken up 
under the direction of Professor Harold 
Knapp. 

Music Department of the Evanston 
Woman's Club. — In 1897 i*^ '^^'^s decided to 
add a Music Department to the other thriv- 
ing departments of the Evanston Woman's 
Club. Mrs. H. D. Cable was made chair- 
man and Mrs. Coe was engaged, during the 
first season, to give a series of illustrated 
lectures on musical topics. The second 
season's work consisted of miscellaneous 
programs. In 1899 Mrs. Coe was made 
iMusical Director of the department, a 
position which she held for three years. 
During that period she planned in detail all 
of the work of the department, personally 
superintending the presentation of each pro- 
gram. Through the season, 1899-1900, a 
unic|ue course was carried out, devoted ex- 
clusively to the compositions of women. 
Several of the composers themselves took 
a lively interest in the work, and letters 
of encouragement and appreciation were 
received from Mrs. H. H. A. Beach and 
Cecile Chaminade. 

The following programs were given : 
JANUARY 9, 1900. 

Lecture — "Women Composers" Mrs. Crosby Adams 

Vocal Illustrations Miss Una Howell 

PROGRAM 

Where Go The Boats? ) 

The Swing \ Eleanor Smith 

Cliristmas Song J 

Pleading i 

Welcome / Marguerite Melville 

Hope ) 



Ghosts 

Night ; [. . . Margaret Ruthven Lang 

Lydia ) 

"Look out, O Love" Clara Kathleen Rogers 

The Sprnig Has Come \ 

To Mary ■ Maude Valerie White 

The Throstle ) 

TUESD.AY, FEBRUARY 1 3, ID A. M. 

Clara Schumann 

Paper Mrs. W. M. Green 

Piano — Scherzo Miss Elizabeth Raymond 

Two Songs Miss Whitehead 

Piano — Andante and Allegro Miss Grace Erickson 

Fanny Mendelssohn 

Paper Mrs. F. B. Dyche 

Piano — Caprices Miss Edna Flesheim 

Two Songs Miss Florence Stevens 

MARCH 13, 1900. 

Jessie L. Gaynor 

Sketch of Work in Composition Mrs. Gaynor 

Selections from "Songs from the Child W^orld" . . . Gaynor 

L'Enfant. 

If I Were a Bee. 

I-lush-a-Bye, Baby Dear. 

If I Knew. 

The Wind Went W'ooing the Rose. 

Because She Kissed it. 

A Valentine. 

Discontented Duckling. 

Slumber Boat. 

Japanese Doll. 

Fire Flies. 

Jerushy. 

Spring Song. 
Accompanist, Mr. F. F. Beale. 

APRIL 10, igoo. 

Mrs. H. H. A. Beach 

Paper Mrs. T. P. Stanwood 

^™J|g^ J.. Miss Louise E. Whitehead 

Piano. "Fireflies" iliss Mabel Dunn 

Dearie / 

Scottish Cradle Song r Miss .Mta Miller 

Oh. Were My Love You Lilac Fair.- 

Personal Letter to the Club Mrs. Beach 

Read by Mrs. George A. Coe 

Forgotten Miss Louise E. Whitehead 

Piano — "Phantoms" Miss Grace Erickson 

Wouldn't That be Queer?, j ^j ^, j^jj,, 

The \ ear s at the ^>pring. . i 

Piano and Violin, Sonata, op. 34. Allegro Moderate 
Miss Edna Eversz and Mr. W. G. Logan 

MAY 22. 1900. 

Cecile Chaminade 
Short Sketches of Life and Work... Mrs. George A. Coe 

Dense Pastorale ) 

Scarf Dance ^ Mrs. Irene Stevens 

Cahrrboe ^ 

Vocal — Sombrero Mr. Alfred D. Shaw 

The Flatterer Mrs. W. H. Knapp 

Pi°e"re«;.^:."'.'".°."'.- .■.■.■.•.■.■.■ .-.I Miss Edna Eversz 

Vocal — "Veins, Mon Eien Aime" 

Miss Winifred Nightingale 

Two Pianos — **Le Soir" Mrs. John R. Lindgren 

"Le Matin". . .Miss Harriet Engle Brown 

Vocal— (a) Serenade } ,r ah^-j T) ci,-^, 

(b-) Ville Chanson... i ^^^'^- '^'*^^^ ^- ^^'^"^ 

Concert Study — "Autumn" Miss Edna Flesheim 

Vocal— "Ritournelle" Miss Winifred Nightingale 

Concertstuck Miss Carrie Holbrook 

Orchestral Accompaniment on Second Piano, Mrs. 
George A. Coe. 

Through the season of 1900-1901 the fol- 
lowing programs were given, devoted to 

American composers : 



282 



LOCAL MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 



JANUARY 8, I9OI. 

Paper Mrs. Chancellor Jenks, Jr. 

William Mason 

Piano— Amitie pour Amitie. ( ^jj^^ (^^^^^ Erickson 

Improvisation ) 

John Knowles Paine 

Vocal— The Matin Song. ...I mj^^ ^Ita Miller 

I Wore lour Koses ) 

Piano — Nocturne, op. 4'} Miss Elizabeth Raymond 

Dudley Buck 
Vocal — Spring's Awakening. . .Miss Louise E. Whitehead 
Piano — By the Brookside. op. 8, No. 2. Miss Mabel Dunn 

Vocal — Sunset 

Where Did You Come From, 

Baby Dear ... j jvliss Alta Miller 

When the Heart is \oung. I 

Salve Regina Miss Whitehead 

George Whitfield Chadwick 

Vocal— The Danza. ........ J Miss Miller 

Oh, Let Night Speak to Me. * 
Piano— Irish Melody..............; Miss Dunn 

Scherzino, op. (, No. o. . . > 

He Loves Me / 

Allah I . . .Miss Whitehead 

Sings the Nightingale to the Rose, 



\ 



FEBRUARY 12, I902. 

i' 
[ 



Suite Cliaracteristique Arne Oldberg 

Au Revoir 1 

White Caps 

Revery !- Mr. Oldberg 

Song to the Moon I 

Le retour J 

"The Child and His Music." An Illustrated Talk 

Mr. W. H. Neidlinger 

MARCH 12, I9OI. 

Illustrated lecture on 'The National Music of America." 
Mr. Louis C. Elson, Professor of Musical Theory and 
Lecturer on the Orchestra and on Musical History 
in the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, 
Mass. 

APRIL 9, I9OI. 

Arthur W. Foote 

Paper Mrs. William A. Dyche 

Piano — Suite, D. minor ] 

Prelude and Fugue. } ■», ^\T•^^■ r \t 

Romance ... I ■ ■^'^- William L. Vance 

Capriccio J 

Vocal — Through the Long Days i 

and Years ( Miss Margaret Easter 

On the Way to Kew * 

Piano — Selections from Poems (after Omar Khay- 
yam Mrs. George A. Coe 

Vocal — !Memmon 1 

Vm Wearing Awa [■ Miss Easter 



Sweetheart . 

Piano and Violin— Sonata, G minor. 

Allegro Appassionata. 

Alia Siciliano. 

Adagio. 

Allegro Molto. 
Miss Elizabeth Raymond and Mr. Lewis Blackman 

MAY 28, I9OI. 

Edward A. MacDowell 
Short Talk on the Composer with selections from 

Sea Pieces Mrs. George A. Coe 

Piano — The Witches* Dance Miss Mabel Dunn 

li^^r^f^tion:.-.-;;;;;:;;:;;! -m- wmiam l. vance 

Ma'rTh' -Wind.- .•.■.•.•.•.•.■.■.■ .•.■.•.■( «'== Grace Erickson 

Songs to be selected Miss Annie Louise Daniels 

Czardas Mrs. William L. Vance 

In view of the activity along musical lines 
throughout the various organizations of 
women, it is a matter of especial interest 



to note the following opinion expressed in 
a private letter by the eminent American 
composer, Mr. Arthur Foote, of Boston: 

"From circumstances, I am more ac- 
quainted with the work done by those clubs 
than most people right here, and I do not 
hesitate to give my belief that the most 
efficient factor for music in America now 
is just that done by those clubs, chiefly, 
naturally, in the Middle West, although 
there has been a surprising and healthful 
growth in the same direction about here ; 
but, run as they are, generally by level- 
headed and truly musical people, their ef- 
fect, I firmly believe, will be more than 
either of us can imagine in the next twenty 
years." 

During the season of 1901-1902 the 
Music Section of the Evanston Woman's 
Club, under the direction of Mrs. Coe, 
carried out the following Historical and 
Analytical Course : 

JANUARY 14. 1902. 

Lecture Recital — "Primitive Music" 

Mrs. George A. Coe 

Vocal Illustrations Miss Louise Whitehead 

The Development from Crude Beginnings among the 

Savages to the Attempts of the Early Christians. 
Beginnings of Folk Music. 
Development of the Scale. 
The Music of the Chinese, Japanese, and Hindoos. 

MUSICAL ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Japanese and Hindoo Songs 
Negro Folk Songs 

The Lady Picking Mulberries Edgar S. Kelley 

(Written on Chinese scale.) 
Suite for Piano — "Miniatures in Chinese Colors'*.... 

Lillian Statson Miller 

Movement from Chinese Suite for Orchestra 

Edgar S. Kelley 

JANUARY 28, 1902. 

Lecture Recital — "Music of the American Indians".... 

Mrs. George A. Coe 

Vocal Illustrations Miss Marj^ Florence Steve 

Indian Legends, Superstitions and Sense of Musical 

Rhythm. 
Scalping Songs, Prayers, Cradle Songs. 
Songs of Joy and Sorrow. 

FEBRUARY II, I9O2. 

MUSIC OF THE GREEKS. 

The Greek Drama Mrs. Doremus A. Haves 

The Greek Music System Mrs. George A. Coe 

Musical Illustrations Mr. Arthur Burton 

FEBRUARY 25, I902. 

Development of Church Music (from Ambrose and 

Gregory to beginning of the Netherland School). 
Music in the Bible. 

Musical Attempts of the Early Christians. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



28.^ 



Paper Mrs. C. D. B. Howell 

Musical Analysis, including Development of Notation.. 

Mrs. Coe 

Vocal Illustrations of Ambrosian and Gregorian Chants 

and Hebrew Hymns Mrs. H. \V. Knapp 

MARCH II, 1902. 

Lecture Kecital — "History of Folk Music" 

Mrs. Joseph W. Hines 

Folk Songs of Scandinavia. 
Russian and Slavic Songs. 

MARCH 25, 1902. 

"EPOCH OF THE NETHERLANDERS" 
Papers by Mrs. E. L. Harpham and Miss Elizabeth P. 

Clarke. 

Musical Illustrations by Vocal Quartette under the 

direction of Miss Tina Mae Haines. 

APRIL 8, 1902. 

THE OPERA. 
Italy — Peri to Verdi. 
France — Beaujoyeux to Gounod. 
Germany — Kaiser to Wagner. 
England — Purcell to Handel. 

Paper Mrs. Homer H. Kingsley 

Vpcal Illustrations Mr. .'\. D. Shaw and Mrs. Smith 

Piano Numbers Miss Grace Ericson, Miss Marion 

Titus and Miss Hoff. 

APRIL 22, 1902. 

Analytical Lecture on Wagner's "Siegfried," with illus- 
trations from the score Mrs. George A. Coe 

MAY 13, 1902, 

THE ORATORIO. 

Papers. 

Oratorio in Italy Mrs. W. A. Illsley 

Oratorio in Germany Mrs. E. W. Goldschmidt 

Oratorio in England Miss Mary B. Lindsay' 

Vocal Illustrations Mr. Conrad Kimball 

Piano Illustrations 

Mrs. Goldschmidt and Mrs. W. F. Hypes 

MAY 27, 1902. 

Lecture Recital — "Spanish Folk Music" 

Senora Blanca de Freyre Tibbits 

Work of Woman's Club. — The follow- 
ing resume of the three season's work was 
prepared by Miss Tina Mae Haines: 

"An inquiry into the cause of the steady 
growth of general culture among an in- 
dustrial busy people would reveal the pres- 
ence of a multitude of important forces, 
all working toward a broader and deeper 
knowledge of the arts and sciences. One 
of these important forces is the universal 
spirit of investigation which continually 
asks to know why things are as they are ; 
that spirit which insists upon dissecting 
the component parts of everything — which 
probes into the very mind and heart of 
every one who has given a part of his best 
self to the world — the spirit which seeks to 



uncover the mysteries of creative power 
itself. 

"Music, the most elusive of all the arts, 
has not escaped this microscopic examina- 
tion. It is only within recent years, how- 
ever, that the general public has shown any 
perceptible desire to really understand the 
science of music. It has been content to 
have its ears tickled and its feet inspired, 
to declare one's self fond of music meant 
simply that one was fond of the 'tune.' 
The number of such is steadily diminishing, 
and moreover the time is rapidly passing, 
when a musician, who knows nothing but 
his music, can pass muster. 

"The better class of conservatories, the 
establishment of orchestras and organiza- 
tions for the analytical study of orchestral 
literature, the appearance on the scenes of 
competent musical lecturers, and the exer- 
tions of our impressarios to appeal to the 
cultivated musical palate, are all large fac- 
tors in contributing to a more intelligent 
comprehension of music as an art, and not 
merely as a form of entertainment. With- 
in the past few years these forces have re- 
ceived powerful impetus from the vari- 
ous women's clubs, many of which have in- 
corporated in their courses of study depart- 
ments of music. 

"The Woman's Club of Evanston is a 
notable example. It has just completed 
the tliird year of a splendidly-conceived 
and well carried out course of study. The 
club showed excellent judgment in engag- 
ing ^Irs. George Coe for the musical direc- 
tor, and the wisdom of the selection has long 
since been proved by the steady growth of 
the department and the increasing interest 
in the examination of the course of study 
shows the extensive scope of the work un- 
dertaken. During the season of 1899 and 
1900 the general subject was, 'Woman in 
Composition, and special features were an 
illustrated lecture talk by Mrs. Jessie Gay- 



284 



LOCAL MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 



nor of 'Methods of Work in Composition.' 
The subject of the study course, during the 
season of 1900 and 1901, was 'American 
Composers." Among other interesting 
things. ]\Ir. Louis C. Elson, of Boston, gave 
an illustrated lecture on 'The National 
]\Iusic of America.' and Mr. W. H. Neid- 
linger gave a talk on 'Children's Songs." 

"The series running through the season 
just closed has been devoted to the study of 
the development of music from its earliest 
beginnings. Alany well-known soloists 
have furnished illustrations for the various 
programs. Some of the papers were pre- 
pared by members of the club, and Mrs. 
Coe herself, besides contributing a number 
of lectures and papers, has added to every 
program from her ample store of informa- 
tion. 

"Mrs. Coe. in preparing her lectures, has 
added to her wide experience as a teacher 
and her thorough knowledge of the general 
history of music, a detailed study of the de- 
velopment of music among all nationalities, 
sparing no pains to secure rare and authen- 
tic material ; and those who have heard 
these lectures, fully realize the careful selec- 
tion of interesting matter, the absence of 
superfluous details and the artistic and logi- 
cal arrangement of the information so care- 
fully gleaned. ]\Irs. Coe should have the 
satisfaction of feeling that, in addition to 
interesting and entertaining her auditors, 
she is wielding an educational influence of 
immeasurable value and stimulating a de- 
sire for a more sincere study of the science 
of music." 

During the season of 1902- 1903, a series 
of lecture recitals was given before the 
club by Madam de Roode Rice. During 
1903-1904 a series of miscellaneous pro- 
grams was given, including the first public 
performance of the "Melodrama of Hiawa- 
tha" for speaking voice and piano by Saidee 
Knowland Coe. given with the composer 



at the piano and Miss Mae Neal, reader. A 
series of interesting and instructive lecture- 
recitals has been given the past season by 
!Miss Tina [Mae Haines, who is to furnish 
another course next winter. 

The Evanston Musical Club. — One 
great cause of encouragement in the musi- 
cal development of America is the broad- 
ening of general education to include some 
knowledge of the fine arts, notably music, 
and a corresponding enlargement of musi- 
cal training to include culture along literary 
and scientific lines. It follows, therefore, 
that in towns where are situated colleges 
or universities of importance, one may, at 
the present time, as confidently expect to 
become acquainted with some at least of the 
masterpieces of music as with the great 
works of literature. 

That the Evanston ^lusical Club has done 
real musical culture work no one can doubt 
who has watched its progress during the 
last few years and noted the number of 
new, as well as standard, works that have 
been brought to the attention of many per- 
sons who, perhaps otherwise, would never 
have heard them. One cause for congrat- 
ulation in the work of the club is that the 
audiences are not made up solely of people 
sated with musical opportunities. The con- 
certs prove a musical feast for many stu- 
dents and others whose opportunities for 
hearing great choral works have been very 
limited. 

The following "Retrospective."' pub- 
lished by officers of the club, gives a history 
of its start and first four seasons' work: 

"In 1894 a Msennerchor of twenty voices 
was organized in the Country Club, under 
the direction of Professor P. C. Lutkin, 
and gave its first concert at the club house 
on November 30th, with ]\Iax Bendix 
violinist, and Miss Fanchon Thompson, 
contralto, as soloist. The same program 
was repeated at the Congregational church 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



285 



and was the first public performance of the 
Evanston Musical Club. In the meantime, 
a ladies' auxiliary chorus was formed, 
which also gave a concert at the Country 
Club. On February 19, 1895, the two or- 
ganizations united in a public performance 
at the Congregational church, with Francis 
Walker, baritone, and Frederick Archer, 
organist, as soloists. On May 7th an ora- 
torio was attempted, and Sullivan's "Prod- 
igal Son" was given with a quartette of 
home talent. The full chorus had grown to 
ninety voices and. largely through the ef- 
forts of the first President, Mr. John R. 
Lindgren, an associate member list of sixty- 
six was secured. 

"The work of the Club had given so 
much pleasure and satisfaction that more 
pretentious plans were laid for the coming 
season. The concerts were all given at the 
Congregational church, beginning with the 
Msennerchor on November 12, assisted by 
Bruno Steindel, 'cellist. On December 17th 
the first performance of the 'Messiah' was 
given and met with hearty approval. The 
solo quartette consisted of Miss Anita Mui- 
doon, of Cincinnati, ■Mrs. Anna Rommeis 
Thacker, Mr. Walter Root and Mr. William 
Richards. A Part-song Concert was next 
given on February 7, 1896, with Mme. 
Lillian Blauvelt. The crowning feature of 
the year was the performance of 'Elijah,' 
on April 24, \\ith Mrs. Janet Boyd 
Brown, ?klrs. Foresman Bagg, }ilr. William 
F. Hypes, and Mr. Plunkett Greene, as 
solo quartette. At both oratorios Mr. Clar- 
ence Dickinson presided at the organ. At 
the end of the season the active members 
numbered over one hundred, and the asso- 
ciate members eighty-nine. 

"With its third season the Club adopted 
its present policy of giving three concerts 
annually — the 'Messiah' at Christmas tide, 
a Part-song Concert, with an eminent solo- 
ist, in Februarv, and a great oratorio in 



April. The new season was inaugurated 
with the first appearance of an orchestra, 
and to provide the necessary stage-room, 
and also to accommodate the increasing at- 
tendance, the concerts of the Club were 
transferred to the First Methodist church, 
where they have since been held. The per- 
formance of the Messiah, with its proper 
orchestral setting, created much enthusiasm 
and received high praise from Chicago 
critics. The solo quartette included Miss 
Helen Buckley, Mrs. Anna Rommeis 
Thacker. \\'illiam J. Brown, and Charles 
W. Clark. The following artists assisted 
at the Part-song Concert: Mile. Alice 
Verlet, from the Paris Opera Comique, and 
Mr. Leo Stern, 'cellist, from London. The 
season closed with a successful perform- 
ance of Haydn's 'Creation,' with orchestra, 
and Miss Helen Buckley. William F. Hypes 
and George Ellsworth Holmes as soloists. 
The chorus now numbered one hundred and 
twenty members, and there were about an 
equal number of associate members. 

"The high standard the Club had set for 
its 'Messiah' performance was fully main- 
tained at the opening concert of the fourth 
season. The assisting artists were Mrs. 
Genevieve Clark Wilson, Mrs. Sue Harring- 
ton Furbeck, Mr. George Hamlin and Mr. 
Lewis Campion. M. Henry Marteau, the 
eminent violinist, was the attraction at the 
Part-song Concert. In place of the usual 
oratorio at the last concert, an English 
Idyl, entitled 'St. John's Eve,' for solo, 
chorus and orchestra, was given with Mrs. 
Proctor Smith, Mrs. Christine Neilson 
Drier. George Hamlin and Sidney Biden in 
the solo parts. So great was the enjoyment 
in this beautiful work that a repetition was 
demanded. A second performance was 
given for a worthy charitable object. Miss 
Folia Carpenter and Mr. William Hypes 
replacing Mrs. Drier and Mr. Hamlin. The 
chorus had increased to one hundred and 



286 



LOCAL MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 



thirty members and the associate members 
to nearly one hundred and fifty." 

During the succeeding years the follow- 
ing programs have been presented: 

FIFTH SEASON. 
DECEMBER I3. 1898. 

"THE MESSIAH." 

Miss Jennie Osborn, Soprano ; Mrs. Sue Harrington 
Furbeck, Contralto; Mr. Holmes Cowper, Tenor; Mr. 
Charles W. Clark, Bass; Mr. Curtis A. Barry, Organist. 

FEBRUARY 23, iSQQ. 

PART SONG CONCERT. 

Soloists — Mr. Bruno Steindel, Violoncello ; Mr. Holmes 

Cowper, Tenor. 
Accompanists — Mrs. Bruno Steindel ; Mr. Elias Arnold 

Bredin, 

PROGRAM. 

Cantata— "The Pilgrims" G. W. Chadwick 

Evanston Musical Club. 

Le Desir Servais 

Mr. Steindel. 

Anthem for Tenor Solo and Chorus P. C. Lutkin 

Mr. Cowper and Evanston Musical Club. 
The Elizabethan Madrigals C. Williers Stanford 

Evanston Musical Club. 
Polonaise for Piano and 'Cello Chopin 

Mr. and Mrs. Steindel. 
Winter Days Caldcott 

Evanston Musical Club. 

Homewards Rheinberger 

Ladies' Chorus. 

Hunting Songs 

Two Lovers Hecht 

Evanston Musical Club. 

Adagio Mozart 

Taran telle Popper 

Mr. Steindel. 
The Song of the Vikings Eaton Fanning 

Evanston Musical Club. 

APRIL 28, 1899. 

MENDELSSOHN FESTIVAL. 

Miss Jennie Osborn, Soprano ; Miss Alton Littleton 
Smith, Soprano ; Mr. George Hamlin, Tenor ; Miss 
Una Howell, Pianist. 

PROGRAM. 

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, op. 2o 

Miss Lrna Howell 

Motette — "Hear My Prayer". Miss Osborn and Evanston 

Musical Club. 
A Hymn of Praise. 

SIXTH SEASON. 

DECEMBER I4, 1899. 

"The Messiah" Handel 

Soloists — Mrs. Sanger Steele, Soprano ; Miss Mabelle 

Crawford. Alto; Mr. Glenn Hall, Tenor; Mr. Arthur 

Van Eweyk, Basso. 

JANUARY 2, 1900. 

Northwestern University Settlement, Chicago. 

"The Messiah" Handel 

Soloists^ — Mrs. Sanger Steele, Soprano ; Miss Mabelle 

Crawford, Contralto; Mr. Glenn Hall, Tenor; Mr. 

Harry R. Parsons. Basso. 

FEBRUARY 5, I9OO. 

PART SONG CONCERT. 

Soloists — Leonora Jackson, Violinist. 

(Mr. Ernest H. Jackson. Accompanist.) 
Incidental solos by Mrs. Alton Littleton Smith, Soprano; 
Harry R. Parsons, Basso; Russell Wilbur, Tenor; 
William A. Stacey. Baritone. 

H. M. Tilroe, Reader. 



PROGRAM. 

1. Gallia, Motette for Soprano Solo and Chorus. .Gounod 

Solo — Mrs, Smith. 

2. Chaconne, for Violin alone Bach 

Miss Jackson 

3. Two Part Songs for Ladies' Voices — 

a In Spring Bargeel 

b Cradle Song Gilbert A. Alcock 

4. Two Part Songs, for Mixed Voices — 

a Madrigal — *' The Miller's I^aughter" 

Horace Ellis 

b Full Fathom Five Charles Wood 

5. Violin Solos — 

a Nocturne. D flat Chopin Sarasate 

Humoresque Tschaikowsky 

c Dance Brahms-Joachim 

6. Six Ancient Folk Songs of the Netherlands — (A. D. 
1G20) arranged by E. Kremser 

For Maennerchor, Baritone and Tenor Solos 

7. Chorus, for Ladies' Voices and Soprano 

The Sailors' Christmas Chaminade 

Solo Mrs. Smith 

8. Ballad, for Baritone and Chorus — 

Young Lochinvar Liza Lehmann 

Solo Mrs. Stacey 

9. Violin Solo — Hungarian Themes with Variations. . . . 
Ernst 

Miss Jackson 

10. Two- Part Songs for Alixed Chorus — 

a Evening and Morning Hymn Rheinberger 

b Gypsy Life Schumann 

APRIL 27, 1900. 

The Elijah Mendelssohn 

Soloists — Mrs. Genevieve Clark Wilson, Soprano ; Mrs. 

Sue Harrington Furbeck. Alto; Mr. George Hamlin, 

Tenor; Mr. Charles W. Clark. Basso. 

Wilson Reed, Soprano (The Youth). 

Richard Uhlemann, Mezzo Soprano. 

Armand Peycke, Alto. 

SEVENTH SEASON. 



DECEMBER 1 8, I9OO. 



The Messiah Handel 

Soloists — Mrs. Jennie Fish Griffin, Soprano; Miss Mabelle 

Crawford, Alto ; Mr. Frederick Carberry, Tenor ; Mr. 

Charles W. Clark, Basso. 

FEBRUARY I9, I9OI. 
PART SONG CONCERT. 



Soloists — Madame Fannie Bloomfield Zeisler, 
Mr. Chauncey Earle Bryant, Tenor. 



Pianiste; 



PROGRAM. 



. ) 



..Gounod 



Credo 

Sanctus — From St. Cecilia Mass. i 
Piano Solos — 

a "Hark, hark, the lark" Schubert 

(Translated for Piano by Liszt). 

b. Marche Militaire .Schubert 

(Duet arranged as a solo by Tausig). 
Mme. Zeisler, 
Part Song for Mixed V'oices. 

"When Spring Comes Laughing" ... .Eaton Fanning 
The Twenty-third Psalm, for Ladies' Voices — 

"The Lord is my Shepherd" Schubert 

Piano Solos — 

Berceuse, op. 57 1 

Etude, op. 10, No. 4... j. Chopin 

Valse, op. 64, No. 1 I 

Valse, op. &4, No. 2. .. I 

Mme. Zeisler 
Two Part Songs, for Mixed Voices — 

Two Maidens P. C. Lutkin 

(Dedicated to the Apollo Musical Club). 

The Babbling Brook P. C. Lutkin 

(Dedicated to the Evanston Musical Club.) 
7. Two Part Songs, for Mixed Voices — 

a Spring. . ^^ 

b Lover s CounseL ... 
Piano Solos — Liebestraum (Nocturne, No. 31).... Liszt 

Caprice Espagnole, op. 37 Moszkowski 

Mme. Zeisler. 
9. March and Chorus from Tannhauser. 



6, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



287 



APRIL 21, I9OI. 

CENTRAL MUSIC HA1.L, CHICAGO. 
"The Elijah" Mendelssohn 

By the combined Evanston and Ravens wood Clubs, 
under the direction of Professor P. C. Lutkin. 
Soloists — Mrs. Genevieve Clark Wilson, Soprano ; Miss 

Elaine De Sellem, Alto ; Mr. George Hamlin, Tenor ; 

Mr. Charles W. Clark, Basso. 

MAY 7, 1 90 1. 

Stabat Mater Rossini 

Hiawatha's Wedding Feast S. Coleridge Taylor 

Soloists — Miss Helen Buckley, Soprano ; Miss Elaine 

De Sellem, Alto; Mr. Holmes Cowper, Tenor; Mr. F. 

B. Webster, Bass. 

EIGHTH SEASON. 

NOVEMBER 21, I9OI. 

Hiawatha's Wedding Feast. } c r- 1- -j t 1 

Hiawatha-s Departure \ S- Coleridge Taylor 

Soloists — Mrs. Maria Hoag-Haughley, Soprano ; Mrs. 

Ella Pierson Kirkham. Alto; Mr. L. E. Rollo, Tenor; 

Mr. Joseph Baernstein, Basso. 

FEBRUARY 27, IQ02. 

PART SONG CONCERT. 

Soloists — Mme. Cortnne Moore Lawson, Soprano ; Mr. 
Gustav Holmquist, Basso. 

PROGRAM. 
PART I. 

1. "Hear My Prayer" Mendelssohn 

Motette for Soprano Solo and Chorus. 
Mrs. Lawson and Chorus. 

2. The King's Prayer from Lohengrin Wagner 

Bass Solo, Quintette and Chorus. 
Mr. Holmquist. 
Miss Anna L. Beebe, Soprano ; Miss Louise White- 
head. Alto; Mr. A. D. Shaw, Tenor; Mr. C. N. 
Stevens, Baritone. 

3. Te Deum, opus 103 Dvorak 

Soprano and Bass Solo and Chorus. 

Mrs. Lawson, Mr. Holmquist and Chorus. 

PART 11. 

1. The Dance, opus 27. No. 1 Edward Elgar 

From the "Bavarian Highlands."' 
Evanston Musical Club. 

2. a Norwegian Shepherd Song. Old Melodv 16th Cent, 
b Bid Me Discourse.. } ^,, Tr«,ri;.u 
c Love Has Eyes \ *^'^ English 

3. Lullaby, opus 27, No. 3 ( cj j t7i 

Aspiration, Opus 27, No. 4.( Edward Elgar 

Evanston Musical Club, 

4. a The First Love Song Carl Grammann 

b The Sand Carrier August Bungert 

c Serenata Moszkowski 

Mrs. Lawson. 

5. The Marksmen, Opus 27. No. 6 Edward Elgar 

Evanston Musical Club. 

APRIL 22, 1902. 
VERDI'S. 

Manzoni Requiem, 
Soloists — Mrs. Genevieve Clark Wilson, Soprano; Miss 
Jessie Lynde Hopkins, Mezzo Soprano ; Mr. John B. 
Miller, Tenor; Mr. Joseph Baernstein, Basso. 



Other especially important works present- 
ed by the Ckib are "Caractacus" and "King 
Olaf by Elgar, and Dvorak's "Stabat 
Mater." Interest in the club was greatly 
augmented by the winning of the second 
prize of $3,500 in the choral contest at the 
Louisiana Purchase Exposition at Saint 
Louis, in 1904, under the direction of Pro- 
fessor Lutkin, In the concert of January 
30, 1905, a concerto for piano and orchestra 
by Arne Oldberg had its first performance, 
and the celebrated English contralto, Muriel 
Foster, was the most notable solist. 

The Presidents of the Evanston Musical 
Club have been Mr. John R. Lindgren, Mr. 
W. F, Hypes, Mr. Frank W, Smith, Mr. 
Chancellor Jenks and Mr. C. N, Stevens. 

Let us hope that the great development 
along musical lines, which has taken place 
in Evanston during the last few years, may 
lead some public spirited citizen to erect 
a large hall suitable for concert purposes. 
Mendelssohn has said, "I know of no aim 
more noble than that of giving music to 
one's native language and to one's native 
country." What more noble monument 
could an Evanstonian erect than a 
building in his own town, which would 
make possible an annual musical festival 
whose strains would mingle with the ma- 
jestic organ point of our beautiful Lake 
Michigan, in fulfilling the musicians' calling 
which, according to Schumann, is "to send 
light into the deep recesses of the human 
heart," 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



The Story of Banking Eiitcrl'riscs in Ri'an- 
ston — ■ Effect of the Chicago Fire — 
First Private Bank Establislied in i8/.f — 
Incorporated as a State Bank in i8o? — 
First Officers of the Xez^' Institution — 
Groxi'th of Deposits — // Successfullx 
Withstands the Panic of 189 j — Pres- 
ent Officers {1006) — A First National 
Bank J'cnture — Tlie Panic of i8q^ Re- 
sults in Disaster — The City National 
Bank of Evanston Established in igoo — 
First Officers and Leading Stockholders 
— Its Prosperous Career — Condition in 
1906. 



Banking ni 



^ Evanston. however intimate 

this city's relations with near-by Chicago, 
has been prosperous and permanent when 
conckicted with discretion, and ephemera! 
and disastrous when otherwise undertaken. 
The story of banking in Evanston is largely 
that of the older of its two institutions, and 
a story by no means without interest to all 
who profit by and have pride in the suc- 
cesses of conservative finance. 

Effect of the Chicago Fire.— With the 
intiux of population after the Chicago fire 
of 1871, the growing business of Evanston 
invited the creation of banking facilities 
furnished by Evanston capital and ope- 
rated by Evanston citizens. Into this field, 
in the early 'seventies, came Merrill Ladd, 
who founded the private bank of Merrill 



EVANSTON BANKS 

(By WILLI.\M G. UOAG) 

Ladd & Company. Speculation worked 
this venture ill ; and the panic of 1873, t'^^t 
shook the financial strongholds of New 
York, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago, 
left the enterprise of Evanston's first 
money-lender a memory only. In 1874 a 
new bank started in Evanston, and became 
a corner-stone for the village's wealth and 
growth. 

Bank of Hoag & Co. Established. — 
In 1874, on the southeast corner of Davis 
Street and Chicago Avenue, Thomas C. 
Hoag & Company started a private bank. 
Mr. Hoag, of the Chicago grocery firm 
of Goss & Hoag, one of the largest in the 
city, and situated on North Clark Street 
near the bridge, had suffered the destruc- 
tion of his propert}' in the great fire, and 
was free to find a new opening wherever 
he might. Living as he had in Evanston 
since 1857. and having done a grocery busi- 
ness by railway express with North Shore 
villages, he now began a local grocery 
business in Evanston. and soon thereafter 
went into banking on the aforesaid site. 
JMr. Hoag already was the Treasurer and 
Business .Agent of the Northwestern I'^ni- 
versity, and with this and other advantage- 
ous connections, he conducted witli in- 
creasing success the Evanston bank that 
had come to stay. The business grew, 
justifying a building ne.xt door exclusively 
for banking purposes, and further establish- 

289 



290 



EVANSTON BANKS 



ing itself as an indispensable institution in 
the development of the commercial life of 
Evanston. In 1891 the banking firm of 
Thomas C. Hoag & Company moved to the 
southwest corner of Davis Street and Chi- 
cago Avenue, there installing the first mod- 
ern safety deposit vaults offered to the 
Evanston public. 

State Bank Incorporated. — On May 10, 
1892, was incorporated the State Bank 
of Evanston, to which Mr. Hoag sold his 
interest, his banking firm then retiring from 
business. The incorporators of the new 
institution — its charter being of the date of 
March 10, 1892, and conferring powers 
to conduct a general commercial and sav- 
ings bank business — were Robert D. Shep- 
pard, Charles F. Grey, and John R. Lind- 
gren. The first board of directors of the 
State Bank of Evanston were the follow- 
ing well-known citizens : 

William Blanchard, Frank M. Elliot, 
William G. Hoag, H. H. C. Miller, Robert 
D. Sheppard, H. B. Cragin, Charles F. 
Grey, John R. Lindgren, Henry A. Pear- 
sons, William E. Stockton, and Charles 
T. Bartlett. 

The first officers of the new bank were 
John R. Lindgren, President ; William 
Blanchard, \'ice-President ; William G. 
Hoag, Cashier. Mr. Lindgren was already 
prominently identified with Chicago bank- 
ing as Cashier of the State Bank of Chi- 
cago. Mr. Blanchard was a retired lumber- 
man and capitalist, and Mr. Hoag brought 
experience from his associations with his 
father in the firm of Thomas C. Hoag & 
Company. The Evanston State Bank be- 
gan business with a capital, all paid in, of 
$100,000 and deposits from Thomas C. 
Hoag & Company of $306,000. Among 
the stockholders, together with the officers 
and directors, were J. H. Kedzie, Henry R. 
Hatfield, D. S. Cook, M. S. Terry, George 
H. Foster, William Deering, T. C. Hoag, 
C. H. Quinlan, Lucy D. Shuman, Daniel 



Bonbright, William L. Brown, Frank P. 
Crandon, Charles T. Boynton, Thomas 
Lord, Fleming H. Revell. 

At the close of 1892, the year of organi- 
zation, the bank's deposits amounted to 
$369,590.60. On January 13, 1894, Robert 
D. Sheppard succeeded John R. Lind- 
gren as President, and continued in 
direction of the bank until succeeded in 
February, 1903, by Henry J. Wallingford. 
From organization to the present time, Wil- 
liam G. Hoag has been the bank's Cashier. 
In IMarch, 1900, E. F. Pierce was chosen 
Assistant Cashier and continues in this 
office. Prominent citizens who have served 
in the bank's directory from 1892 to 1905, 
other than those composing the original 
board are: D. S. Cook, Thomas Lord, Dr. 
M. C. Bragdon, E. B. Quinlan, Henry J. 
Wallingford, Frank W. Gerould, William 
A. Dyche. In 1897 Thomas Lord was 
elected \'ice-President. At present writing, 
in 1906, the officers of the State Bank of 
Evanston are : 

President — Henry J. Wallingford. 

\'ice-President— H. H. C. Miller. 

Cashier — William G. Hoag. 

Assistant Cashier — Edwin F. Pierce. 

The following tables statistically tell the 
story of the growth of the State Bank of 
Evanston in its general banking and savings 
departments, but do not especially declare 
the policy which has built up this popular 
banking house. The policy is that which 
makes for slow growth but for sure— the 
policy of prudence and conservatism. 

GROWTH OF DEPOSITS IN STATE BANK OF 

EVANSTON FROM 1892 TO 1906. 

jSfi-1 $ .■!24.n29.18 

is!« :;:;::::; :i.;m,:;m 14 

1804 --=T!ri-' 

lS.O.-> ii.MjiJ. 1.J 

isHti 2?y''>'f&i 

is:i7 il-).llJ.-H 

18!)S 733.844.59 

isoo 967.774.SO - 

iqob : 1.128,518.fi7 

iqoi '■ ' " 1,171,016.54 

iqoS 1,133,123.7.') 

ino3 1,160,244.29 

;o„4 '::::: 1,122,029.17 

j;,,-, 1,315,098.62 

in,,0 .' '.'." 1,460,000.00 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



291 



This bank, since the first year after in- 
corporation, has paid dividends at the uni- 
form rate of six per cent. Its excess of 
earnings, carried over to the surplus, now 
makes this guarantee of security over 
$100,000. The last reported quotation of 
this bank's stock was 240. 

The Test of 1893.— The policy that has 
shaped the development of business, record- 
ed in the foregoing tables, is characteristic 
of all the financiers, capitalists, and busi- 
ness men who have contributed to the 
growth of this conservative institution. 
One of its banking principles is never to 
sacrifice security to interest. Beginning 
its corporate existence a year before the 
great panic of 1893, it was put to the earth- 
quake test while still quite young. In that 
memorable year, when there were 15,508 
business failures'; when 154 National and 
184 State banks suspended ; when 598 bank- 
ing institutions of all classes, with estimat- 
ed assets of $184,281,014 and liabilities of 
$170,295,581, suspended — in that disastrous 
time, no savings bank in Cook County was 
less severely jarred than the State Bank of 
Evanston. Indeed, it may be said that, in 
that fateful year, this bank, safe if not co- 
lossal, never felt serious pressure from its 
depositors ; and it is well remembered by its 
officers that, if at any period of unusual 
popular timidity, money has flowed out 
from one window, a compensating stream 
has flowed in by another. The following 
from the "Evanston Press," of May 20, 
1893, suggests the stamina of this bank in 
a time that surely tried men's souls : 

"Thursday morning a slight run was 
made on the State Bank, but it was soon 
over, only a very few dollars having been 
drawn out. The State Bank is perfectly 
sound, and has made arrangements to stand 
a heavy run. Cashier Hoag said, Thursday, 
that every cent now on deposit can be drawn 
out, and that the bank has in its vaults the 



cold cash to meet all of its indebtedness. 
By order of President Lindgren the bank 
was kept open for an hour after the usual 
closing hour on Thursday, but this was not 
necessary, as the 'run," if such it could be 
called, was over long before the usual hour 
for closing." 

This bank's history has been one almost 
without losses from injudicious banking. 
It has had almost no litigation. On real 
estate investments it has never lost a dollar ; 
and, for twenty years, during the life of the 
antecedent company and of its own corpor- 
ate life, its total losses have not exceeded 
$2,000 or $3,000. So discreet, yet so mu- 
tually just, is it in the management of cred- 
its, that in a certain statement its cashier 
reported deposits of $1,300,000 with over 
drafts amounting to just one cent. Need- 
less to say, that the Evanston State Bank 
eschews speculation. 

Influence on Local Business. — The 
business of Evanston has grown because 
of its own local banking facilities. Its banks 
have drawn, held, and made wealth here. 
Here Evanston merchants have received 
their accommodations, and to this prosper- 
ous sub-station of Chicago banking come 
people of neighboring towns and thrifty 
farmers from tributary country. Evanston 
banks hold all the public funds of the city 
of Evanston, and some of the funds of 
neighboring towns and villages ; and the 
Evanston State Bank and its predecessor 
for thirty years have been the depository of 
Northwestern University. One source of 
the strength of this bank is the support 
given it bv its large number of children de- 
positors, whose many pennies in many little 
toy banks make many large dollars. 

Of course, the nature of the business of 
the State Bank of Evanston, and the char- 
acter of its clientele, demand that it shall 
have the status of a Chicago bank as regards 
the conveniences and privileges of the asso- 



292 



EVANSTON BANKS 



ciated banks of a money center. This bank 
is a secondary member of the Chicago Clear- 
ing-house, whereby it reports to that insti- 
tution as if it were a Chicago bank, and its 
checks are accepted tliroughout the country 
as if drawn on a Chicago bank. It deals, 
of course, in foreign exchange and sells 
drafts and letters of credit good in all parts 
of the world. 

The tendency of the times is toward in- 
dividuality in bank architecture. A bank 
is becoming more than a floor in a business 
block. It is becoming a monument en- 
nobling an entire city. The State Bank 
of Evanston proposes to erect a bank build- 
ing for its own use, approved in style and 
equipment, and steps have been taken to 
this end by the securing of a long term lease 
on certain property on the northwest corner 
of Davis Street and Orrington Avenue. 

A National Bank Venture. — The first 
National bank started in Evanston was 
born in a strenuous time, and in it passed 
away. On June 29, 1892, was organized the 
Evanston National Bank. On July 5, 1892, 
it began business. Its capital was $100,000. 
Its officers were Henry Wells, President ; 
J. C. Austin, Vice-President ; J. C. Terhune, 
Cashier. Its directors were Benjamin F. 
Hill, L. A. Goddard, E. T. Paul, N. A. Hill, 
T. J. Whitehead, O. G. Gibbs, Henry Wells, 
J. C. Austin, J. C. Terhune. On March 6, 
1893, a published statement showed deposits 
to be $160,000. But in 1893 only the strong 
stood the tempest. A shrinkage of its as- 
sets set in. On May i6th and 17th a heavy 
run on this bank resulted from the failure 
of the Cairo Lumber Company, of which 
Henry Wells, the President of this bank, 
was treasurer. On May 18 there was posted 
on the doors of the Evanston National Bank 
the following notice : 

"Owing to heavy drains made on our de- 
posits, and the stringency of the money 



market, this bank suspends payments. De- 
positors will be paid in full. 

"Henry Wells, President. 
"Nat. A. Hill, \'ice-President." 

On June 8, 1893, Charles Winslow took 
charge as receiver under appointment by 
the Comptroller of the Currency. At the 
present writing the approved claims of 
creditors amount to $80,971, upon which 
72,-7 per cent has been paid. 

In 1892 J. C. Terhune started a private 
bank in Evanston, which continues business 
at the present writing. 

A More Successful Venture. — As 
Evanston grew in wealth and population, 
capitalists and men of affairs began to see 
that, were the city removed from the subur- 
ban touch with a metropolis, its business 
would support a half-dozen banks rather 
than one, and that, even as it was, a second 
bank would not be a precarious undertak- 
ing. So representative citizens, resolved to 
found a national bank that should become a 
strong tower to thiscommunity. On Febru- 
ary 14, 1900, Marshall M. Kirkman, James 
A. Patten, David R. Forgan and Thomas 
Bates signed articles of association for the 
incorporation of a national bank. With 
these incorporators was associated Joseph 
E. Paden, attorney. On April loth of the 
same year there was issued a charter creat- 
ing the City National Bank of Evanston, 
and the first directing board of this insti- 
tution was made up of the aforesaid incor- 
porators, together with Rollin A. Keyes, 
Henry A. Pearsons, and Joseph F. Ward. 
The bank began business in its present 
quarters, the Century Building, southwest 
corner of Davis Street and Sherman Ave- 
nue, June 21, 1900, with Joseph F. Ward, 
President ; Thomas Bates, Mce-President ; 
and Charles N. Stevens, Cashier. The de- 
posits of the first day amounted to $16,220. 
and the first depositor was William S. Lord, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 293 

the dry-goods merchant, who thereby re- This bank's growth is noteworthy. Be- 
corded the testimony of Evanston business ginning business June 21, 1900. with de- 
men, that this city was big enough and posits amounting to $16,220.00, it reported 
wealthy enough to sustain two strong banks deposits June 21. 1902, of $345,152.24. On 
in healthful rivalry. June 21, 1903. deposits had risen to $703.- 
The City National Bank of Evanston 640.53 ; and a year later they were $842,- 
started in with a paid-up capital of $100,000. 074.73: On June 14. 1905, they had 
and the price of the stock before business reached $1,197,053.35. The stock of the 
opened on the first day was $105 per bank at this writing, judging from a pri- 
share. In stanch and stable communities vate bid refused, is 175. This bank car- 
the banking class is the conservative class, ries 5.000 accounts. A statement of the 
Behind the City National Bank of Evanston condition of this new and promising insti- 
among its first stockholders were Hugh tution, at the close of business, April 6, 
R. Wilson, Joseph E. Paden, A. N. Young, iqo6, is as follows: 
M. H. Wilson, P. R. Shumwav, C. D. 
Cleveland, L. D. Thoman, A. M. Foster, Loans and Discounts...^ '. $i,069,563.60 

George w. Wall, w. B. Bogert, George A. g^;?[e''d^state; ' bonds ■::::: i : i ::;;:: ; : : ; : ; : ioo:oo,lm 

Foster, William s. Lord, George Taylor, ^rE^j^^J-j^^—:::::::::::::: ^Z':7 

N. p. Williams, Charles N. Stevens, J. L. ^T^^^/^'S^ BLn^^::::::::::■.\y. 20^^^ 

Hebblethwaite. W. O. Dean. John E. Wild- ^"^ f-""™ u. s. Treasury sfim.oo 

er, Robert S. Clark, C. H. Poppenhusen. liabilities $1,480,352.39 

Daniel McCann, W. H. Jones, Newell C. Capital stock $ 100,000.00 

T- ■ t . T H7' • ■ T I TT -n J Surplus and Undivided Profits. 5.3,190.13 

Knight, James Wiggmton. John H. Boyd, circulation 100,000.00 

A. S. Van Deusen. T- R. Woodbridge, °^p°'"^ ^^^232462^6__^_ 

James B. Huse, F. E. Griswold, George A. $1,485,352.39 $1,485,352.39 

Coe. Officers. — The present officers of the 

In its first year the bank earned six per City National Bank of Evanston (1906) 

cent on its capitalization, but turning this are : 

and the earnings of the next year into sur- President— Joseph F. Ward. 
plus account, it refrained from declaring a Mce-President — William S. Alason. 
dividend until 1903. when it began its pres- Cashier — Charles N. Stevens, 
ent six per cent payments. This bank deals Directors. — Henry A. Pearsons. Thomas 
in such securities as are customary with Bates, RoUin A. Keyes, Joseph A. Paden, 
National banks, receives savings as well as David R. Forgan, William S. Mason, 
checking deposits, and conducts a general James A. Patten, Joseph F. Ward, 
banking business. It clears, of course, A considerable improvement lately add- 
through the Chicago Clearing House. With ed to the City National Bank is a safety 
the State Bank of Evanston it shares in the deposit vault, commodious and of extraor- 
custody of the municipal funds of Evanston, dinary strength of construction. Its aux- 
and also has been distributing agent in the iliary conveniences for patrons are corn- 
matter of the construction of the postoffice. plete and elegant. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 



EVANSTON REAL ESTATE 

(By FEANK M ELLIOT) 



Primary Geological Conditions — Early 
Roads — The Indian Trail — A Period of 
Grozvth—'The Path the Calf Made"— 
Influence of the University — ■ Evanston 
Over-boomed — Effect of the Chicago Fire 
— Local Real Estate Rivalries — Notable 
Residences — The Transportation Problem 
— The Park System — Taxation — Evans- 
ton Homes — Real Estate J 'allies. 

We are told that Evanston, at one time, 
was entirely submerged by Lake Michigan, 
but that gradually, through unknown ages, 
the waters receded. The battle-field of the 
two contending forces — land and water — 
is distinctly marked by the alignment of 
land fortification or ridges. This great 
struggle had continued year in and year 
out. with the land forces conquering and 
adding much territory to their possession. 
These lines of fortification are visible to- 
day. The highest and most prominent of 
all, runs along the Gross Point Road, three 
miles distant from the Lake ; another on 
Ridge Avenue, a mile distant ; one on Hin- 
man Avenue, a quarter of a mile distant, 
and still another along the lake shore, where 
the battle of land and water is still raging. 
This contest between the land and water 
is one of great importance to the real es- 
tate of Evanston. Practically the last stand 
has been reached, for the force of the 
waters of Lake Michigan is so great, that it 



is no longer possible to extend the land, 
with any degree of safety. Covering this 
territory conquered from the lake, there 
has grown a beautiful forest of oak, maple, 
elm and linden, a portion of which has 
withstood the violence of the elements and 
the ruthless depredations of man. 

Early Roads. — There were two roads 
running from Chicago to Green Bay which 
passed through Evanston — one on the 
Gross Point highland, and the other, known 
as the Green Bay Road, running along 
Ridge Avenue. East of the latter was an 
old Indian trail, the route of which can still 
be traced by a number of trees with large 
branches bent to the ground. The best ex- 
ample of these is a tree at the State line just 
east of the Electric Road. The large oak 
at the entrance of the College Campus, and 
the one at the northeast corner of Forest 
Avenue and Lake Street, mark the direc- 
tion of the trail. There was only one cross 
road located in Rogers Park along the 
Indian Boundary Line. The low land be- 
tween the ridges was filled with water and 
marsh, resembling in effect the present con- 
dition of the Skokie. These roads were, 
for the most part, built of corduroy and 
were maintaned at private expense. A toll 
was exacted for the use of them and one of 
the oldest toll stations, and the last to ex- 
ist, was in Rogers Park at the intersection 
of Chicago Avenue and the Indian Bonn- 



296 



EVANSTON REAL ESTATE 



darv Line. The toll house was discontinued 
about 1875. 

A Period of Growth. — The develop- 
ment from a "forest primeval" to a city lot 
is interesting, for into this development 
enters the human element, which is a never 
ending- source of interest. The low and 
marshy places, the hills and the ridges, the 
obstruction of trees and tangled wood — 
all of these must be brought under the con- 
trol of man. Streets must be made, sewers 
built, and much digging, cutting and burn- 
ing, before a city lot is defined. This, in 
brief, is what has taken place in Evanston. 

There have been periods of immigration 
that have added to the material growth of 
Evanston. The western march of civiliza- 
tion brought farmers into this country. 
These acquired title to their farms from 
the Government. They planted fruit trees, 
and especially a large number of the peach 
variety. These prospered and brought rich 
harvests until the time when the forests, 
which extended to the North Branch of the 
Chicago River, were destroyed. The climat- 
ic changes which ensued after this destruc- 
tion made it impossible for peaches to grow 
on this side of Lake Michigan. 

In 1853 the Northwestern L^niversity 
was established here. From a few homes 
and a store on Ridge Avenue — a settlement 
called Ridgeville — grew a new town, named 
Evanston in honor of the late Governor 
Evans, of Colorado, one of the founders 
of the University. There was the infusion 
of a new element into the community ; pro- 
fessors and their families, scholars and 
trades people. The coming of these rep- 
resented the second immigration. 

"The Path the Calf Made."— The 
growth of a town can sometimes be traced 
from its foot-paths. First comes the trail 
of the Indian, or frontiersman, who marks 
his way with a broken branch, or a blaze 
on the trees. The settler, with his flock 



and herds, then follows nature's own sur- 
vey for a future city's thoroughfare in "the 
path the calf made," of which the poet, Sam 
Walter Foss, thus graphically sings : 

"One day, through the primeval wood, 
A calf walked home, as good calves should; 
But made a trail all bent askew, 
.■\ crooked trail as all calves do. 

Since then two hundred years have fled, 
.\iid, I infer, the calf is dead. 
But still he left behind his trail, 
.And thereby hangs my moral tale. 

The trail was taken up next day 
By a lone dog that passed that way ; 
-And then a wise bell-wether sheep 
Pursued the trail o'er vale and steep, 
.And drew the flock behind him, too, 
As good bell-wethers always do. 

.\nd from that day, o'er hill and glade. 

Through these old woods a path was made ; 

.And many men wound in and out, 

.And dodged, and turned, and bent about, 

.And uttered words of righteous wrath 

Because 'twas such a crooked path. 

But still they followed — do not laugh — 

The first migrations of that calf, 

.And through this winding woodway stalked, 

Because he wabbled when he walked. 

This forest path became a lane. 

That bent and turned, and turned again ; 

This crooked lane became a road. 

Where many a poor horse with his load 

Toiled on beneath the burning sun. 

And traveled some three miles in one. 

.And thus, a century and a half. 

They trod in the footsteps of that calf. 

The years passed on in swiftness fleet. 
The road became a village street ; 
.And this, before men were aware, 
A city's crowded thoroughfare; 
.And soon the central street was this, 
Of a renowned metropolis. 
-And men two centuries and a half 
Trod in the footsteps of that calf." 

In the early settlement, for foot passen- 
gers there were first walks of clay and 
gravel extending from the Lake Shore in 
Davis Street to the business portion : after- 
ward the single plank, laid lengthwise ; 
then the double-barreled walk of two 
planks, with a space between, the invention 
of Obadiah Huse, President of the Village 
Board : next the board walk, three or four 
feet in width, the wider board or dirt walk, 
and then the flag stone, brick or cement 
walk of the present day — each serving its 
day or purpose until superseded by some- 
thing better. All these walks mark with 
distinctness, the growth and evolution that 
has taken place in our community. 

Influence of the University. — The in- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



297 



fluence of the University brought, as early 
inhabitants, a class of people who have 
been of great benefit to Evanston. They 
were people of refinement who desired quiet 
with the delights of intellectual and con- 
genial society. They established homes 
here and many of their friends, attracted 
by their example, came to live in this quiet 
and scholastic atmosphere. 

The University purchased large tracts of 
land amounting to 343 acres. In July, 
1854, the Plat of Evanston was made by 
Andrew J. Brown, Philo Judson and the 
Northwestern University. As an illustra- 
tion of the rapid advance of land values, 
take for example the southwest quarter of 
Section 18, Township 41, Range 14, being 
160 acres, lying between Church and Demp- 
ster Streets, and Asbury and Chicago Ave- 
nues. In 1840, James Carney bought this land 
from the Government for $1.25 per acre, 
a total of $200. In 1854, Carney sold this 
land to Andrew James Brown for $13,000. 
After the subdivision was made the best 
lots sold for $350 each. The lot on south- 
west corner of Davis Street and Maple 
Avenue, 70 by 215 feet, sold, in 1855, for 
$350. In 1865, it sold for $600. In 1870 the 
same lot, only 115 feet deep, sold for $2,000, 
and in i88g for $7,000. It is worth to-day, 
without improvements, $17,500. Let us take 
another example on the East Side. In 1865, 
the Northwestern University bought the 
"Snyder farm," 60^ acres, for $24.22/. 
This farm ran from Hamilton to Greenleaf 
Streets, and from Chicago Avenue to Lake 
Michigan. As platted to-day, there are 
about 6.660 feet frontage and a conserva- 
tive value would be $100 per front foot, or 
$666,000. Other examples might be cited 
to show the increase in value of real estate 
in Evanston ; but it would be about the 
same story, and would only repeat what is 
well known of the substantial and fixed 



value of real estate throughout the entire 
city. 

Expansion of 1872.— During the Civil 
War, when the unsettled condition of the 
country was making its influence felt — even 
at this distance from the field of action — 
while Evanston was sending the best of her 
manhood to the front, she still made ad- 
vances, and had enough surplus energy to 
contribute generally toward the building up 
of the town. The greatest expansion took 
place in 1872. In common with the rest of 
the State, and, indeed, with many parts of 
the country, Evanston was over-boomed. 
It needed the bursting of the bubble in 1873 
to bring values to their legitimate level. 
During the subsequent decade, real estate 
values and the movement of property wore 
slowly down to a more rational pace. 

Effect of the Chicago Fire. — L'p to the 
time of the Chicago fire in 1871, the Univer- 
sity was the dominant influence which 
brought people to Evanston. The loss and 
ruination brought about by that fire en- 
forced the sale of much property, and this 
caused a depreciation of prices. Rigid fire 
ordinances followed that great catastrophe, 
and the enforcement of stringent regula- 
tions drove beyond the Chicago city limits 
those people, who, desiring to build houses 
for themselves, had not means for the erec- 
tion of structures of brick or other fire- 
proof materials. These circumstances 
acted decidedly in favor of suburban 
localities, to which professional men, 
clerks, and others of moderate income 
were attracted. A feature of the real 
estate business since then has been 
the suburban trade. Evanston receiving a 
large influx of people at the time of the 
Chicago fire. The\- were attracted by its 
accessibility, its delightful surroundings, 
and the high character of the people who 
already resided in the village. The re- 



298 



EVANSTON REAL ESTATE 



striction of the liquor faffic, making it il- 
legal to sell or manufacture alcoholic bever- 
ages, has had a beneficial effect, not only in 
giving the community a high standard, but 
in maintaining and enhancing the value of 
property within its limits. The preference 
of the people for homes outside of Chicago 
created an unusual demand for houses and 
lots in Evanston. Prices advanced rapidly, 
and the building of houses and the selling 
of them became a profitable business. Keen 
and wide-awake business men were quick to 
grasp the situation, and soon there were 
new sub-divisions of land into lots. These 
were disposed of rapidly and other sub- 
divisions made; and sold out. There was a 
boom in real estate. The buying of acres 
and subdividing them was so extensive that, 
to this day, the growth of our city has been 
inadequate to bring them into the market 
for residence purposes. As we view some 
of these outlying sub-divisions, now occu- 
pied, fallowed or returned to nature, we 
wonder at the credulity, the misguided 
judgment and the almost criminality of the 
men who made them. It does not seem pos- 
sible that any one could have been so mis- 
guided as to expect these sub-divisions to 
become the homes of other beings than the 
musk-rat or the gopher. The time of dis- 
illusion came in the panic of 1873. Prices 
took a tumble from which, after thirty years, 
they have scarcely recovered. Evanston was 
tainted by the same wild speculation in 
"undigested" real estate as Chicago. Many 
people sufifered the bitter experience of los- 
ing their property by foreclosure and many 
were burdened with property they could not 
afford to keep. Values were brought to the 
lowest level, and, after several years of 
adjustment, a healthful progress began 
which has continued up to the present time. 
During the last twenty-five years there 
have been many interesting changes in the 
character and property of certain locali- 



ties, and a shifting more or less of popular 
favor as to residence sections and business 
localities. While prices in some parts of 
the city have not yet come back to the 
speculaton values of years ago, the pres- 
ent value of most of our Evanston real 
estate has never before been reached. In the 
business center of the city there is some 
property that has never decreased in 
value. The property along Davis Street 
has held its own, notwithstanding the es- 
tablishment of business centers at Main, 
Dempster and Central Streets. 

Local Rivalries. — There has always 
been more or less of a good natured rival- 
ry between the East and West Side prop- 
erty owners, the railroads passing through 
the middle of the city being the dividing 
line. The East-Siders have the Library 
L'uiversity, banks, several clubs and the 
leading stores and parks, together with 
the lake, as their chief attractive features; 
while the West-Siders claim the rise of 
land along the Ridge, the High School, 
the Country Club, the unobstructed view 
of the sunsets, and protection from the 
harsh winds which sometimes sweep over 
the lake. The point of excellence in fine 
residences is about equally divided be- 
tween the two sides. It has been my ob- 
servation, however, during an experience 
of twenty-five years in the real estate 
business, and as a resident of Evanston, 
that the difference between the East and 
\^'est sides is a species of fancy rather 
than of fact ; that it is largely a question 
of neighbors and friends. Upon which- 
ever side a person first makes his home there 
he will soon form acquaintances and friend- 
ships that will bring contentment and 
happiness. This is the truth of the whole 
matter in a nut-shell. Values are about 
equally divided on both sides. Property 
held at the highest price is found on each 
side, and from this to the lowest priced 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



299 



lots there is about an equal division. 
This, however, was not true in the early 
days. The finest residences were on the 
West Side, and the value of Ridge Avenue 
lots was considered twice as great as that 
of lots in the Lake district. The change 
of value has been greater in this district 
because of its recent improvements and 
its new buildings. 

Evanston Residences. — The residences 
of Evanston, for the most part, are of 
frame structure. There have been some 
typical houses which represent the time 
in which they were built. The oldest of 
these is the residence of D. H. Burnham, 
which is unique in having the walls of 
cement or grout. It was built by Mr. Geo. 
H. Bliss about 1859, and was then consid- 
ered one of the finest in the town. The 
house of Mr. James Rood, on Davis Street, 
which was built by L. L. Greenleaf in 
the early 'seventies, was typical of many 
houses of a similar structure. Other old- 
timers may be mentioned. Mr. O. F. 
Gibbs built the Mulford home on Ridge 
Avenue, which was sold to James S. Kirk, 
and is now owned by the Saint Francis 
Hospital. Then there are T. C. Hoag's 
residence, corner of Davis and Hinman, 
built in 1856 ; Judge Harvey B. Kurd's home 
on Ridge Avenue ; the Purington hom'e, a 
part of which is now included in the resi- 
dence of Mr. Frank C. Letts on Green- 
wood Boulevard; the brick residence on 
Ridge and Greenwood, built by Mr. Geo. 
F. Foster in 1863 and sold to the late 
Charles Comstock; Mrs. Watson's house 
on Ridge Avenue, and the Somer's home- 
stead on Chicago Avenue and University 
Place. Among the finest residences built 
within the last twenty years may be men- 
tioned those owned by W. H. Bartlett, Mil- 
ton H. Wilson, R. D. Sheppard, Arthur Orr, 
Mrs. C. H. Rowe. J. C. Shafifer, Mrs. Vir- 
ginia M. Hamline, James A. Patten, Mrs. 



H. R. Wilson, John B. Kirk, R. C. Lake 
and C. A. Ward. 

During the past five years there has 
been an evolution in building, and the 
first fiat and apartment buildings have 
made their appearance in our midst. This 
is in line with the progressing movement 
of real estate, as they bring a far greater 
income than can be obtained by other im- 
provements. Property that is losing at- 
tractiveness for residence purposes, and 
which cannot, by the nature of the case, 
become business property, can thus be 
utilized for profitable investment. Sadly 
deficient are our hotel accommodations. 
What is needed is a first-class, fire-proof 
hotel, with modern appointments, a new 
library building and an auditorium. The 
churches are now used extensively for all 
public meetings. Evanston has passed 
the lyceum era, and is now ripe for the 
buildings which modern up-to-date cities 
possess. Every public improvement adds 
to the comfort of the people and, conse- 
quently, enhances the value of real estate. 

During the time prior to the Chicago 
fire, Evanston had among its population 
many men who, a few years later, were to 
make it famous through their achieve- 
ments. The foundations of many of the 
best homes were laid, and definite plans 
for future development were made. They 
were, of course, crude and incomplete; 
but the men of Evanston had a fair con- 
ception of the possibilities here for a city 
of homes. The men who were actively 
engaged in real estate at this time were 
L. L. Greenleaf, Rev. Obadiah Huse, 
Charles E. Brown, D. P. Kidder, J. H. 
Kedzie. J. H. Keeney. Merrill Ladd. C. 
L. Jenks, O. A. Grain, J. W. Stewart, L. 
C. Pitner. I. R. Hitt, Andrew J. Brown, 
George M. Huntoon, Gen. White, Eli 
Gafifield, O. F. Gibbs, Charles J. Gilbert 
and Joseph M. Lyons. 



300 



EVANSTON REAL ESTATE 



There have been other eras when the 
immigration to Evanston has induced some- 
what more than the natural growth. In 
1892. during the World's Fair, when Ev- 
anston prospered with Chicago, there 
were many new residences built, some of 
them costing from $50,000 to $75,000 each. 

The Transportation Problem. — One of 
the striking features of the real estate sit- 
uation just now is the effect of rapid 
transportation upon it. Electric and 
steam railroads have had marked influ- 
ence on the value of residence property. 
There is no question that this influence 
is felt on real estate values all along the 
lines of railroad extension. Outlying 
properties in communities more remote 
have been brought into competition with 
those which heretofore have had the advan- 
tage of accessibility. Fast train facilities 
make it possible for a man to have a home 
thirty miles distant from Chicago where land 
is cheap. Competition is thus extended. 
Other and better inducements for real es- 
tate within the nearer districts of Chicago, 
must be made to meet this outside compe- 
tition. That inducement is best solved by 
the reduction of price, and this is what has 
happened in many suburban towns, in- 
cluding Evanston. 

Evanston has two railroads and two 
electric street car lines. When these were 
started the increase of population in our 
city was noticeable. These roads have 
created a market for property, and values 
have been stimulated thereby. It is rea- 
sonable to expect a great increase in the 
growth of our city. With better equip- 
ment for transportation service, and when 
passengers can be landed in the heart of 
Chicago, many people will come here to 
live. The importance of Evanston is, in 
a large measure, determined by its rela- 
tionship with Chicago. It is dominated. 



with all other cities in the Northwest, by 
that great metropolis. 

The Park System. — The parks of Ev- 
anston have been limited to the lake shore 
south of the University campus, and the 
block bounded by Chicago, Hinman, Lake 
and Grove Streets. These parks were 
given by the Northwestern University, 
when the original plat of Evanston was 
made. During the last ten years consider- 
able attention has been given to the devel- 
opment of our park system, especially 
along the Lake Shore, where the city has 
filled and graded and planted trees and 
shrubs. The trees which were planted by 
the early settlers along the park way of 
the streets, have become strong and vig- 
orous, and in many streets their tops have 
spread out until they meet, forming beauti- 
ful archways. Our elms are noted for 
their beauty and hardiness. They line 
the streets everywhere and are so mani- 
festly symmetrical and vigorous, that the 
city seems to be nestling in the forest. 
Nowhere, except in the old New England 
towns, are they so attractive. There are 
few fences dividing the ownership of lots 
and, with its well groomed lawns, the 
whole city is, in a certain sense, a great 
park. Flowers, shrubs and trees adorn 
most of the grounds. 

In the early days the streets were sim- 
ply as nature made them. The cedar-block 
pavement was cheap and, perhaps, the 
best that could be had at that time, but it 
had to be replaced by modern pavements, 
divided between macadam, brick and as- 
phalt. With few exceptions, all the 
streets are now paved with these substantial 
and durable pavements. 

Taxation. — When the subject of taxes 
is mentioned, there always arises the 
question of the non-payment of taxes on 
the property owned by the Northwestern 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



301 



University. Before the University had 
sold much of its property this was a seri- 
ous matter: for under its charter the Uni- 
versity was exempt from paying all gen- 
eral taxes. However, in street improve- 
ments, such as sewers, water mains and 
side-walks, the University has always paid 
its full share. The policy of the Universi- 
ty has been liberal in the selling of its 
property. In 1874, a restriction was im- 
posed by Gov. Evans, who had given a 
large sum of money (Sioo.ooo), as report- 
ed), with the understanding that one-quar- 
ter of every block remaining unsold 
should be held by the University for leas- 
ing purposes only. The leasing of prop- 
ert}' for business purposes was on the 
basis of six per cent on a conservative val- 
uation for a period of fifty or ninetA-nine 
years, with the added condition of a re- 
valuation every ten years. On residence 
property the rate of interest was four per 
cent. Considering the fact that there was 
no general tax to be paid except on the im- 
provements, and none on the land, many 
of these leases were made. As long as 
high rates of interest continued, these 
leases were considered desirable, but since 
money rates have become reduced, they 
are no longer in demand. The restriction 
imposed by Gov. Evans has since been re- 
scintled, and the University can sell any 
of its property. The policy, however, 
has not been to sell where leases have 
been made. The tax rate is about one per 
cent on the actual value of the propertv. 
If the real estate is valued at $10,000, the 
tax will be about $100. The Assessor, 
however, in making his valuations, places 
it at one-fifth the real value. The tax 
covers the amount needed for public 
schools, which are of the highest order 
of excellence, and consequently expensive 
to maintain. It also covers the amount 



used for the Public Library, State, Coun- 
ty and City. 

The University, as a landlord, has been 
conservative, and the sale of its property 
is made only at current valuation. It has 
made only limited improvements on its 
property, when it might have made others 
which would have been helpful in develop- 
ing districts where it owned large tracts 
of land. It is not difficult to conceive that 
the policy of building homes on its resi- 
dence lots would have contributed to the 
benefit of the University, as well as to 
the interests of the city at large. 

Evanston Homes. — One great charm of 
Evanston lies in its homes. Lake Michi- 
gan is the prime element in its landscape. 
The meandering shore, with its borders 
of sand, is a source of unfailing delight. 
To the west is a commanding view of the 
setting sun, with its glory of color. Mr. 
D. LI. Burnham, the Director of Works 
of the World's Fair, in a recent address 
pays this tribute to our city: "Evanston," 
he says, "is the most beautiful city in the 
world. There are cities that surpass Ev- 
anston in natural scenery and in other sin- 
gle points many are superior: but take 
the city as a whole, as a place of residence, 
there is none to equal it. Evanston has 
the most beautiful streets to be found 
anywhere, and their bordering trees make 
of the town a veritable park. Many of its 
residences also are incomparable as exam- 
ples of high class architecture. 

"Besides these points of beauty, there 
are the lake shore and the bordering 
fields. Perhaps the greatest charm about 
the city is its atmosphere of refinement 
and culture that is reflected in every one's 
daily life. It has resulted from the gath- 
ering here of a higher class of people than 
is usually found in a city, and this condi- 
tion is constantly drawing to it more peo- 
ple of the same class." 



2,02 



EVANSTON REAL ESTATE 



It is seen, therefore, that the market 
for real estate in Evanston has been made, 
first, by the influence of the Northwestern 
University; second, by the immigration 
following the Chicago fire ; third, its trans- 
portation facilities ; and fourth, by the 
character of its citizens, its substantial 
improvements, and its attractive sur- 
roundings. 

Real Estate Values. — The value of 
property in Evanston for business pur- 
poses is from $ioo to $500 per front foot ; 
for residence lots of the better localities, 
from $50 to $300 per front foot. In the 
outlying districts lots are valued from 
$10 to $40 per foot. The fact that Evans- 
ton is not exclusive or made up of one 
class of people, with high priced building 
restrictions, but is cosmopolitan, includ- 
ing all classes, with every kind of artisan, 
workman and professional business man. 



makes it an ideal place for residence. 
During each decade it has won new and 
added interest. Its school and home cir- 
cles have been "stamped with a propriety 
seal;" its churches, representing every de- 
nomination and creed, are tolerant and 
full of enthusiasm ; its civic government, 
made up of the best representation of its 
people ; its healthfulness, the absence of the 
degrading influence of vice — these, and 
much more, make Evanston a place where 
men, women and children may live in se- 
curity, in the enjoyment of many privi- 
leges and much happiness. 

On returning from excursions into re- 
gions far and near, one is eager to re- 
affirm these beauties and the restful wel- 
come of Evanston. This is why real es- 
tate in this city has a value so completely 
entrenched and so strongly fortified that 
it can never be effaced. 



CHAPTKR XXXIII. 



EVANSTON ARCHITECTURE 



(By EDOAR O. 

Historic Progress — Influence of the Arch- 
itect on the City's Growth — The "Geor- 
gian" Style folloivs the Log and Grout 
Houses — Churches and Private Resi- 
dences — Advent of the Victorian Gothic 
Style — University Hall and Union Park 
Congregational Church — Architect G. P. 
Randall the Designer — Asa Lyons Evan- 
ston's First Resident Architect — Others 
who follozved him — Description of Sonic 
Notable Buildings and their Designers — 
Public Library — Enumeration of Princi- 
pal Private and Public Buildings. 

The credit for historical progress should 
be given not only to the soldiers, politi- 
cians, preachers and financiers, but the 
men who create our environment should 
be remembered for the permanent ob- 
jects of influence they leave behind them. 
Too often the architect, who designs the 
monument, is forgotten and the man who 
paid for it remembered. 

It is the first purpose of this article to 
serve as a reminder of some of the men 
who have influenced Evanston, not by 
giving their wealth but by giving their 
ideas ; by putting themselves into the 
buildings which they designed. It will 
also be attempted to give a list of 
the most interesting buildings, not for 
size or cost but for architecture. It is 
difficult, however, in a short sketch, to 



BLAKE, Architect) 

cover every work of architectural art in 
a city like Evanston, which has been 
served by at least fifty men as designers 
of its many buildings. 

Historical. — In the later eighteenth and 
the early nineteenth century, a style of 
architecture, called the "Georgian," was 
in quite general use in this country. 
Books of designs in this style were pub- 
lished and used quite freely by builders 
in the scarcity of professional designers. 
It is evident that some of these old books 
fognd their way to Evanston in the early 
d^s ; for, after the log houses and "grout" 
houses, many of the old buildings show 
quite plainly the ear-marks of these publi- 
cations. 

Under this head come the Bull-head 
Tavern, still standing on east side of 
Ridge Avenue north of Noyes Street ; the 
old Kline house in same neighborhood ; 
the Hoag homestead, on the southwest 
corner of Hinman Avenue and Davis 
Street ; the Crain house, now standing on 
University Place, just west of Sherman 
Avenue, and another old house on the 
east side of Ridge Avenue south of Simp- 
son Street. Most of these buildings were 
erected prior to i860. Dempster Hall, 
built on the Campus in 1854, was probably 
the first important building erected. It 
was destroyed by fire thirty years ago, 
but pictures show it to have had no more 



303 



304 



EVANSTON ARCHITECTURE 



style than the old Preparatory Building, 
which was erected in 1855. 

The first church built by the Metho- 
dists, in 1856, was a well proportioned ex- 
ample of the Georgian style; also the 
Northwestern Female College, which was 
erected in 1857 on grounds west side of 
Chicago Avenue, between Lake Street 
and Greenwood Street, and the old Ben- 
son Avenue School, with its queer belfry, 
built in i860. 

One of the oldest residences at present 
standing was erected in 1862, by General 
Julius White, on the northwest corner of 
Davis Street and Chicago Avenue. It 
was moved in 1872 to its present location 
at 1028 Judson Avenue. 

Most of the work between i860 and 
1870 had very little interest. The original 
church buildings erected by the Baptists 
(in 1865). the Presbyterians (in 1866) and 
the Congregationalists (in 1868), were of 
no special style, and all disappeared twen- 
ty years ago to make way for modern 
buildings, the present Presbyterjan 
church being the third erected on me 
same site. 

The so-called Victorian Gothic style 
was now making its appearance, and ex- 
amples may be seen in Heck Hall, built 
on the campus in 1867, and Willard Hall, 
built in 1871. with their mansard roofs 
and other characteristic details. The 
present building of the First Methodist 
church was built in 1870, and is interest- 
ing because it has so long been the princi- 
pal auditorium in the city. 

In 1873 was completed Evanston's first 
real work of architecture — University 
Hall — and it still has no superior among 
Evanston buildings. It was designed as 
an American adaptation of the English 
Collegiate Gothic by Architect G. P. Ran- 
dall, who was one of Chicago's leading 
architects at that time. He was a Ver- 



monter by birth, a self-educated man, an 
author of several books on architecture, 
and designed a large number of churches, 
schools and other public buildings. He 
died in 1885 and, for a number of years 
previous, lectured on scientific subjects. 
One of the best of his buildings in Chi- 
cago was the Union Park Congregational 
church. He claimed to be the first archi- 
tect using the dished floor and semi-cir- 
cular arrangement of seats in churches. 
Mr. Randall showed his originality and 
genius in selecting the style he did for 
University Hall, so totally different from 
the conventional buildings being built here 
at the same period. Its fitness is attested 
by the fact that Chicago University, after 
long consideration, has selected a very- 
similar general style. Is it too much to 
claim that the constant proximity of this 
work of art has affected, not only the ar- 
chitecture, but the general life of Evans - 
ton since that time? 

Evanston's first resident architect was 
Asa Lyons, and he deserves credit for 
establishing himself in such a small town. 
It is also a credit to Evanston that it was 
willing to support an architect at that 
early day. Architect Lyons came in 1872 
and designed a great number of the houses 
being put up by Warren and Keeney in 
the south end of town. Later he erected 
the second building of. the Presbyterian 
church. He was "the" architect for ten 
years. A pretty good example of his 
style is the house at 1043 Hinman Avenue. 
Among his last works in Evanston were 
the Simpson market on corner of Davis 
Street and Sherman Avenue, built in 1882 
and famous at that time for its tile floor 
and fountain ; and the original township 
high school building erected in 1883, and 
since incorporated in the present edifice. 

Two good examples of the work done 
between 1870 and 1880 are the C. J. Gil- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



305 



bert house, on Asbury Avenue, near Em- 
erson Street, now owned by j\Ir. T. L. 
Pansier, and the Haskins house on the 
northeast corner of Hinman Avenue and 
Davis Street. At this time there were 
several places especially admired for their 
landscape architecture — the Kirk home- 
stead, at the south end of Ridge Avenue, 
the Edwin Lee Brown place, at the foot 
of Hamilton Street, and the Old Soldier's 
Home grounds, at the foot of Main Street. 
The Kirk homestead is the only one re- 
maining in nearly its former beauty. 

The next architects to leave their im- 
press on Evanston architecture were 
Isaacson & Bourgeois, and when it is told 
that they designed the Congregational 
church in 1886, that is sufficient to keep 
them in long remembrance. 

During the ten years from 1880 to 1890, 
the firm of Edbrooke & Burnham put up 
quite a number of houses in Evanston. It 
was the period of the "Queen Anne" 
in architecture. Probably the residence 
of Dr. AI. C. Bragdon, 1709 Chicago Ave- 
nue, is as typical of this period as any 
other. 

Now began building on a large scale by 
many architects of all degrees of ability. 
About the time that Architect Lyons 
sought other fields for his genius, Air. S. 
A. Jennings began the practice of architec- 
ture here on a small scale, but Evanston 
was growing fast and, through the force of 
circumstances, he became the busy archi- 
tect from 1885 to 1895. During that time 
he designed several hundred buildings for 
all purposes and of all sizes and varying 
cost, but all in one style. A critic who 
has seen two or three of his houses can 
recognize his hand in all the others, and 
there is hardly a block in the entire city 
where he has not left his mark. There is 
no doubt he designed more Evanston 
buildings than anv other one man before 



or since. The substantial homes of J. 
W. Low, 1560 Oak Avenue, and Timothy 
Dwight, 730 Hinman Avenue, are typical 
"Jennings" houses. Perhaps the most ex- 
pensive of his houses was the W. H. Jones 
house, 1232 Ridge Avenue, now owned 
by W. H. Redington. 

During the period of building activity 
between 1890 and 1895, a number of other 
architects especially identified themselves 
with Evanston — another Jennings with in- 
itials J. T. W., Mr. J. T. Lane, Charles R. 
Ayars, P. C. Stewart and, last of all, the 
author of this article. The work of these 
later men will be mentioned in the descrip- 
tive portion of this article. 

Foregoing are all the architects who 
have been especially identified with Ev- 
anston architecture, although many whose 
principal practice was elsewhere have 
lived here and have, possibly, added more 
to the beauty of its buildings than the 
local men. 

Descriptive. — The first appearance of 
Evanston is not prepossessing to the ar- 
chitectural critic. Davis Street is not es- 
pecially a poem in brick and stone. In 
fact, some of it is still wood. This, how- 
ever, is a general characteristic of Ameri- 
can cities and on overlooking this, a num- 
ber of good designs appear. Those most 
worthy of mention are the City Hall, a 
work of Holabird and Roche; the Century 
Building in renaissance style, by C. R. 
.A.yars ; the Rood Building, by J. T. W. 
Jennings ; and the new Simpson Building, 
Xo. 616, b}' John D. Atchison. 

On Grove Street, just west of the Police 
Station, the building of the Evanston 
Heating Company is worthy of notice as 
a reasonable expression of purpose in de- 
sign. It is the work of Myron Hunt. An- 
other important building in this vicinity 
is the Y. M. C. A. Building by Holabird 
and Roche. 



3o6 



EVANSTON ARCHITECTURE 



At the east end of Davis Street one en- 
ters the residence district. On the south- 
west corner of Forest Avenue is a good 
house in French domestic Gothic style 
by Burnham & Root. At 1616 Forest 
Avenue, north of Davis Street, is the 
house of C. A. Ward, in Southern Colonial 
style, by G. L. Harvey. The house of 
F. S. Martin, corner of Forest Avenue and 
Church Street, is a good sample of the 
modern plastered Ijuilding. 

The University buildings are, of course, 
the most studied by strangers. Nearest 
to the lake is the very conveniently ar- 
ranged Academy building by D. H. Burn- 
ham & Co. The only criticism ever made 
on it was by some wag, who pitied the 
poor little bear up on the top trying to 
hide behind a stone shield. At the end 
of Hinman Avenue is Science Hall, by 
Holabird & Roche, north of this Universi- 
ty Hall, which has already been men- 
tioned. The School of Oratory, in Vene- 
tian Gothic style, is the work of C. R. 
Ayars. Heck Hall is one of the older 
buildings mentioned in the historical 
sketch. Memorial Hall was designed by 
W. W. Boyington, and is supposed to be 
Romanesque in style. This architect also 
designed the Observatory. One of the 
finest of the University buildings is Or- 
rington Lunt Library, in pure classic 
style, by W. A. Otis. 

On the west side of Sheridan Road, fac- 
ing the Campus, are a number of artistic 
houses. The comparatively small resi- 
dence at No. ir)02 is considered by many 
one of the best proportioned houses in 
Evanston. North of this are several of 
the S. A. Jennings houses. No. 2016 is 
the home of Dr. C. J. Little, designed by 
W. A. Otis. No. 21 10 is Dr. Bonbright's 
house by C. R. Ayars. No. 21 14 is the 
residence of J. Scott Clark, designed by 



himself with the advice and assistance of 
D. IL Perkins, architect. 

This neighborhood is favored by men 
who are their own architects. On the 
south side of Noyes Street are two houses, 
designed by Vernon J. Hall for himself, 
and at 620 Hamlin Street is Professor 
Crew's own design. On the northwest cor- 
ner of Sheridan Road and Milburn Street 
is the house of E. F. Brown, by Handy 
& Cady. At 2645 Sheridan Road is the 
house of C. \V. Deering. The light house 
is a very good specimen of the latest prin- 
ciples in construction of that class of 
buildings. North of the light-house is a 
pretty group of houses called Ingleside. 
One of the best of S. A. Jennings' smaller 
designs is next to Sheridan Road on the 
north side of the park. Beginning at the 
north end of Orrington Avenue are a 
number of good examples of modern plas- 
ter architecture, mostly belonging to pro- 
fessors in the University. Numbers 2340 
21 ID, 2042, 2038, 2030, 2026, and 1925 are 
all of this material in varying styles. 
Three good apartment buildings, de- 
signed by Myron Hunt, come farther 
south: the Boyleston. 614 Clark Street: 
the Cambridge, Clark and Orrington, and 
the Hereford, corner of Chicago Avenue 
and Church Street — this last being an es- 
pecially good example of the English 
country style. 

The block on the west side of Orrington 
Avenue contains, besides the old Willard 
Hall, the School of IMusic, a modern 
brick design by W. A. Otis, and Chapin 
Hall, a Colonial design by C. R. Ayars. 

The new Public Library, a classic build- 
ing by C. A. Phillips, will stand on the 
the northeast corner of Orrington Avenue 
and Church Street. On the southeast 
corner of the same streets is the Fowler 
studio, an artistic design, both exterior 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



307 



and interior, the work of P. C. Stewart. 
One block west the new Post Office is 
being erected from designs by the govern- 
ment architect. 

On Ridge Avenue, near the north city 
Hmits, is the Evanston Hospital, an ex- 
cellent brick building in the style of the 
Georgian period by G. L. Harvey. A lit- 
tle farther south, after passing the old 
Kline house and the Bull-Head Tavern, 
comes the Academy of Visitation. Only 
the south wing has been built. The de- 
sign is drawn from Royal HoUaway Col- 
lege, at Egham, England. H. J. Schlacks 
is the architect. 

Over in the vicinity of Church Street 
and Wesley Avenue is a group of inter- 
esting houses designed by Myron Hunt 
— Xos. 1613, 1617, and 1606 Wesley Ave- 
nue are among them. 

The United Presbyterian church, in the 
same vicinity, is a good piece of brick ar- 
chitecture in Italian Romanesque style. 
No. 1456 Ridge Avenue, the residence of 
John B. Kirk, is a good example of mod- 
ern English country architecture. 

The finest private residence in Evans- 
ton is that of James A. Patten, on the 
southwest corner of Ridge Avenue and 
Lake Street. The house, stable, grounds, 
fences, decorations and furniture were all 
designed by George W. IMaher, and it is 
a very good example of what is known as 
the "Art Xouveau." 

Across the street is St. ]\Iark"s Episco- 
pal church, in Xorman style, by Holabird 
& Roche, who also designed the Country 
Club, a large Colonial building a little 
way east on Lake Street. The interior 
of St. Mark's is verj' rich and elaborate. 

St. Mary's Catholic church, on the cor- 
ner of Lake and Oak, was designed by 
S. A. Jennings. Next door east is St. 
Mary's Hall, probably the best public 



auditorium in Evanston at the present 
time. It is the work of Alurphy & Camp. 

The residence of W. J. Fabian, No. 
1509 Ridge Avenue, is an elaborate design 
in timber work, a very beautiful work. 

A description of interesting houses on 
Ridge Avenue would mean a list of nearly 
all and, in a sketch like this, only the most 
prominent can be mentioned. The Cath- 
erine White house, on the northeast cor- 
ner of Ridge Avenue and Dempster Street, 
is a good example of Myron Hunt's work. 

Cn the west side of Ridge Avenue, be- 
tween Grain and Greenleaf Streets, are 
three houses in New England Colonial 
style by W. C. Zimmerman, who also de- 
signed a group of very artistic shingled 
houses on Oak Avenue just east of the 
above. The residence at 1123 Ridge Avenue 
is one of Handy & Cady's designs. The 
W. H. Jones house, 1232, has been men- 
tioned before. 

A little west of Ridge Avenue, on corner 
of Asbur}' and Lee. is a very handsome lit- 
tle Colonial church designed by D. H. 
Perkins. 

St. Nicholas Catholic church, on Ridge 
Avenue, south of Main Street, is the work 
of Hermann Gaul. 

Over at the west end of Main Street is 
the W^ashington School, designed on gen- 
eral Renaissance lines by Patton and Mil- 
ler. It is most unique in arrangement of 
floor plan. 

On the corner of Main and Benson is 
the Central School, by Thomas & Rapp. 
The Episcopal chapel, corner of Main and 
Sherman, was built by J. T. Lane. 

On the northwest corner of Main Street 
and Chicago Avenue is the Sheridan build- 
ing in Italian Renaissance style by J. E. 
O. Pridmore — a very successful piece of 
remodeling and adding to an old building. 

Across the street south are the Park 



3o8 



EVANSTON ARCHITECTURE 



Apartments, in English lialf-timbered style 
— very successful in appearance in connec- 
tion with the park in front — designed by 
the author of this article. 

A little north of Main Street on Chicago 
Avenue is the Hemenway Methodist 
church by J. T. Long. The house Mr. 
Long designed for himself on Sheridan 
Road just north of Main Street, is inter- 
esting, as it contains a mantel removed 
from the old Governor's house in Kas- 
kaskia. 

The Lincoln School, corner of Main 
Street and Judson, is a very good Roman- 
esque design by J. T. W. Jennings. 

The gateway to Calvary Cemetery, at 
the extreme south end of town, is a grace- 
ful Gothic design by J. J. Egan, the well 
known church architect. 

Villa Celeste, the home of P. L. IMcKin- 
nie. at 721 Sheridan Road is by P. C. 
Stewart. 

Hinman Avenue is another street lined 
with fine residences. Beginning at the 
south end, No. 730 is the home of Timothy 
Dwight mentioned previously. The Co- 
lonial house. No. 740, is the home of L. 
L. Smith. The Second Presbyterian 
church is on the northeast corner of Main 
and Hinman. The houses at 918 and 1014 
are interesting examples of remodeling old 
houses. The work was done by architects, 
but more than usually following sugges- 
tions by the owner, Dr. A. W. Herbert. 

The Evanston Apartments and Enslee 
Apartments, on opposite corners of Lee 
Street, are by John D. Atchison. The 
house at 1043 was previously mentioned as 
Asa Lyons' work. No. 121 1 is a neat 
Swiss villa by C. R. Avars. Numbers 
1115, 1118, 1119, 1126, and 1209 are all 
worth repeating. The Hinman Avenue 
school on the corner of Dempster Street, 
is a perfect colonial design by D. H. Burn- 
ham & Co. On the southwest corner of 



Hinman and Lake is one of Irving K. 
Pond's artistic designs. 

Around the park at this corner are 
grouped the unique Congregational church ; 
the Presbyterian church, a Byzantine 
design by D. H. Burnham & Co. ; the 
Evanston Club by Holabird & Roche, 
and the graceful Baptist church built in 

1875- 

Further north is the Methodist church, 
before mentioned. The houses at 1707 
and on the corner of Clark Street were 
designed by W. A. Otis, the first in Eng- 
lish country style and the second in 
French Gothic. 

Forest Avenue has a number of notable 
houses. No. 1324 is by W. G. Barfield. 
Dr. Fuller's house. No. 1305, is an inter- 
esting shingled house, especially as it is 
said that D. H. Burnham, who stands at 
the head of his profession in this coun- 
try, not only originated the design but 
made most of the drawings with his own 
hands. 

No. 13 14 is a design by Handy and 
Cady. Farther south at the corner of 
Greenleaf Street are the Wilson houses, 
a group in stone, designed by Beers, Clay 
& Dutton. At the east end of Greenleaf 
Street is the Boat Club. 

Sheridan Road and Judson Avenue are 
both worth seeing in this vicinity. 

At the foot of Hamilton Street the old 
Edwin Lee Brown place has been sub- 
divided, and built up with a number of 
beautiful homes, with the slightly discor- 
dant proximity of the Melwood Apart- 
ment building. One of the largest is a com- 
bination design by Wilson & Marble at 
1225 Sheridan Road. 

Greenwood Boulevard is worth a tour. 
At the east end are the residences of Ar- 
thur Orr at 202 by Holabird & Roche, Dr. 
Sheppard's residence at 225 by F. Ed- 
wards Ficken of New York, and the home 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



309 



of W. H. Bartlett on the corner of Forest 
Avenue. 

On the northwest corner of Judson Ave- 
nue is a block of houses by Myron Hunt. 
At 1424 Judson, is one of W. A. Otis' de- 
signs. 

Dr. Webster's house, on the corner of 
Chicago Avenue, is one of the best designs 
in Evanston. The Unitarian Church, on 
Chicago Avenue, near by, is the work of 
a woman architect, Marion Mahoney. 

West of the railroad a little south is 
the High School, a Renaissance design by 
C. R. Avars. On the corner of Green- 
wood and Oak is the Emanuel church, 
one of the last designs of John W. Root in 
association with D. H. Burnham. His 
death occurred soon after it was started. 

Greenwood between Maple Avenue and 
the Ridge contains a number of well de- 
signed houses. 

Up in the woods, at what was formerly 



North Evanston, are a large number of 
moderate priced artistic homes, in partic- 
ular a group at corner of Lincoln Street, 
and Evanston Avenue, by P. C. Stewart. 
D. H. Perkins, architect for the Chicago 
Board of Education, has built himself a 
summer home at 2319 Lincoln Street. 
The interior decorations are by Lucy 
Fitch Perkins. 

The ]\Iethodist church, on the corner 
of Central Street and Prairie Avenue, is 
a neat piece of wood architecture, by C. 
H. Whittlesey. 

The new buildings now in progress on 
Davis Street will add greatly to Evanston's 
architectural beauty. The one on the north- 
west corner of Chicago Avenue is designed 
by George W. Maher. The one being erect- 
ed on the site of old Lyons' Hall, at 621 
and 623 Davis Street, is the work of H. W. 
J. Edbrooke, and the new State Bank Build- 
ing has for its designer C. A. Phillips. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 



STREET NOMENCLATURE 

(By J. SEYMOUR OURREY, President Evanston Hlstork-al Society) 



Origin of Street and Avenue Names in Er- 
anston — Village Platted in i8j^ and 
Named for Dr. John Evans — PostotUce 
Previously Known as Ridgez'illc, and 
Still Earlier as Gross Point — ■ Evanston 



mained vested in the Board of Township 
Trustees as it had been before. On the 
29th of December, 1863, the village was 
regularly incorporated. This form of gov- 
ernment continued until April 19, 1892, 



Office Established in j8ji§ — Street Names when Evanston was incorporated as a city. 

Owing to the preponderating influence 
on the new community of the Northwest- 
ern University, which had been estab- 
lished here under Methodist auspices, the 
names bestowed on the streets were large- 
ly those of distinguished Methodists. 
\\'hen, however, later additions were 
made to the village, the names were given 
by the new proprietors and the field of se- 
lection was much widened. Many of 
these names are in honor of old residents 
or of statesmen, or those known to the 
promoters of the new additions, or were 
selected arbitrarilv because of their fitness 



Derived from Prominent Methodists. 
Early Residents or Noted Statesmen — 
History and Biography thus Incorpo- 
rated in Street Nomenclature — System 
of Street and Avenue Numbering — List 
of Principal Streets and Persons for 
Jl'hom Named. 

The village of Evanston was laid out 
and platted in the winter of 1853-4 under 
the superintendence of Rev. Philo Judson, 
who was at that time business agent of the 
Northwestern University. The name of 
Evanston was adopted at this time by the 
Trustees of the University in honor of Dr. 
John Evans, one of the incorporators of 
the University and a liberal contributor 
to its endowment. Before that time there 
was no village on the site of Evanston, 
but a postofifice was in existence known as 
Ridgeville. In an earlier time the post- 
office had been known as Gross Point. 
The latter was established December 28, 
1846. This was changed to Ridgeville, 
April 26, 1850: and again changed to Ev- to very many towns, and which convey lit- 
anston, August 27. 1855. After laying out tie or no meaning. But in general the us- 
the village the form of government still re- ual poverty of street nomenclature, so 

311 



to the natural surroundings, or even dic- 
tated by fancy- 
Thus, in the names of the streets of Ev- 
anston there is embalmed much of history 
and biograph}-. In the main these names 
are of especial interest to Evanston peo- 
ple, being intimately associated with its 
character and development. There are a 
few such names as jMain Street. Central 
Street, and the like, which are common 



312 



STREET NOMENCLATURE 



painfully apparent in most towns of its 
size, is in conspicuous contrast with the 
body of names found here, which in so 
great a degree reflect the character and 
sympathies of the founders and builders 
of Evanston, and are so rich in historical 
associations. 

The plan of this chapter of street names 
is to give the name of the street followed 
by the name of the person after whom it 
was called, with a few brief particulars, 
or descriptions. Full particulars are avail- 
able in a great variety of records. The 
names of some streets have been omitted 
because it was not possible to learn the 
origin of them. Some again are sufficient- 
ly obvious and require no mention, as for 
example Washington Street, Madison 
Street, Chicago Avenue and the like. 

It will be observed that the spelling of 
a street name does not always follow that 
of the person for whom it was named. 
This is the case with Hamlin Street, as 
now spelled, though named after Bishop 
Hamline who used a final e in the last syl- . 
lable of his name. So, also, with Forest 
Avenue, the usual spelling at the present 
time, though named after a man who 
spelled his name Forrest. A number of 
streets are called after the first names of 
the persons honored. For example, we 
have Orrington Avenue, Lee Street, 
Chancellor Street, Florence Avenue and the 
like, a reference to which will show that 
these are the Christian names of the per- 
sons for whom they were named. 

The streets of Evanston are called 
"Avenues," "Courts," "Streets" and 
"Places," according to the following rule: 
Avenues and Courts are such as run north 
and south ; Streets and Places such as run 
east and west. E.xceptions to this rule oc- 
cur in two instances. The "Sheridan 
Road" is called "Road" to conform to the 
general usage of the cities and towns north 



and. south of the City of Evanston. The 
"Indian Boundary Line" is so called because 
it is a street coinciding with the "Line" 
established by treaty with the Indians, as de- 
cribed below. The house numbers on the 
Avenues and Courts begin at the southern 
limits of the city and run about 800 to the 
mile, an even hundred beginning at each 
street intersection ; and those on the 
streets and places begin at the lake and 
run about 1200 to the mile, an even hun- 
dred beginning at each street intersection. 
Following will be found the names of 
the more noted and historic streets, ave- 
nues, etc., with a concise reference in 
each case to the person, locality or circum- 
stance from which the name is derived : 

Arnold Street: Named for Isaac N. 
Arnold, a prominent citizen of Chicago, 
born 181 5, died 1884; was member of 
Congress 1861-65 ; and owned land in the 
vicinity of where this street is located. 

Asbury Avenue: For Francis Asbury, 
first Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church in America, 1745-1816. 

Ayars Place: For James Ayars, a 
citizen of Evanston, once President of 
Board of Village Trustees. 

Bennett Avenue: For Mrs. C. C. Ben- 
nett, a sister of John Culver, now and 
for many years past a teacher in the Chi- 
cago Public Schools. 

Benson Avenue: For Francis H. Ben- 
son, a resident of Evanston in an early 
day. 

Boomer Place: For Norton \\'. Boom- 
er, for many years Principal of a public 
school in Chicago. 

Botsford Street: For J. K. Botsford 
of Chicago, who was one of the Trustees 
of the Northwestern University. 

Browne Avenue: For Charles E. 
Browne, one of the original proprietors of 
North Evanston. 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



313 



Chancellor Street: For Chancellor L. 
Jenks, Jr., a son of Chancellor L. Jenks, 
a citizen of Evanston. 

Chicago Avenue : This name was given 
when the northern limits of Chicago were 
at North Avenue, and a long stretch of 
open country lay between Evanston and 
Chicago. The road connecting the two 
places was an extension of Chicago Ave- 
nue in Evanston southward, which joined 
North Clark Street at the Chicago city 
limits. The road was sandy and its con- 
dition so bad that a corporation was 
formed in 1859 to grade it, and it was 
then called the gravel road. On this road 
were two toll-gates, one at the intersec- 
tion of the Indian Boundary Line and the 
other at Graceland. 

Clark Street: For John Clark, a mem- 
ber of Rock River Conference, and 
the minister in charge of Clark Street 
church, Chicago, at the time that Mrs. 
Garrett made her gift to Garrett Biblical 
Institute. 

Clinton Place: Name adopted by 
city ordinance, February 11, 1902. 

Colfax Street : For Schuyler Colfax, 
\'ice-President of the United States, 
1869-73. 

College Street: Original name of that 
portion of Davis Street west of Sher- 
man Avenue. Name was changed to 
Da\is Street in 1871. 

Crain Street: For the Grain family, 
who were among the earliest settlers 
of Evanston. 

Darrow Avenue : Named by Morton 
Culver in laying out a subdivision after 
a man of that name who was prominent 
among colored ]\Iasons of Chicago. 

Davis Street: For Dr. Nathan S. 
Davis, one of the Trustees of the North- 
western University; born in 1817 and died 
in 1904. 



Dempster Street: For Dr. John Demp- 
ster, born in 1794, died in 1863; Pro- 
fessor at Garrett Biblical Institute 18^4 to 
1863. 

Dewey Avenue: For two sisters. Electa 
E. Dewey and Mary J. Dewey. Name 
given by IMorton Culver in laying 
out a subdivision; the Misses Dewey 
were teachers in the Jones School, Chi- 
cago. 

Dodge Avenue: For !Miss Kate Dodge, 
a teacher in the Jones School, Chicago. 

Emerson Street: For Benjamin Emer- 
son, a pioneer resident of Evanston. 

Ewing Avenue: For Adlai T. Ewing, 
who had control for several years of 
Ewing's addition to Evanston. 

Florence Avenue: For JNIiss Florence 
Tullis. a teacher in the Jones School, 
Chicago. 

Forest Avenue: For Thomas L. For- 
rest, born 1819, died 1904; was a bank- 
er of Chicago and owned some property in 
Evanston ; for thirty years was cashier of 
the Hide and Leather Bank. Residents 
have preferred a spelling diflferent from 
the name of IMr. Forrest. 

Foster Street: For Randolph S. Fos- 
ter, born 1820. died 1903; was the sec- 
ond President of the Northwestern Uni- 
versity, 1856-59. 

Gaffield Place: For Eli Gaffield, a pi- 
oneer resident of Evanston. 

Grant Street: Named in honor of Gen- 
eral U. S. Grant. 

Greenleaf Street: For Luther L. Green- 
leaf, born February 7, 182 1, died Novem- 
ber 23, 1886; lived in Evanston from i860 
to 1875. 

Grey Avenue: For Charles F. Grey, 
a resident of Evanston since 1866. 

Hamilton Street: For James G. Ham- 
ilton, for many years a resident of 
Evanston ; was the secretary of the Board 



314 



STREET NOMENCLATURE 



of Trustees of the Northwestern Uni- 
versity. 

Hamlin Street: For Leonidas L. Ham- 
Hne, born May lo, 1797; elected Bishop 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church 1844; 
died March 23, 1865. 

Hartzell Street: For Joseph C. Hart- 
zell, Methodist Bishop of Africa. While 
a student at the Garrett Biblical Insti- 
tute, was the hero of a rescue of four 
men from the wreck of the schooner 
"Storm" in May, 1864. 

Haven Street : For Erastus O. Haven ; 
born 1820, died in 1881 ; was Pres- 
ident of the Northwestern University 
1869 to 1872 ; in 1880 was elected a Bishop 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Hinman Avenue: For Clark T. Hin- 
man, first President of the Northwest- 
ern University, 1853-55 ; was born in 
Kortright, N. Y., August 3, 1817; gradu- 
ated from Wesleyan University in 1840 ; 
died at Troy, N. Y., 1854. 

Indian Boundary Line: This street 
follows the line of the boundary estab- 
lished by a treaty with Ottawas, Chippe- 
was and Pottawatomies, August 24, 
1816. The line begins at the lake shore 
(in the language of the treaty) at "a 
point ten miles northward of the mouth of 
Chicago Creek," and runs southwest, 
crossing the Sheridan Road about one 
block from the starting point. A half 
block farther it crosses the southern city 
limits. It is known as Rogers Avenue 
after it crosses the limits into Chicago. 

Isabella Street: Named by Charles E. 
Browne after one of his daughters. 

Jackson Avenue: For A. B. Jackson, 
long a resident of Rogers Park. 

Jenks Street: For Chancellor L. Jenks, 
born January 29. 1828; practiced law in 
Chicago 1851-67; died January 10, 1903. 

Judson Avenue: For Philo Judson, 
born in Otsego County, N. Y., March 



I, 1807; was business agent of the North- 
western University, 1854-76: died March 

2i. 1876. 

Kedzie Street: For John H. Kedzie, 
born September 8, 1815; died at Evan- 
ston, April 9, 1903 ; was a resident of 
Evanston forty-two years. 

Keeney Street: For James F. Keeney, 
for some years a resident of Evanston. 

Kirk Street: For James S. Kirk, born 
in 1818; lived in Evanston from 1859 
to the time of his death; died June 15, 
1886. 

Lee Street: Named by L. C. Pitner 
for his son, Lee J. Pitner; name given 
in 1871 when "Lhiion Addition" was laid 
out. 

Leon Street: Named for Louis Leon- 
hardt, a portion of his name being taken 
for the purpose. 

Library Street: That part of Hamlin 
Street extending from Orrington Avenue 
to Sherman Avenue, changed to this name 
because of its proximity to the Lunt 
Library, by city ordinance. June 21, IQ04. 

Livingston Street: Named for Liv- 
ingston Jenks, a son of Chancellor L. 
Jenks. 

Lyons Street: For Joseph j\I. Lyons, 
a resident of Evanston since the '6o's. 

McDaniel Avenue : For Alexander Mc- 
Daniel, born in 1S16; came to Evanston 
in 1836; Postmaster at Wilmette 1870-89; 
died October, 1898. 

Mulford Street: For Edward H. Mul- 
foril, l;oni i7<)2 : commissioned paymaster 
(with rank of Major) of a New York 
regiment in 1825; came to Evanston in 
1840; died March 4, 1878. 

Nate Street: Former name of Clinton 
Place ; originally named for Rev. John 
Nate, a minister of the Methodist Church, 
long a resident of Evanston. 

Noyes Street: For Henry S. Noyes ; 
Professor of Mathematics, Northwestern 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



315 



University, 1855-60; acting President of 
same 1860-69; died May 24, 1872. 

Orrington Avenue: Named for Or- 
rington Lunt ; born December 24, 1815; 
one of the founders of Northwestern Uni- 
versity : died April 5. 1897. 

Payne Street: For Henry M. Payne, 
a resident of Chicago. 

Pitner Avenue: For Levi C. Pitner, 
long a resident of Evanston. 

Pratt Court: For the Pratt family, 
of whom two brothers, George and Paul, 
came to Evanston in 1837. 

Reba Place: Named for Miss Reba 
Poor, a daughter of John E. Poor. 

Reese Avenue: For Theodore Reese, 
surveyor, long a resident of Evanston. 

Ridge Avenue: There are two well 
defined ridges running north and south 
through Evanston, the west ridge be- 
ing the more prominent of the two. 
The general course of Ridge Avenue is 
along the summit of the West ridge. In 
an early day this neighborood was often 
described as "the Ridge." This is the 
oldest street in Evanston and follows the 
route of the old Green Bay Road. This 
route was established as a military road 
by the United States Government in 1832. 
It was also the route of the l-'rink & 
Walker stage line established in 1836, 
and which continued in operation until 
the railroad was opened in 1855. 

Rinn Street: For Jacob Rinn, long a 
resident of Evanston. 

Sheridan Road: Named in honor of 
General Philip H. Sheridan. This great 
pleasure driveway along the shore of 
Lake Michigan was planned by Volney 
W. Foster in 1887, and he is therefore 
known as the "father of the Sheridan 
Road." An act of the State Legislature 
was passed March 27, 1889, authorizing 
"Pleasure driveways in incorporated 



towns," under which the Sheridan Road 
Association was organized. The Evan- 
ston City Council passed an ordinance, 
July 25, 1892, establishing and naming 
that portion of Sheridan Road which 
passes through Evanston. Alexander 
Clark was associated with Mr. Foster in 
this great enterprise. Mr. Foster died 
August 15, 1904. Mr. Clark died Septem- 
ber 26, 1903. The Sheridan Road is now 
complete from Lincoln Park in Chicago 
to W'aukegan, and eventually will extend 
to Milwaukee. Gen. P. H. Sheridan was 
born March 6, 1831, and died August 5, 
1888. 

Sherman Avenue: For Alson Smith 
Sherman, born April 21, 1811; came to 
Chicago in 1836; Mayor of Chicago, 1844; 
one of the incorporators of the North- 
western University, 1851; removed to 
Waukegan in 1856 ; and died there Sep- 
tember 22, 1003. 

Shuman Street : For Andrew Shu- 
man, for many ye?rs editor of the 
"Chicago Evening Journal;" Lieutenant- 
Governor of Illinois 1877-81; born 1830; 
died 1890. 

Simpson Street: For Matthew Simp- 
son, born 181 1, elected Bishop Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church 1852; President of 
Garrett Biblical Institute 1861-65 ; died 
June 18, 1884. 

Stanley Avenue: For B. F. Stanley; 
name gi\en by C. L. Jenks. 

Stewart Avenue: For John W. Stew- 
art, one of the original owners of North 
Evanston. 

Stockham Place: For Mrs. Alice B. 
Stockham, long a resident of Evanston. 

Thayer Street: Named by John Cul- 
ver for his wife, whose maiden name 
was Thayer. 

Warren Street: For Henry A. War- 
ren, formerly a resident of Evanston. 



3i6 



STREET NOMENCLATURE 



Wesley Avenue: Named in honor of 
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. 

Wilder Street : For Aldin G. Wilder, a 
lumber dealer in Evanston in 1866, who 
also subdivided lands in the western part 
of the city. 

Willard Place: For Frances E. Will- 
ard, born September 28, 1839; President 
of Woman's College, Evanston, 1870; 
President of Woman's Christian Temper- 
ance Union, 1879; President of World's 
Christian Temperance Union, 1888; died 
February 17, 1898. 

A notable deficiency in the street no- 
menclature of Evanston is the absence of 
Indian names. No street perpetuates the 
name of tribe or chief, and but one — the 
"Indian Boundary Line" — has reference 
to a locality connected with the Indian 
occupation. The Pottawatomie Indians, 
who inhabited this region, possessed too 
ungainly and barbarous a name to make 
use of, and there were no leaders of dis- 
tinction among them who might be thus 
honored. This absence of picturesque 
Indian names is unfortunate, but is made 
good in the distinction and character of 
the names that have been chosen. 

The origin of street names is usually 
neglected until the occasion of them be- 
gins to grow dim in the vistas of the past. 
Then laborious research is necessary to 



learn the origin and significance of these 
names which have become household 
words. The eiTort to trace accurately the 
names given to streets, even within a 
compass of fifty years, is fraught with 
difficulty, and, as it is seen in older com- 
munities, the time comes soon when it is 
often a matter of conjecture. 

The aspect of the streets of Evanston, 
as we see them today, is in strong con- 
trast with the face of the land as looked 
upon by the founders of the town. Then 
was spread before them woodland and 
fields where farmers and woodmen had, 
in twenty years of ceaseless toil, changed 
the face of the country from its primeval 
condition to one of diversified forest and 
farm lands. Dwellings and locations of 
stfeets began to appear in accordance 
with the plans of the founders. Extensive 
lines of shade trees were planted which 
today, after many years' growth, have de- 
veloped into stately avenues of lofty elms 
and maples. Parks beside roadways, well 
paved streets and walks, spacious and 
well cultivated lawns, the glimpses here 
and there of the blue waters of Lake 
IVTichigan, and the comfortable and often 
palatial homes of its residents, have com- 
bined to form a "city beautiful," and to 
earn for itself the well deserved title of a 
"city of homes." 



CHAPTER XXXV 



THE FOUR-MILE LIMIT 

(By WILLIAM A. DYCHE) 

Act Incorporating Nortlnvcstcrn University 
Amended — Proliibition District Estab- 
lished — Sale of Spirituous Liquors With- 
in Four Miles of the University Prohib- 
ited — Local Sentiment in Favor of the 
Law — Violations and Anti-Saloon Litiga- 
tion — Citi::ens' League Organized — Su- 
preme Court Decisions. 



On January i8, 1855, Senator Norman 
B. Judd, of Cook County, offered in the 
State Senate an amendment to the charter 
of Northwestern University, entitled : 
"An Act to amend an act to incorporate 
Northwestern L'niversity," approved Jan- 
uary 28, 185 1. The proposed amendment 
consisted of five sections, tlie second, as 
finally passed, being as follows : 

"Section 2. Xo spirituous, vinous, or fer- 
mented liquors shall be sold, under license 
or otherwise, within four miles of the loca- 
tion of said L^niversity, except for medicin- 
al, mechanical, and sacramental purposes, 
under a penalty of twenty-five dollars for 
each ofi^ense, to be recovered before any 
Justice of the Peace of said County of 
Cook: Provided, that so much of this act 
as relates to the sale of intoxicating drinks 
within four miles, may be repealed by the 
General Assembly whenever they may 
think proper." 

Senator John }il. Palmer, of Sangamon 



County, moved to strike out this section. 
The vote was : yeas 6, nays 14. 

Senator Joseph Gillespie ofifered, as an 
amendment, that part of the second sec- 
tion which reserves for the General As- 
sembly the right of appeal. The other 
four sections of the amendment, like the 
charter, constitute a perpetual contract be- 
tween the State of Illinois and North- 
western University. 

The amendment of Senator Gillespie 
was agreed to and, on vote, the act was 
passed, 18 yeas to 2 nays. — (Senate Jour- 
nal, 1855. pages 126-127.) 

The measure was reported to the House 
February 2, 1855, and read for the first time 
on February 7th ; it was referred to the Com- 
mittee on ^Miscellaneous Affairs. On the 9th 
it was reported by the Committee and or- 
dered to third reading. It was passed Feb- 
ruary 13th, yeas 51, nays o. — (House Jour- 
nal, 1853, pages 205, 295, 378 and 538.) 

This amendment was formally accepted 
by the Trustees of the University June 13, 

1855- 

Local Sentiment. — There has always 
been, on the part of citizens of Evanston, 
a strong sentiment in favor of the strict 
enforcement of the provisions of this act. 
It is safe to assert that, from its enact- 
ment to the present, Evanston has been 
freer from the illegal sale of liquor than al- 
most any other community located near 



317 



3i8 



THE FOUR-MILE LIMIT 



the borders of a great city like Chicago. 
Our local government has always had 
among its ordinances stringent measures 
based on this amendment, and usually has 
made earnest efforts to enforce them. 
Numerous violations, of course, frequent- 
ly occur, but there has never been a place 
within the limits of the corporation where 
these ordinances were openly violated. 
Outside of the city, but within four miles, 
the violations have been more frequent, 
but at the present time there are very few 
open saloons within four miles of the 
University, except to the south, where the 
prohibition district extends far into the 
city of Chicago. Here saloons are numer- 
ous and flourishing, though they exist 
contrary to law. 

Litigation. — Three cases in which fines 
have been levied for the illegal sale of 
liquor within the four-mile limit, have been 
appealed to the Supreme Court of the 
State, two of which involved the consti- 
tutionality of the amendment to the char- 
ter of the University, and the third raised 
the question of the competency of testi- 
mony of detectives pad by the city. The 
first case was decided at the April term 
of the Court, 1862, being entitled, John 
O'Leary, Appellant, vs. The County of 
Cook, Appellee. The constitutionality of 
the amendment was questioned. The at- 
torneys for the appellant argued that it 
was in contravention of the 23d Section of 
Article HI. of the Constitution, in that it 
embraces two separate and independent 
subjects — the one of a private character, 
viz.: the amendment to the corporate 
powers of the University ; the other of a 
public nature, viz. : the prohibition of the 
sale of liquor within a given locality under 
penalty — two subjects not germane to one 
another and having no natural or neces- 
sarv connection with each other, while 



only one subject is expressed in the title 
of the act. 

This was successfully refuted by 
Messrs. Hurd, Booth & Potter, attorneys 
for the appellee, and the constitutionality of 
the act was upheld in a decision rendered 
by Chief Justice Caton. The following 
quotation from the opinion from the Chief 
Justice is interesting: 

"The object of the charter was to create 
an institution for the education of young 
men, and it was competent for the Leg- 
islature to embrace .within it everything 
which was designed to facilitate that ob- 
ject. Every provision which was intended 
to promote the well being of the institu- 
tion, or its students, was within the proper 
subject matter of that law. We cannot 
doubt that such was the single design of 
this law. Although this provision m ght 
incidentally tend to protect others resid- 
ing in the vicinity from the corrupting and 
demoralizing influences of the grog-shop, 
yet that was not the primary object of the 
law, but its sole purpose was to protect 
the students and faculty from such in- 
fluence." 

It is of interest to note that the appel- 
lant, John OTeary. and his descendants 
have been involved in more or less liti- 
gation with Evanston for nearly half a 
century; it is also worthy of notice that 
the illegal sale referred to in this case 
was made to Mortimer Russell, Rtissell 
being a name well known in the early an- 
nals of the village. The greatest item 
of interest in this case, aside from the 
favorable decision is, that the cause of law 
and order was ably advocated by Hon. 
Harvey B. Hurd, who, for more than half 
a centur)', had been one of Evanston's 
foremost citizens. Though more than 
forty years have come and gone since this 
decision, until his death in January, 1906, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



319 



Mr. Hurd still remained to lend his vig- 
orous aid in seeing that the law was en- 
forced. 

From 1882 to 1893 the Citizens' League 
of Evanston was active in prosecuting 
violators of this law. Among those fre- 
(juently prosecuted were Trausch Broth- 
ers, and other saloon-keepers on the West 
Ridge, just north of Rose Hill. With the 
hope of protecting themselves from fur- 
ther prosecutions, these saloon-keepers 
and their friends, on Xovember 28, 1890, 
incorporated the village of W'est Ridge, 
out of territory heretofore not included 
within any city or village. Said village, 
by ordinance, regulated the sale of intoxi- 
cating liquors within its limits by licensing 
the sale thereof. Henry Trausch was 
granted a license ; shortly thereafter the 
Citizens" League obtained evidence that 
he made two separate and distinct sales 
of liquor. Action was brought against 
Trausch and a fine levied on him. He 
appealed the case and it finally reached 
the Supreme Court. 

Supreme Court Decision. — Chief Justice 
Shope, in rendering the opinion of the 
Court, makes it clear that an}' license 
granted by any city, village or town for 
the sale of liquor within the four-mile dis- 
trict is null and void. The following is a 
quotation from his opinion : 

"While the power is given to license, 
regulate and prohibit the selling and giv- 
ing away of intoxicating liquors, such 
power is not to be so construed as to afifect 
the provisions of the charter of Northwest- 
ern L'niversity, it being a literary insti- 
tution, the charter of which was granted 
before the General Incorporation Act." 

The chief contention of the attorney 
for the appellant was, that the amendment 
had been repealed by the general act, ap- 
proved May 4, 1887. This was overruled. 

It is made clear in this decision that anv 



license issued for the sale of liquor within 
the four-mile district, even though it be 
issued by a city, town or village within 
said district, is null and void. It is worthy 
of note in connection with this case that 
Hon. Harvey B. Hurd again appeared as 
attorney for the appellee, associating with 
him the law firm of Beach & Beach. 

During the past twenty-five years sev- 
eral diff^erent organizations have been 
formed to assist in the enforcement of this 
act. On August 24, 1882, the Citizens' 
League of the Township of Evanston was 
incorporated, with Frank P. Crandon and 
David R. Dyche, Millard R. Powers and 
H. W. Chester as charter members. Mr. 
Dyche served as its President till his 
death in August, 1893. He devoted much 
time, energy and no insignificant contri- 
butions from his own purse to forward the 
objects of the League. The next Presi- 
dent was Mr. Crandon. He, also, made 
large donations of time and money to 
this important work. 

Four-Mile League. — In 1894 it seemed 
wise to form a new organization as a suc- 
cessor to the Citizens' League, and through 
the efforts of Henry Wade Rogers, who 
was then President of Northwestern Uni- 
versity and greatly devoted to the cause of 
temperance, the Four-Mile League was or- 
ganized, with Charles B. Congdon, Henry 
Wade Rogers, Hugh R. A\'ilson, Charles 
H. Aldrich. William" A. Dyche, William H. 
Bartlett, Frank P. Crandon, George M. 
Sargent and Charles J. Little, as charter 
meml:)ers. The charter was dated Sep- 
tember II, 1894. Mr. Crandon was its 
first President ; he was succeeded by Mr. 
J. C. Shaffer. Mr. Shaft'er conducted a 
vigorous warfare against illegal sale of 
liquor and met with marked success. Mr. 
Newell C. Knight was the third and last 
President of the League. His administra- 
tion was equally vigorous. 



320 



THE FOUR-MILE LIMIT 



In iy02 the Municipal Association was 
incorporated. This organization, though 
having wider aims than the Four-^Iile 
League, which it succeeded, is especial- 
ly interested in the same good cause and is 
doing excellent work. Mr. Charles R. 
Webster has been President since its in- 
corporation. 

On January 3, 1893, William H. Lyman, 
a Chicago member of the House of Rep- 
resentatives, introduced House Bill 282, 
which sought to repeal a portion of the 
City and \'illage Act of 1872. This act, 
among other things, gives cities and vil- 
lages power to issue licenses for the sale of 
liquor under certain conditions. It pro- 
vides, however, "that nothing in the act 
shall be construed to affect the provisions 
of the charter of any literary institution 
heretofore granted." The introduction of 
this bill created much excitement and 
great indignation. Large delegations at 
once went to Springfield and exerted such 
influence that the bill never reached a sec- 
ond reading. 

Mayor's Report. — The citizens of Evan- 
ston have been greatly annoyed by the 
existence of saloons outside of, but near 
to. the limits of the corporation. The fol- 
lowing quotation from the Mayor's report 
for the year 1895 gives an instance of this : 

"For some years the western portion 
of our city has been greatly annoyed by 
the existence of several saloons on the 
prairie west of us. Some of these saloons 
were resorts of the lowest character, and 
to their other evils gambling and prosti- 
tution were often added. For some years 
they were licensed illegally by the Cook 
County Commissioners ; but this summer, 
in response to your request and the urgent 
effort of Commissioner Munn, these ille- 
gal licenses were not reissued. The Four- 
Mile League provided funds to carry- on a 
vigorous warfare against them. Our Chief 



of Police, Wheeler Bartram, greatly aided 
the League with his advice and work, as 
did also our City Attorney. The result 
was that, after a brief but energetic fight, 
these saloons were practically closed. 
Some of them are still running, but very 
quietly. A renewed and continuous effort 
by the League, aided by our city author- 
ities, will undoubtedly close them. The 
only way to successfully fight this enet7iy 
is to make it too expensive for him to stay 
in business." 

During the latter part of 1896, and for 
some time thereafter, the city was greatly 
hindered in its attempts to prosecute vio- 
lators of its prohibitory law by adverse 
decisions of the courts located in Chicago. 
The following, from the Mayor's report 
for 1896, is to the point : 

"One W. H. Meyers was arrested in 
July. 1896, on several charges of violating 
our liquor ordinances. He was fined in 
sums from $10 to $100. From these judg- 
ments the said Meyers appealed to the 
Criminal Court, where the cases were dis- 
missed on the grounds that the evidence 
had been obtained by witnesses who were 
in the employ of the city for the purpose 
of bringing action against the said Mey- 
ers. The city took an appeal from this de- 
cision to the Appellate Court, where it 
again met defeat, the Appellate Court sus- 
taining the decision of the Criminal Court. 

"\\'hile it is comparatively easy for our 
policemen to discover the resorts where 
liquor is sold illegally, it is very difficult 
for them to obtain evidence of this, for 
the reason that they are well known, 
hence it is necessary to use detectives, 
but both the testimony of our policemen, 
as well as that of the detectives, was ren- 
dered useless by the decisions above re- 
ferred to, and the difficulty of successfully 
prosecuting the keepers of these resorts 
was greatly increased. The case just re- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



321 



ferred to was carried to the Supreme 
Court of the State, by the direction of the 
Council, and the judgments of the Crim- 
inal and Appellate Courts were reversed. 
The entire case was in charge of City At- 
torney George S. Baker, and to him be- 
longs unstinted praise for the obtaining 
from the Supreme Court of so far-reach- 
ing benefit, not to Evanston alone, but 
also to numerous other communities. The 
difficulty of prosecuting these cases and 
obtaining satisfactory results is far greater 
than most people imagine." 

Difficulties Owing to Nearness to Chi- 
cago. — One who, for the first time, is called 
upon to assist in enforcing the ordinances 
of Evanston, based on the amendment to 
the charter of the University, has no idea 
of the difficulties of the task, and it too 
frequently happens that both officers of 
the city and of the voluntary associations 
above referred to not only receive too lit- 
tle support from the community, but are 
most unjustly criticised for failure to ob- 
tain their complete enforcement. Occa- 
sionally they have deserved severe con- 
demnation for their indifference, but, as a 
rule, they have been earnest and active, 
meeting with decided success. Though 
at times our citizens seem indifl^erent to 
appeals for aid as in this work, they are 
in reality greatly interested and in emer- 
gencies respond most generously. The 



greatest danger in my mind to our law is 
the City of Chicago. The "four-mile limit" 
extends about two and one-half miles into 
the City of Chicago, and, in this prohibi- 
tion territory in Cliicagii, numerous sa- 
loons exist. I do not know if Chicago at 
present licenses these saloons. When I 
last investigated this in 1896, I found that 
Chicago did not issue them any license, 
hut that the saloon-keepers at the end of 
each quarter paid the City Collector a sum 
equivalent to a quarter's license. Whether 
licensed or not, they exist illegally, and 
ought to be closed. If they are allowed 
by- Chicago to flourish on Devon Avenue, 
some day she will permit them on the 
very north line of her corporate limits — 
a stone's throw from Calvary Cemetery. 
Unless Evanston puts up a vigorous fight, 
this will happen. Of all the blessings 
Northwestern University has brought 
Evanston, this amendment is first. It 
gives us a unique place in the ranks of 
xA-Uierican cities, and helps to make it 
possible for us to maintain a local govern- 
ment of unusually high standard. Let 
us give every aid and encouragement to 
our officials and especially to those men 
who, from time to time, we ask to act as 
our leaders in the great work of enforcing 
the provisions of this amendment and the 
ordinances based thereon. 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 



HOMES AND HOME-MAKERS— 1846-1870 

(By ELIZABETH M. BOYNTON HAEBBRT, Ph. D.) 



Some of the Early Homes of Evanston — 
Men and Women Who have Left Their 
Impress on the City's History — What 
Evanston Ozves to Its Early Home Build- 
ers — Historic Names on the City Map — 
Abraham Lincoln and other Distinguished 
Visitors — The IVillard and Eggleston 
Families — Notable H^orkers in the Field 
of Religion, Education. Literature and 
the Arts. 

"The language of a ruder age gave to 
the common law the maxim that every 
man's house is his castle: the progress of 
Truth will eventually make every home a 
shrine." 

"I think that the heroism, which, at this 
day, would make on us the impression of great grandmothers and the science of 
Epaminondas and Phocion, must be that thoroughness, French art and Arabian 
of a domestic conqueror."' hospitality." And, if Mr. Ruskin had lived 

Thus wrote our poet-philosopher Emer- on this side of the Atlantic, might he not 
son, concerning the value and importance have added, "American Adaptability?" 
of wise home-making, while our poet- Mr. Frank Grover, in a valuable historical 

scientist, Henry Drumniond, has left for sketch (printed elsewhere in this volume) 



stitution. In a far truer sense than Ra- 
phael produced his "Holy Family," na- 
ture has provided a Holy Family. Not for 
centuries, but for millenniums, the family 
has arrived. Time has not tarnished it; 
no later art has improved upon it ; no gen- 
ius discovered anything more lovely, nor 
religion anything more divine." 

Of one important branch of home-mak- 
ing, that great "Apostle of the Beautiful," 
John Ruskin, has written: 

"Cookery means the knowledge of Circe, 
Medea, and of Calypso and Helen, and of 
Rebekah and of all the Queens of Sheba. 
It means the knowledge of all fruits and 
balms: of all that is sweet in fields and 
groves. It means the economy of your 



us the following statement : 

"So long as the first concern of a coun- 
try is for its homes, it matters little what 
it seeks second or third. 

"The one point, indeed, where all pro- 



refers to one of the first typical Evanston 
homes as follows : 

"The father, Antoine Ouilmette, was 
of French descent : the mother, Archange, 
was of true American (Indian) parentage. 



phets meet, where all sciences, from bi- In this family were four daughters : Eliza- 

ology to ethics, are enthusiastically at beth, Archange, Josette and Sophia, and 

one, is in their faith in the imperishable four sons : Joseph, Louis, Francis and 

potentialities of this yet most simple in- Mitchell." 

323 



324 



HO.MES AXD HO.ME-AIAKERS— 1846-1870 



Surely all lovers of symbolism or all 
philosophers, thinkers, who recognize the 
law that, in order to secure harmony, we 
must combine differences, will promptly 
recognize in the variety and balance of 
this pioneer home, prophecies of the re- 
sultant harmony and equilibrium which 
has caused so many discriminating tour- 
ists to repeat the trite question, "Is this 
Heavenston?" Thus, in its very infancy, 
the presiding Fates seem to have decreed 
that the honor of having founded our be- 
loved Evanston belonged equally to its 
sons and daughters, while our subsequent 
cosmopolitanism may be traced to that 
French father and American mother. 

For a number of years William and 
James Carney represented the entire po- 
lice force, and so firmly, kindly and hu- 
manely did they preserve law and order, 
that the village was exempt from depre- 
dations, and the very name "Carney" be- 
came a synonym for law and order ; as 
instance, the incident of an Evanston 
child exclaiming at sight of a Chicago po- 
liceman, "There goes another good 
Carney." 

In preparing this fragmentary sketch, 
we have been interested in the typical char- 
acter of the early settlers who, by their 
tastes and pursuits, foreshadowed the 
jEsthetic development of after years. 

Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Burroughs were 
among the earliest agriculturists. Mr. and 
Mrs. Samuel Reed seem to have made 
Beauty and Service the patron saints of 
their home. We are told that Mr. Reed 
was the original path-finder or road- 
master of the village, and that a certain 
apple-tree planted by Mrs. Reed was, for 
forty 3'ears, because of the fragrance of its 
bloom and the rare flavor of its fruit, a joy 
to succeeding generations of children. 

These pioneer path-finders and home- 
makers doubtless would have been 



cheered and encouraged in many toilsome 
wanderings, could they have foreseen the 
tree-fringed avenues, streets and courts, 
whose names enshrine the memories of 
many subsequent path-makers, and hon- 
ored citizens; e. g., "Judson." "Hinman." 
"Irvington," "Benson," and "Kedzie" Ave- 
nues ; "Dempster," "Davis," "Xoycs," "Mul- 
ford," "Crain," "McDaniels," and "Lyons " 
Streets ; "Ayars Court" and "Willard 
Place," etc. 

"Joy," that notable but too frequently 
neglected "Fruit of the Spirit," hospital- 
ity, industry and faith (faith in God and 
faith in humanity) seem to have been 
characteristic of many of these pioneer 
homes. The altruistic cheerfulness, so 
notable in his philanthropic daughter, 
Mrs. Flelen Judson Beveridge, as well as 
in other members of that merry house- 
hold, was early intersphered in the village 
life by the genial father. Rev. Philo Judson. 
We are told that Mr. Judson's optimism 
and constant cheerfulness "enabled him 
to make perpetual holiday of the hard 
work and privations incident to the life of 
a circuit-rider through the wilds of Illi- 
nois," while his wife, Mrs. Huddleston 
Jutlson, was in all respects a notable help- 
meet, bravely bearing the added responsi- 
bilities resultant from his numerous ab- 
sences. 

Truly, if "all the world loves a lover," 
the residents of small frontier villages, 
where life is often too strenuous to permit 
of much pleasure-seeking, must always 
delight in a wedding. We are confident 
that, if the villagers could have foreseen in 
the groom a future General and Governor, 
and in the bride a notable philanthropist, 
even greater interest, if possible, would 
have centered in the marriage, in 1848, of 
Miss Helen Judson and Mr. John L. Bev- 
eridge. 

Who can estimate the amount of good 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



325 



influences that have emanated from the 
family circle of children and grand-chil- 
dren, whose father, mother and grand- 
parents commenced their home-making 
in a small cottage near where the Con- 
gregational Church now stands? We re- 
fer to Mr. and Mrs. John A. Pearsons. 
Mr. Pearsons, aside from his business in- 
terests and industry, was ever a promoter 
of harmony in the village, as he was, for 
a number of years, the first and only 
chorister; while Mrs. Pearsons has, for 
more than half a century, been a constant 
benediction to home and friends and 
church. 

Another group of contributors to the 
peace, health and harmony of the early 
village life was the family of Dr. and Mrs. 
Jacob W. Ludlam. The early annals of 
Evanston contain frequent references to 
this tree-embowered home as a social and 
musical center of most gracious influences. 
The Evanston Club House now occupies 
the beautiful grounds of this one-time 
influential home-center. 

The home of Major and Mrs. Mulford, 
"The Oakton" of 1840, is also remembered 
with loving appreciation by all who com- 
prehend the influence and power gf a 
bountiful hospitality, which is at the same 
time brave enough to exclude temptation 
in any form from both young and old. 
We are told that, in those early days, from 
their most abundant table, wine was ex- 
cluded, even on Xew Year's day. 

Theirs was. indeed, the home of Jus- 
tice and hospitality and temperance. 
Major Mulford was one of the early and 
honorable Justices of the Peace. 

About this time arrived the families 
of Mr. and ]\Irs. George M. Hun- 
toon, General and ?ilrs. Julius White, 
Major and Mrs. Edward Russell, Mr. 
and Mrs. Leander Clifford, IMr. and 
Mrs. George E. Foster. Mr. and Mrs. 



Andrew J. Brown, Mrs. Mary Foster, Air. 
and Mrs. Simon J. Kline, Professor and 
Mrs. AN'illiam Jones, Mr. and Mrs. E. R. 
Paul, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin F. Hill. Mr. 
and Mrs. O. A. Grain. 

If still with us, the lamented editor of 
this volume might enter his editorial pro- 
test ; yet we would still insist upon the 
privilege of emphasizing in this record, 
the debt of gratitude which, not only Ev- 
anston, but the entire State and Nation, 
owe to some of these pioneers. In 1855, 
Hon. and Mrs. H. B. Hurd commenced 
their home-making in Evanston ; and 
every one in any way affected by the laws, 
the ethics or spiritual development of our 
loved "Prairie State," was thereby direct- 
ly benefited. For half a century Judge 
Hurd. by his legal acumen, his patriotic 
citizenship, his true fellowship in neigh- 
borhood, club and church, his loving 
fatherliness and grandfatherliness, proved 
a benediction to his generation and, at his 
passing onward on January 20, 1906, no 
citizen was ever more sincerely mourned. 
Many citizens who cherish loving memo- 
ries of "the good old times," refer with 
kindliest interest to the home of Judge 
and Mrs. Hurd, while children and grand- 
children pronounce them "blessed.'' 

.A.S early as 1858, in the happy, wisely 
orderd home of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Wil- 
lard. a young girl was rapidly developing 
into the gifted philanthropist who, more 
than any other citizen, has made Evan- 
ston a house-hold word throughout tiie 
world, and "Rest Cottage" a veritable 
"Mecca" to thousands. The motherhood 
of Mrs. Mary Thompson Willard has be- 
come historic, but as we wish to refer to 
it in another connection, we omit further 
comment here. 

In 1885 Mr. and Mrs. Allen ^'ane com- 
menced their home-building here, laying 
the foundations, as was notably the case 



326 



HOMES AND HOME-MAKERS— 1846-1870 



of so many of Evanston's early residents, 
of outside philanthropies, as well as fire- 
side pleasures. Other notable arrivals 
about this time were Rev. and Mrs. Oba- 
diah Huse — the charming personality of 
Mrs. Huse, the dignified bearing of Mr. 
Huse and the intellectual alertness of their 
children rendering their home a most at- 
tractive place. 

Citizens whose memories are enriched 
by pictures of the childhood and youth of 
Evanston, refer with loving appreciation 
to the home of Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Green- 
leaf, whose most generous hospitality in- 
cluded almost every human interest and 
object — educational, philanthropic and re- 
formatory. Mr. Greenleaf was one of the 
first of our citizens to make a valuable 
gift to the library of the University. He 
organized the Temperance Alliance, and 
Mrs. Elizabeth M. Greenleaf, his coad- 
jutor in every good word and work, ac- 
cepted service as President of the first 
Board of Trustees of "The Woman's Edu- 
cational Association." 

Two notable friends of education arrived 
when Mr. and Airs. C. G. Haskin brought 
their "Lares and Penates" to the village, 
and afterwards built the attractive house 
on the northeast corner of Hinman Ave- 
nue and Davis Street, which has succes- 
sively served as the home for such repre- 
sentative citizens as Mr. and Mrs. Simeon 
Farwell and Mrs. Mary Raymond Shum- 
way. 

An all-inclusive altruism is always 
characteristic of the true parental heart, 
which cannot rest content until comfort, 
opportunity and education are secured for 
"all the other children," as well as for 
one's very own ; hence, we are not sur- 
prised to find it recorded that, "early in 
1868, Mrs. Mary Haskin started forth 
alone, from her well ordered home on a 
most important mission. Her object was 



to submit to such well known Christian 
philanthropists as Mrs. Melinda Hamline 
and Dr. Henry Bannister, her plans for 
a "Woman's Educational Association." 
The marked success which attended her 
efifort belongs to the Educational Chap- 
ter. We deem it our province, however, 
to refer to the practical interest in this 
plan — and doubtless personal sacrifice — 
to give the first financial aid, which de- 
veloped in the home of Rev. Obadiah and 
Mrs. Huse, one of the interesting and in- 
fluential home centers already referred to. 
Studying the results enjoyed in the Evans- 
ton of to-day, we realize what patient, faith- 
ful, self-sacrificing seed-sowing was done 
by these faithful pioneer home-makers in 
order to insure such a "Harvest Home" 
as the citizens of our bountiful and beau- 
tiful village enjoy to-day. As we think 
of the tradition of one notable "City Fa- 
ther," planting miles of trees, we rejoice 
in the day when l\Ir. and Mrs. Eli Gage 
and their household inscribed their names 
upon the now rapidly enlarging directory. 

One participant in "those good old 
times" informs us that, at one time, the 
social interests of the village seemed to 
converge in the cheerful home of Mr. and 
Mrs. Richard Somers, where, amid all 
good influences, a happy group of chil- 
dren were growing into manhood and 
womanhood. 

Another friend cherishes, as an almost 
sacred picture, that Madonna-faced 
young mother tenderly ministering to her 
own little "coming woman :" the sweet 
voiced mother being Mrs. Lucy Stone: 
the baby daughter, the gifted Alice Stone 
Blackwell. Meanwhile, in imagination, we 
see that noble father (the justice- 
loving patriot to whom every American 
woman owes a debt of gratitude), Mr. 
Henry Blackwell, at his daughter's cra- 
dle, highly resolving to do all in his power 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



327 



to secure freedom of opportunity, not 
only for his own, but for every other 
child without distinction of race, color, 
creed or sex. 

Of the home life of Rev. and ^Irs. 
George C. Noyes, we find the following 
interesting silhouette in "A Classic 
Town:" "Few have the intersphering 
nature that would lead them to lend a 
hand in enterprises so varied as those 
that shared the beneficent activities of 
Dr. Noyes. Indeed, there was no move- 
ment for the good of Evanston into which 
he did not throw the momentum of his 
well-poised mind and the warming influ- 
ence of his opulent heart." 

"Beside this valiant servant of Christ, 
there stood, during the first twelve years 
of his Evanston pastorate, a wife strong 
and capable as she was winsome and 
tender. I shall never forget, nor will any 
one who shared their blessed help, their 
faces so full of inspiration, their voices 
so vibrant with sympathy, their hands so 
frequently outstretched in deeds of love." 

Mrs. Noyes was another illustration of 
the fact that the true mother-heart is in- 
clusive, for while surrounded by her own 
group of six children, she fovmd time t;) 
aid in the temperance work, and to meet 
the various demands made upon the wife 
of a pastor of a large church. 

"For a term of years, Miss Emily 
Noyes rendered most faithful service in 
her brother's home until the only daugh- 
ter of Rev. and Mrs. Noyes, now Mrs. 
Ellen Noyes Orr, began to preside, as 
a little mother-queen, among her group 
of brothers." 

Of the beloved Professor Francis D. 
Hemenway, it is said that not even the 
"Hemenway Memorial Church" is his 
true monument, but the "Hymnal" of the 
Methodist Church. Dr. and Mrs. Hem- 
enway came to Evanston in 1857, and for 



almost a quarter of a century lived, 
loved and served among us. A most 
beloved instructor in the University, 
the record of his refined, helpful and 
harmonious life belongs there ; his wife 
has claimed, as her richest inheritance, the 
fact that "she had been the privileged home- 
maker for one of the purest, truest and 
best of men, who fully appreciated the 
meaning of that sacred word "Home." 

The historian in search of facts in re- 
gard to the substantial growth of Evans- 
ton between the years 1856 and i860, is 
aided b\- the following paragraph from an 
interesting letter written by Mrs. Sara 
Bailey Mann, one of the pioneer daugh- 
ters. Mrs. Mann writes : "You ask when 
my parents moved to Evanston? They 
came here in 1859. The location of the 
Northwestern University was just then 
decided upon, and father moved here 
because of the educational advantages 
Evanston then promised." Some of 
these children for whom these loving 
parents, Mr. William S. and Mrs. Sarah 
Bailey, were thus planning, were soon 
called to the severe educational experi- 
ences of our Civil War, as three of their 
sons responded to the call of their coun- 
try, the daughters subsequently (as was 
so often the case) bravely bearing added 
responsibilities. 

In preparing this little sketch, the wri- 
ter is often tempted to pause, as before sa- 
cred shrines in recognition of the really 
heroic sacrifices and endeavor manifest in 
these homes. Words written by a friend 
concerning Mr. and Mrs. Bailey are so 
true of them and of many other par- 
ents, that we reproduce them here: 
"What a history two simple names 
suggest. What sunshine, shadow, strug- 
gle, heroic sacrifice, noble living and final 
victory." 

As no well regulated village is without 



328 



HOMES AND HOME-MAKERS— 1846-1870 



its universal "aunt" or "uncle, so, in 
1863, there came to Evanston one who 
was soon familiarly known as Uncle 
Mark De Coudres. At ninety years of 
age, he with his own hands shingled his 
home in order to contribute $100 for Afri- 
can Missions. 

In a copy of Tlic Index, of 1864, we 
find the following record of the closing 
of one of the early homes — that of Dr. 
and Mrs. James T. Jewell : "Mrs. Jewell, 
the devoted and beloved wife of Dr. 
James Jewell, died at her home on Green- 
wood Street last Tuesday." Those who 
can read between the lines will compre- 
hend the pathos of such a record as the 
following, which was so often true of the 
self-sacrificing mothers of those early 
days: "She received an education, during 
her girlhood, far above that which it was 
possible, at that time, for many to attain. 
From early life she entertained strong de- 
sires to enter upon a life of study and into 
literary work. After her marriage she 
saw no immediate way to carry out her 
desires and plans without neglecting her 
duties in her home. She considered the 
matter carefully and deliberately elected 
as her life work, the making of a home for 
her husband and children." While some 
students of motherhood and home-mak- 
ing sometimes conclude that, if the moth- 
er can serve the literary feast in addition 
to the more material ones, it is better for 
home and children, yet all who knew of the 
absolute devotion of Mrs. Jewell to her 
husband and home, will gratefully re- 
memlier her faithful administrations 
therein. 

Another notable home-maker who 
seems to have yielded herself as a loving 
sacrifice in her home, was the wife of 
Bishop Randolph Foster. Bishop and 
Mrs. Foster, with their group of eight 
most interesting children, lived in a home 



among the magnificent group of oak trees 
which formerly adorned the lot upon which 
the hospitable home of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh 
Wilson now stands. 

This spot seems to have ever been one 
noted for its generous hospitality. Mrs. 
Foster was, as Elder Boring once said, 
"a wholly selfless woman. She was a 
Miss Sarah Wiley, one of the best, tru- 
est, purest, most unselfish women that 
ever lived, devoted to her husband, lost 
and swallowed up in him ; she lived for 
him, planned for him, took care of him, 
and kept a home that was always open to 
his friends with the most generous hos- 
pitality." 

We build monuments — the world is 
filled with them — to the fathers who yield 
life for others on the world's great battle- 
fields ; let us enshrine the memories of the 
self-sacrificing mothers and fathers, who, 
amid the imperious cares of home or the 
overwhelming duties and responsibilities 
of business, yield their lives for their chil- 
dren. As those who have entered into 
their labors, let us endeavor to secure 
wiser household and business conditions 
bv replacing intense competition with 
Christian co-operation. 

W'e have with hesitation referred to 
these facts in the hope that, with hundreds 
of similar ones that have come to each of 
us, they may incite us to throw the 
weight of whatever influence we may 
possess in favor of simpler manners, wiser 
laws, which will inevitably "Ring out the 
false, ring in the true." 

The more spiritual and intuitional the 
wife and mother, the more is she needed 
by husband and children, and the greater 
the loss to the highest good of all, if 
she yields to the wifely and motherly 
temptation to effect her own effacement 
and utter self-sacrifice for her loved ones. 
These same vears seem to have been 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



329 



auspicious ones for Evanston in many 
ways. In addition to the several names 
mentioned, we find recorded the arrival of 
Air. and Mrs. Francis Bradley and Mr. and 
j\Irs. Simeon Farwell. 

In 1862 a young couple arrived in the 
village who were destined to make valua- 
ble additions to its life in many ways ; 
and most interesting is the story of the 
service rendered by Dr. Oliver and Mrs. 
E. E. Marcey, to science, literature, phi- 
lanthropy and religion. The pleasant 
homestead on the northeast corner of Chi- 
cago Avenue and Church Street has 
been, for forty years, a favorite rallying 
point for students and friends. Of Dr. 
Marcey's valuable services as an educa- 
tor, mention will be made elsewhere, 
while, for adecjuate record of Mrs. Mar- 
cey's faithful ministrations as w'ife, moth- 
er, missionary-worker and philanthropist, 
a volume would be required. The par- 
ental pride centered in the beautiful and 
gifted daughter, Mrs. Anna JNIarcey 
Davis, whose memory is still sacredly 
cherished by many friends. 

About this time we find our illustrious 
patriot, Mrs. Jane C. Hoge, not only wise- 
ly guiding and guarding and ministering 
to her ow-n, but also including, in her true 
mother-heart, thousands of semi-mother- 
less boys, wdio, during those crucial }-ears 
of war, watched for her coming, or for 
the result of her loving care, as for an 
angel. Reproducing a statement made 
some years since at the historic "Fore- 
mother's Day in Evanston," we repeat : 
Because our lake-bordered, tree-fringed 
■\'illage was once her home, we place lov- 
ingly on our scroll of honor, the name of 
Mrs. Jane C. Hoge, while just under- 
neath, we trace that of Mrs. Arza Brown, 
the first woman in the United States of 
America to receive the badge of the 
Christian Commission. 



Any thoughts of the philanthropic 
mother include memories of the beautiful 
and hospitable home on Chicago Avenue, 
where the interests of the whole world 
were studied, and so far as possible, aid- 
ed by Mr. and Mrs. Isaac R. Hitt. This 
home is one of the treasured land-marks 
of Evanston. ]\Irs Arza Brown, the pa- 
triotic mother of Mrs. Hitt, included in her 
active interest "A Christian Commission of 
the United States of America ;" Mrs. ]\Iary 
Brown Hitt, the daughter, included in her 
plans missionary service to the whole world. 

\\'hen we assert of Mr. Isaac R. Hitt, 
Mr, .\ndrew J. Brown and other of our 
prominent and influential men, that they 
supplemented and aided their wives in 
public philanthropic work, we record 
their true heroism and self-sacrifice, 
since it required true courage for a lov- 
ing husband to hear and read the oft-time 
bitter criticisms of those days, upon any 
work performed by woman outside of the 
home, even though such service was ren- 
dered for the Church or the State. 

During the years from 1864 to 1867, in- 
clusive, many strong links were forged in 
the chain of helpful influences which was 
to encircle Evanston for generations, 
since many of the children of these rapid- 
ly developing home-shrines are numbered 
amongst the most useful and honored cit- 
izens of the present time. Art, literature, 
science, health, education, philanthropy, 
religion, happiness, beauty and joy 
have been the rich fruitage yielded from 
the homes of Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. 
Grey : Dr. and Mrs. Oliver Marcy ; Dr. 
and ]\Irs. Miner Raymond ; Dr. and Airs. 
O. H. Mann : Rev. and Mrs. Lucius 
H. Bugbee; Mr. and Mrs. L. H. Bou- 
telle ; Air. and Mrs. Andrew J. Brown ; Mr. 
and Airs. Nicholas G. Iglehart ; Mr. and 
Airs. Towner K. ^^'ebster; Air. and Mrs. 
Francis Bradlev; Air. and Airs. Simeon 



3 30 



HOMES AND HOME-MAKERS— 1846-1870 



Farwell; Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Tillinghast ; 
Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Browne; Mr. 
and Mrs. H. F. Clmstead ; Hon. and Mrs. 
Andrew Shuman and Mr. and Mrs. Frank 
L. Winnie. 

Among the earliest patrons of art 
were Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Grey, and the 
carefully selected canvases, which have 
adorned their beautiful and home-like 
familv residence on Forest Avenue, have 
rendered this home center a most attrac- 
tive spot to all art-lovers, while in the 
church and in the beautiful courts 
of philanthropy, they have rendered 
constant, cheerful and most generous 
services. Music and religion were indig- 
enous to the spiritual atmosphere of the 
home of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas G. Igle- 
hart. The records of the Baptist Church 
are replete with the facts of Mrs. Igle- 
hart's abundant helpfulness. 

Abounding cheerfulness, and that true 
hospitality which includes every home- 
sick, lonely stranger, were conspicuously 
characteristic of the home of Mr. Charles 
E. and Mrs. Martha Evarts Browne. No 
literary, musical or artistic prophet, phil- 
anthropist or reformer was without honor 
in Evanston, during the years when Mr. 
and Mrs. Browne lived and served 
amongst us. At one time during the 
year 1869, sixty-nine authors, musicians 
and literateurs were numbered among the 
guests at this home. 

Another home where, for many years, 
one met with a rare hospitality and with 
most beautiful object lessons in high- 
thinking and simple living, was that of 
Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Olmstead. In addi- 
tion to the wise and careful mothering 
of her four sons, Mrs. Olmstead was one 
of the most discriminating and apprecia- 
tive students of philosophy and literature 
amongst our Evanston women, while Mr. 



Olmstead was noted for his business in- 
tegrity. 

If ever a man caused his neighbors and 
friends to walk a flower-strewn path, it 
was Mr. H. C. Tillinghast. His sermons 
in flowers, silently exhaling from the pul- 
pit of more than one church, constantly 
reminded us that "Beauty is the smile of 
God." Mr. and Mrs. Tillinghast have 
been blessed in their home life, and in 
turn blessed the village and the church, 
while children and grandchildren refer to 
them as their richest inheritance. 

How many care lines have faded from 
the faces of an.xious young mothers upon 
the appearance of Dr. O. H. ]Mann. He 
was successful and progressive in his 
medical practice, which included the then 
novel hints and suggestions in regard to 
the prevention of disease by hygienic 
nursing and cheerful surroundings. The 
home of Dr. and Mrs. ]\Iann was the 
scene of generous hospitality both to 
friends and to ideas. 

In the pleasant home of Mr. and Mrs. 
Francis E. Bradley the Congregational 
Cliurch was organized. From it many 
other religious and philanthropic influ- 
ences emanated, and ever the purest atmos- 
phere of culture, refinement and true re- 
ligion permeated this home of beau- 
tiful daughters and obedient sons. For 
many years, this home, together with 
those of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Williams, 
Mr. and Mrs. L. H. Boutelle and Mr. and 
?vlrs. J. H. Kedzie, seemed to be the "so- 
cial annex" to the Congregational 
Church. 

During these years the University, the 
Methodist Church and the Social Circle 
of the village, gladly welcomed Dr. .Miner 
Raymond and his gracious and estimable 
wife, ^Irs. Elizabeth Henderson Ray- 
mond. To the historian of the Universi- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



331 



ty belongs the rich and interesting record 
of the good Doctor's many useful years. 
The memories of the early and faithful 
ministrations of the loving mother belong 
to us all, and are cherished as a rich le- 
gacy by her children and grandchildren, 
as are the more scholarly labors and 
Christian philanthropies of the noble fa- 
ther. 

About this time Mr. E. W. Earned 
came to build the second brick house in 
Evanston, to be the future home of Mr. 
and Mrs. L P. DeCoudres. In the fol- 
lowing year Mr. and Mrs. Earned located 
permanently in Evanston. 

To all appreciating the value of the 
kindergarten and the importance of the 
early years of childhood, a most impor- 
tant and far-reaching event occurred, 
when, in the spring of 1866, Rev. and 
Mrs. Edward Eggleston commenced their 
home-making in our village. Mr. Eggle- 
ston was among the first of our Ameri- 
can fathers to comprehend and appreciate 
the methods and aim of the great Froebel. 
Finding it impossible to obtain a good 
translation of Froebel's songs, he studied 
German for that purpose ; translated the 
songs, built a cottage for the kindergarten 
and taught the kindergartners, and, 
meanwhile, superintended the Methodist 
Episcopal Sunday School, while carrying 
on his literary work. 

Another iimiate of this "Children's 
Home" was a gifted young sister, Miss 
Jane Eggleston, who subsequently be- 
came the wife of Rev. Charles Zimmer- 
man. Mrs. Zimmerman, although pos- 
sessed of unusual intellectual gifts (as 
all who have read her "Gray Heads on 
Young Shoulders" recognize), has been 
far more than a c|uarter of a century a 
most faithful mother and home-maker, as 
Rev. Mr. Zimmerman is one of our enthu- 
siastic reformers. 



In this same year, 1866, much interest 
centered in the arrival of many other 
most interesting families and in the erec- 
tion of some beautiful homes in our 
suburb, notably the residence of Mr. and 
Mrs. \V. N. Brainard, on Hinman Ave- 
nue. The homes of those days, although 
not equaling, in many respects, some of 
the more massive structures of modern 
times, possessed all the essentials of ideal 
homes, namely: large grounds, grassy 
parks shadowed by beautiful trees, flowers, 
books, music, happy children, and genuine 
altruism. In the home of .Mr. and Mrs. 
Brainard, for a quarter of a century, a most 
charming hospitality was dispensed. While 
fulfilling every duty incident to mother- 
hood and home, Mrs. Brainard found time 
for helpful service in the church and in so- 
cial circles, and also for extensive and 
discriminating reading along philosophic 
and spiritual lines, which has caused her 
opinions to be highly valued by all who 
love the good, the beautiful and the true. 
Mr. William X. Brainard served as a 
member of the State Board of Railroad 
and Warehouse Commissioners, and was 
a most public-spirited citizen. 

In this same historic year, still other 
names, destined to be loved and honored 
in Evanston, first became known in 
church, in journalistic and social life. We 
refer to those of Hon. and Mrs. Andrew 
Shuman. As editor of the "Evening 
Journal," of Chicago, and subsequently 
as Lieutenant-Governor of the State, Mr. 
Shuman reflected honor upon the home of 
his adoption, while his wife soon became 
an accepted authority in the most refined 
and intellectual circles. The family 
homestead, embowered in stately ever- 
greens and majestic elms and oaks, was a 
radiating center of many helpful influences. 

In 1867 came such helpful citizens as 
Mr. and Mrs. T. K. Webster. Col. and 



332 



HOMES AXD HOAIE-MAKERS— 1846-1870 



Mrs. E. S. Weeden, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred 
Sewell, Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Gilbert 
— each and all referred to elsewhere. 

Many pleasant memories and much 
loving interest center in the home of 
Professor and Mrs. H. S. Noyes. From 
i860 to 1869 Professor Noyes was the Act- 
ing President of the Northwestern Univer- 
sity, and was ably seconded in his manifold 
duties as parent, educator and citizen, 
by his gifted and accomplished wife. 
What the most ideal home of any college 
President has been to any village have 
been the homes of the Northwestern's 
Presidents to Evanston. In the list, 
which includes such honored names as 
Bishop and Mrs. Foster, Dr. and Mrs. 
Hinman, Professor and Mrs. Noyes, 
Bishop and Mrs. E. O. Haven, Bishop 
and Mrs. Charles Fowler, Dr. and Mrs. Oli- 
ver Marcy, Dr. and Mrs. Cummings, Dr. 
and Airs. Henry Wade Rogers, and Dr. 
and Mrs. Edmund James, we recognize a 
succession of influences which have great- 
ly enriched and ennobled the life and civ- 
ilization of this great Northwest. 

Among the names of influential citi- 
zens which will appear and re-appear in 
the reports of clubs (Philosophical, Edu- 
cational and Social), business enterprises, 
church organizations and village interests, 
are those of, 

Mr. and Mrs. George Reynolds, 
Mr. and Mrs. Heman G. Powers, 
Mr. and Mrs. A. P. Wightman, 
Mr. and Mrs. George ]\I. Huntoon 
(1841), 

Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Paul, 

Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Brown, 

Mr. and Mrs. D. 13. Dewey. 

Mr. and Mrs. Addison de Coudres, 

Major and Mrs. Edward Russell 

(1855), 
Mr. and Mrs. John A. Childs, 
Prof, and Mrs. Julius F. Kellogg, 



Mr. and Mrs. William Wycoff, 
"Deacon" and Mrs. Hill, 
Mr. and J\Irs. Alexander Gunn, 
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Chapman, 
Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Wilder, 
Mr. and Mrs. John A. Lighthall, 
Mr. and Mrs. D. I. Crocker, 
Mr. and Mrs. John Lyman, 
Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Weller, 
Mr. and Mrs. P. G. Siller, 
Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Cone, 
Mr. and Mrs. I. H. Haywood, 
Mr. and Mrs. William C. Comstock, 
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Comstock, 
Mrs. Sarah Roland Childs, 
Mr. and Mrs. Edward S. Taylor, 
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wightman, 
Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Kean, 
Mr. and Mrs. John H. Hamline, 
Mr. and ]\Irs. Thomas Cosgrove, 
Mr. and Mrs. R. S. King, 
Mr. and Mrs. L. C. Pitner, 
Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Burch, 
Mrs. Caroline Murray, 
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred L. Sewell, 
Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Parkhurst, 
:\Ir. and Mrs. David R. Dyche, 
Lewis M. Angle. 

Those wdio would most deplore any 
loss of tenderness or refinement in wom- 
en, or any diminution in love of, or loyal- 
ty to, home or children, as a result of 
more inclusive and public interests, are 
referred to page 236 of " A Classic Town," 
and are requested to study the faces of 
four of Evanston's most illustrious moth- 
ers, housekeepers and home-makers : i. e., 
Mrs. Mary Thompson Willard, Mrs. 
Lucy Bannister, Mrs. Henriette S. Kidder 
and Mrs. Melinda Hamline. Before re- 
ferring to these noble mothers of illustri- 
ous children, we would be glad if Miss 
Frances Willard had given us, on the op- 
posite page of her volume the equally in- 
teresting faces of the fathers in these not- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



333 



able homes: ^Ir. J. G. W'illard ; Rev. 
Henry Bannister, D. D. ; Rev. Daniel 
Kidder, D. D., and Bishop Hamline — for 
in each case, at a glance, one would have 
discovered that in these ideal homes there 
was always found the poet's dream of 
"Two heads in council." The face of 
Mrs. Mary Thompson \\'illard is the first 
of the notable group of home-makers to 
arrest our thought. The story of the life of 
the beloved and honored W'illard family in 
our midst is so familiar that its re-telling 
here is unnecessar}-, and we content our- 
selves with reproducing a single scene. 

On January 3, 1885, one of the most 
notable gatherings ever held in the West 
convened at "Rest Cottage," in recogni- 
tion of the eightieth birthday of "^Madame 
Willard." The father, Mr. J. G. Willard, 
the daughter "Mary" (whose "nineteen 
beautiful years" have been so beautifully 
photographed by her illustrious sister), 
and the brilliant son, Air. Oliver Willartl. 
had all passed to the Spirit Realm; but 
the mother, calm, poised, genial and radi- 
ant with the pure joy resultant from re- 
warded self-sacrifice and great enthusi- 
asms, was still spared to us. Never did 
she seem more truly great than in the dig- 
nified simplicity with which she received 
the homage paid to her, as the noble 
mother of the great daughter. 

Writing of this event at the time, we 
said the very cards of invitation seem 
pregnant with suggestions, although they 
merely hint of the inclusive home-making 
of this great mother. They, however, re- 
mind those who have the entree to this 
veritable "Rest Cottage," of a pleasant 
fact, namely: that here, under one roof, 
divided by an open doorway, are the 
homes of Madame Willard and her 
daughter Frances, and of the beloved 
daughter-in-law. Mary Bannister Wil- 
lard, with her group of children. 



The words written for this occasion by 
Mrs. Mary A. Livermore are so obvious- 
ly true of many fathers and mothers in 
Evanston, that we presume to produce 
them here : 

"My Dear Mrs. Willard: 

"I have come to know you through 
your children. A mother is indeed hon- 
ored, whose children rise up and call her 
'blessed.' I also call you blessed ; not 
alone because of your children, but be- 
cause you have learned so well the les- 
sons and mastered so nobly the tasks as- 
signed us here in the first school of the 
soul. Yours truly, 

■■]\Iary A. Livermore." 

Equally appropriate are the lines writ- 
ten for this occasion by the dearly loved 
adopted daughter of this home, Miss 
Anna Gordon : 

"We join tonight to honor one, 
\A'hose crown of eighty years 

Reflects a faith that's born of love, 
A hope that conquers fears. 

"A life enriched by blessed deeds, 
All through its blessed days ; 

A soul that, e'en in darkest hours, 
.Still sings its song of praise." 

Many parents, themselves deprived of 
early advantages, congratulating their 
children or grandchildren who enjoy the 
glorious opportunities of the "present," 
re-echo the words of this grateful moth- 
er: "Your opportunity is my pleasure; 
your duty is my delight." 

Isabel Somerset (Lady Henry) in the 
"Rest Islander,'' has preserved for us this 
picture : 

"In October, 1891, I stood for the first 
time on the platform of the railway sta- 
tion in the "Classic Town of Evanston." 
It was a sunnv, autumn dav. The rare 



334 



HOMES AND HOME-MAKERS— 1846- 1870 



tints of ruby and gold that gleam as sum- 
mer's funeral torches in the glad, new 
world, were flaming in brilliant beauty 
along the shady park-ways of that lovely 
spot on the shores of Lake Michigan. 

"A few minutes later, I was in 'Rest 
Cottage,' as it was then in its complete- 
ness, for since that day, the sun has set 
on that great life that was the center of 
the home circle. Mrs. Willard stood 
there then in the doorway to meet me, 
erect and queenly still, in spite of her 
eighty-six years. She greeted me with 
that gentle kindness that showed at once 
her innate, refined and quiet dignity, and, 
as we sat around the supper-table that 
night, amid the dainty brightness, yet 
simple surroundings of that charming 
home, and later gathered round the open 
hearth in Miss Willard's den, or walked 
next day in the yard with its trees and 
flowers, grape arbor and rustic dove-cote, 
I felt that, in all my wanderings up and 
down the world, I had never found a more 
harmonious home ; a spot in which 
seemed combined the breezy atmosphere 
of the great wide world, with the fragrant 
family life which remained unruffled in 
its holy calm." 

The second picture is that of Mrs. Me- 
linda Hamline. During a Sabbath after- 
noon in the 'sixties, strangers were some- 
times surprised to see numbers of people 
leaving the attractive lakeside home of 
one who was always known as "Mrs. 
(Bishop) Hamline." Curiosity was 
speedily assuaged, however, by the state- 
ment, that these were members of the 
"Bible Class" taught by this gentle, little 
blue-eyed woman, who combined with 
the tenderness of the violet the poise and 
strength of the eternal hills. 

We are told that "the first home that 
the stranger student was invited to enter 
in Evanston between the }ears of 1856 anrl 



1870 was likely to be that of Rev. Dr. and 
Mrs. Daniel Kidder." Miss Willard writes 
in her historical sketch, "That roomy man- 
sion among the trees, so long known as the 
'Hitt Homestead," was one of the first, if 
not the foremost, social center of old-time 
Evanston. Its way was undisputed ; its 
associations were delightful. True Chris- 
tian hospitality has rarely had a more ad- 
equate exponent ; for here were comfort, 
cordiality and culture without luxury, 
fashion or display. The timid girl, work- 
ing her passage through college, salutes 
the distinguished head of the University, 
and the youth who sawed wood or milked 
cows to earn his board, met the rich Chi- 
cago business man without feeling any 
gulf between them." 

We are glad to call attention to the fact 
that this recognition of the true dignity 
of industry was not confined to those ear- 
lier years. During the notable feast of 
oratory incident to the fiftieth birth-day 
of the Northwestern University, no senti- 
ment received greater applause than the 
following voiced by the youngest repre- 
sentative on the programme : "Evanston 
is not ashamed of her college stokers." 

Rev. George E. Strowbridge, another 
of Evanston "s representative children, the 
son of Mr. and Mrs. M. M. Conwell, writing 
of this home, after referring to the most 
generous hospitality of Dr. and Mrs. Kid- 
der, says: "It was of incalculable benefit to 
those whose opinions were then forming, 
that this 'home,' with its large library 
lined with well chosen books, its roomy 
parlors and its broad piazza on which we 
delighted to promenade when summer 
nights were fair and sweet, brought to 
our young hearts the conception of Christ 
and Christians as a social force." 

The fourth face upon this interesting 
page is that of Mrs. Lucy K. Bannister, 
another mother of notable children and 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



335 



grandchildren, philanthropists, litera- 
teurs, musicians, authors. In this home 
we find the father ever a most potent fac- 
tor, since, whenever Dr. Henry Bannister 
presided, there was a recognized "Mc- 
Gregor at the head of the table." Friends, 
pupils, citizens, attest to the good influ- 
ences constantly emanating from this 
home. Our Common Schools, "Free Li- 
brary," The "Philosophical Association" 
and the "Temperance Alliance," each 
found in Dr. Bannister a most helpful 
friend ; while he, in time, sought and 
found his inspiration and help in the 
beautiful and spiritual woman who, for 
half a century, was the light of his home. 

We have previously referred to the pleas- 
ant home of Rev. and Mrs. C. P. Bragdon 
(the latter a sister of Dr. Bannister), 
where were developing into helpful man- 
hood and womanhood another group of 
children, who were to render this name 
historic in the annals of Evanston. 

Having written and quoted the fore- 
going in regard to these notable home- 
makers, our attention is arrested by a 
page containing another group of names 
almost equally notable as mothers, liter- 
ateurs, poets and philanthropists. This 
is the page on which appear the portraits 
of Mrs. Mary B. WiUard, Mrs. I. R. Hitt, 
Mrs. E. E. Marcey and Mrs. Emily Hunt- 
ington Miller. As one thinks of that 
slight figure of Mrs. Miller, in those earli- 
er days, so beautifully administering her 
home; then, of her contributions to the 
"Little Corporal," still later of accep- 
table lectures at Chautauqua, one wonders 
at her strength. Then, as we revert 
in thought to the herculean work and pe- 
tite stature of Frances Willard, of the 
work of Mary B. Willard, Mrs. Marcey 
and others, all small of stature, we are re- 
minded of one of Mrs. Mary Livermore's 
stories, which she prefaced with the state- 



ment, "Oh, the power of these little wom- 
en!" She stated that when she called a 
meeting of women in Chicago, to counsel 
with them in regard to the name of a 
journal she was thinking of publishing, 
some large woman who appeared to be 
physically able to overturn a State, would 
rise, and, in the softest, gentlest tones 
would say: "Madame Chairman, I move 
that the paper be called the 'Morning 
Light' or the "Dawn of Day.' " Then, 
some little woman would arise and in 
clear, unmistakeable tones would say, "O 
do not vote for 'The Dawn of Day,' or 
'Morning Light,' but for the 'Revolution' 
or the 'Agitator.' " 

Just at this point we would ask permis- 
sion to explain that, if in this record of 
home-making, the work of the fathers does 
not always receive equal emphasis with 
that of the mothers, it is because the fa- 
thers are to appear in other records. 

In almost every one of the homes men- 
tioned there were, from the beginning, 
imperious duties and interests requiring 
the joint action of Ijoth parents. It would 
be a labor of love to allow this chapter to 
-enlarge into a volume, and to chronicle 
the name, not only of every pioneer, but 
the name and fame of all the beloved "la- 
ter arrivals," but that pleasure must be 
enjoyed by some future historian. 

The necessary limits of this fragmentary 
sketch prevent other than the briefest 
reference, especially to such names as will 
appear in specific records of churchly, edu- 
cational, industrial and philanthropic in- 
terests. However, in gleaning from the 
facts of road-making, house, church 
and school building, the manifold altruis- 
tic and philanthropic plans devised by 
these fathers and mothers (surrounded by 
their groups of little children) ; one is re- 
minded of the story of Bernini, the cele- 
brated Italian Master. L'pon one occa- 



336 



HOMES AND HOME-MAKERS— 1846-1870 



sion, this versatile genius gave a public 
opera in Rome, for which, as Vasari tells 
us, "he built the theater, painted the scen- 
ery, invented the engines, composed the 
music and wrote the poem." 

We greet the children and grandchil- 
dren of these pioneers in every honorable 
occupation to-day ; in business, litera- 
ture, science, music, the drama, art, phil- 
osophy and religion, and as we greet 
them thus, we re-affirm the thought that 
nothing pays so well as wise, loving, true 
and faithful parenthood. 

Surely the notable and useful children 
and grandchildren who have emerged 
from these homes, were developed in an 
atmosphere of plain living and high 
thinking, since, in 1853, the taxable prop- 
erty of Evanston was assessed at six hun- 
dred dollars, and we find on the ta.x-list 
of that year, the names of George Hun- 
toon, Eli Gaffield, William Foster, Paul 
Pratt, Mrs. Pratt, O. A. Grain and 
Charles Grain. 

Mrs. Beveridge reports a church serv- 
•ice in 1854, at which all but three of the 
women appeared in the old time sun-bon- 
nets, and the clerical dress of the pastor 
consisted of blue cotton "overalls," 

Judging from the helpful lives of the 
children of these simpler homes, we are 
convinced that the foundations of our 
beautiful Evanston were laid by those 
who had learned "the true secret of cul- 
ture," thus beautifully defined by the 
"Concord Sage :" 

"The secret of culture is to learn that a 
few great points steadily re-appear, alike 
in the poverty of the obscurest farm and 
in the miscellany of metropolitan life, and 
that these few are alone to be regarded, 
namely : the escape from all false ties ; 
courage to be what we are and to love 
what is simple and beautiful ; independ- 
ent and cheerful relations. These are the 



essentials ; these, and the wish to serve, to 
add somewhat to the well-being of man." 

A charming story could be written 
concerning the distinguished guests who 
have been welcomed to these homes. A 
list including such names as those of 
Abraham Lincoln, who was entertained 
by General and Mrs, Julius White; Lady 
Henry Somerset, of England ; Susan B. 
Anthony, A. Bronson Alcott, Presidents, 
Bishops, literateurs. Judges, poets, phil- 
osophers, scientists, statesmen and phil- 
anthropists, ad infinitum. 

^Ve also delight to record that our 
somewhat too puritanic Evanston of the 
"airly days," was at times capable of 
great enthusiasms, and we gladly repro- 
duce the picture of a most unusual scene 
preserved for us by Miss Willard, in con- 
nection with a charming biographical 
sketch of Bishop Simpson and his wife, 
and of their three years' residence here. 
She writes : 

"While he lived in Evanston, i860 to 
1863, the Bishop's official duties called 
him to California, and half the town 
formed in procession going with him to 
the train, an honor never before or since 
accorded to mortal, that I know of, by 
our staid and thoroughly equipoised Ev- 
anstonians. \\'hen he returned, coming 
all the awful distance overland by stage, 
and in peril of the Indians a large part of 
the way, we all turned out again, and car- 
rying the Bragdon melodeon and led by 
the Ludlam voices, we young folks ser- 
enaded our revered chief with, 

'Home again, home again. 
From a foreign shore !' " 

Difficult, as it doubtless is, for their de- 
scendants to realize the manifold self- 
sacrifices, the anxieties and discourage- 
ments of pioneer life, yet do not those 
who have lived to enjoy the luxuries of 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



337 



"apartments," "steam-heat" or "Yaryan" ; 
of butlers' pantries," and modern "recep- 
tions," often revert to the good old-fash- 
ioned open fires, the old-fashioned fami- 
ly singing or the neighborhood singing 
school, and the blessed old-fashioned tea- 
parties, when there was leisure for high- 
thinking and opportunity to express one's 
thoughts ; when the patriotism of the 
home and the public spirit of the fathers and 
mothers were manifested in the children 
and over-flowed into the groves, at least 
once a year, on the Fourth of July? 

If, added to those conscious pleasures, 
some seer or prophet could have appeared 
and voiced some such words as the fol- 
lowing, would not the ever-recurring dai- 
ly duties have been performed with added 
joy? "Congratulations, good friends!" 
must have been the exclamations, as upon 
the "screens prophetic" were thrown, in 
rapid succession, scenes from the future 
lives of some of these growing, question- 
ing children. Suppose we could have 
foreseen Frances E. Willard presiding in 
England's capitol over a World's Temper- 
ance Convention ; General and Mrs. Bev- 
eridge "receiving" at the executive man- 
sion at Springfield ; Hon. Lyman J. Gage 
serving as a member of the United States 
Cabinet at Washington ; Mrs. Emily 
Huntington Miller reading her poems, or 
serving as a Trustee of the Northwestern 
University : Mary Bannister Willard as a 
beloved teacher in Germany's capital : 
Kathryn Kidder receiving plaudits incident 
to her success upon the histrionic stage ; 
and Harry Boutell serving in State and Na- 
tional legislative halls. 

Imagine the joy of the aged parents of 
our notable architect, Mr. D. H. Burn- 
ham, could they have foreseen him, 
crowned with the knowledge of having 
aided in creating that diapason of archi- 
tecture, the Court of Honor, at the Co- 



lumbian Exposition ! Or, how the hearts 
of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Brown — who, 
for almost half a century, have lived and 
served so faithfully in the home and the 
church — would have been thrilled, could 
they have foreseen their beautiful and 
gifted daughter, Mrs. Jessie Brown Hil- 
ton, voicing, with womanly earnestness, 
her helpful thoughts and suggestions to 
listening mothers throughout the State ! 
It could but have pleased Dr. and Mrs. 
N. S. Davis, could they have glimpsed the 
interesting scene in connection with the 
inauguration of Dr. James as President 
of "Northwestern University," when, in 
manly bearing and clearness of thought, 
their son should stand almost peerless 
among many of the leading educators of 
the world. 

Would that Elder and Mrs. Boring 
could have foreseen the varied activities 
of their children in church, philanthropy 
and in the home; and that Mr. and Mrs. 
William G. White could have imaged to 
their loving, parental eyes the manifold 
and helpful influences their children were 
to set afloat in our schools and homes ; 
that Mrs. Way could have foreseen the 
ever-increasing usefulness of the College 
Cottage for which she did so much, or 
Mr. Charles Way, the fond father and co- 
operating home-maker, could have seen 
his daughter, IMrs. Catherine Way Mc- 
IMullen, presiding over the Illinois Con- 
gress of Mothers, ably assisted in every 
good word and work by her husband, Mr. 
Roger McMullen. Could these things 
have been foreseen, every cloud of discon- 
tent would have melted before the sun- 
shine of gratitude. 

With the exodus to Evanston, which 
occurred as a result of the great fire of 
1871, a new life dawned upon our hereto- 
fore almost idyllically peaceful village. 
New interests were developed, new meth- 



338 



HOMES AND HOME-MAKERS— 1846-1870 



ods introduced, new social circles formed 
and the village began to assume some 
of the desirable, as well as some of 
the undesirable, aspects of a city. To 
those who saw with regret the magnifi- 
cent oak trees dying, the optimists 
pointed out the more regular parks, fringed 
with rapidly growing elms and the glow- 
ing maples ; to those who saw, with re- 
gret, the beautiful grounds surrounding 
the homes of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Brown, 
Mr. Piirington, General and Mrs. Ducat, 
being divided into small city lots, the 
same cheerful friends replied : "Ah ! but 
think of the beautiful homes that are be- 
ing builded, and the charming people who 
are coming to reside in them." To those 
who would lament the loss of the "big 
woods," where the violets and hepaticas 
grew in such abundance, the reply would 
be made — "Rejoice in the beautiful 
sward that forms such a perfect setting 
to hundreds of homes." 

The fame of Evanston, as a city of 
beautiful homes, became so wide-spread 
that fathers and mothers who desired to 
secure for their children educational advan- 
tages and the environment of a moral and 
temperate community, came in such num- 
bers that some future historian must devote 
volumes to the record of their manifold 
services. 

Recognizing, as we do, "the beautiful 
times we are in." and the value of the rich 
inheritance enjoj-ed by the children of 
the present generation, let us highly re- 
solve, here, in our truly beautiful, lake- 
bordered, tree-fringed, flower-crowned 
Evanston, to build such a monument to 
these pioneer home-makers as has never yet 
been attempted, namely, a city in zvhich 
there cannot be found a neglected or friend- 
less child. If, in those early days, there was 
money enough, wisdom enough, time 
enough, Christianity enough and love 



enough to build the libraries, the schools, 
the colleges, the railroads and the churches, 
there is now money enough, wisdom 
enough, time enough, Christianity enough 
and love enough to make life for every 
child within our borders full of blessedness, 
opportunity and joy. ' 

From the beginning of its history, 
Evanston has offered almost ideal condi- 
tions for true home-making. The great 
University has offered rare educational 
facilities for every lad and lassie. The 
wise legislation which has resulted in ren- 
dering the village peculiarly free from 
the temptations incident to the liquor 
traffic ; its proximity to a great city, and 
the spiritual and educational influences 
which have predominated, have made it 
"beautiful for situation" and greatly to be 
desired. 

While in every village and locality one 
finds a certain coterie of influential people 
and home makers, in Evanston this coterie 
has been so unusually large that the pres- 
ent historian is limited to the merest cat- 
alogue of names of those who, with their 
descendants, have made the name of our 
village known throughout the world. 

Those early days were enriched by the 
most helpful co-operation of friends and 
neighbors, "in sickness and in health," 
in feasting and fasting, in poverty and in 
wealth. We have referred to the cheerful 
services of Mr. John A. Pearsons as the 
first choir master; the future historian 
will record the years of cheerful service, 
subsequently given by Mr. O. H. Mer- 
win. Mr. Merwin and Mrs. Bannister 
Merwin were one of the young couples 
who arrived just in time to be entered 
upon the Pioneer Roll of Honor, together 
with our gifted Prof. Robert Cumnock 
and his wife. 

Notwithstanding the manifold and im- 
perious home duties of these useful home- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



339 



builders, the true club spirit was manifested 
as early as 1864, when, in the spacious 
and hospitable home of Mr. and Mrs. 
Charles Comstock, the "Eclectic Club" 
was organized. In a more truly inclusive 
spirit than the name indicates, every al- 
ternate week witnessed a hospitality 
which included a genuine flow of soul 
as well as a reasonable feast. This inter- 
esting story, however, belongs to the rec- 
ord of Club Life. 

While the village life was remarkably 
free from "cliques," or divisions, and 
while, upon all important occasions the 
entire community seemed to be of one 
household, yet about this time, owing 
to geographical reasons and the limita- 
tions of the home-parlor, the social and 
literary life seemed to be forming around 
two centers. One such center was the 
University and the rapidly enlarging 
Methodist Church ; another seemed to 
have as a nucleus the Episcopal Church 
and the "Eclectic Club." 

Thus, while one group of friends en- 
thusiastically recall the good old times 
enjoj'ed in the pleasant homes of Mr. and 
Mrs. Charles Comstock, Hon. and Mrs. 
H. B. Hurd, :\rr. and Mrs. William Page, 
Mr. and Airs. L. C. Pitner, Mr. and Airs. 
George Watson, Mr. and Mrs. George 
Purington, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Cos- 
grove, Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Burch, Mr. and 
Mrs. George Bliss, Air. and Airs. R. H. 
King, Air. and Airs. J. J. Parkhurst, Gen. 
and Airs. Julius White and Air. and Airs. 
William Blanchard, another will claim that 
never were there such gatherings of 
charming people as those enjoyed in the 
homes of Dr. and Airs. Judson, Rev. and 
Airs. Bragdon, Dr. and Airs. Ludlam, Air. 



and Airs. T. C. Hoag, Dr. and Airs. Ban- 
nister, Air. and Mrs. Isaac R. Hitt, Air. 
and Airs. J. AI. Williams, Mr. and Airs. 
Francis Bradley, Air. and Airs. W. N. 
Brainard, and Air. and Airs. Andrew Shu- 
man. \\'hile some homes have surpassed 
others in richness of tapestries, draperies, 
marbles and pictures, yet in almost every 
one are to be found well selected libraries, 
flowers, good music, high thinking and al- 
truistic service. 

This limited record is submitted to the 
citizens and home-makers of our beautiful 
Evanston, with the hope that even the 
fragmentary glimpses herein revealed 
may cause many to rejoice in the vast 
amount of good, helpful and inspiring in- 
fluence that may emanate from a single 
home. 

With grateful memories for each and 
all of these pioneers may we conclude by 
uniting in a "Lang Syne" recognition and 
consecration. 

Then here's to Love, and Joy, and Truth 

And Beauty everywhere ; 
The cornerstones on which we build 

Our Temple rich and rare. 

For bairnies of all time, my dears. 

For bairnies of all time — 
We'll keep a cup o' kindness here 

For bairnies of all time. 

These crystal walls of living light 

Reflect, from base to dome, 
How faithfully we're building here 

Love's Temple of the Home. 

For bairnies of all time, my dears, 

For bairnies of all time — 
Then keep a cup o' kindness here 

For bairnies of all time. 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



Early Methodist Services in Grosse Point 
District — First Methodist Episcopal 
Church Organised — Some of the Pioneer 
Preachers — Influence of the Coming of 
Garrett Biblical Institute and Xorthwest- 
ern Uniirrsity — Notable Ministers of a 
Later Date — Central M. E. Church — List 
of Pastors — Norivegian-Danish and 
Szvedish M. E. Churches — Hemenway, 
Whcadon and Emmanuel Churches — 
First Baptist Church — Its Founders and 
List of Pastors — History of Presbyterian- 
ism — First and Second Presbyterian 
Churches — Pastors and Auxiliary So- 
cieties — St. Mark's Episcopal Church 
— List of Pastors — St. Matthew s Mis- 
sion — St. Mary's Catholic Church, 
Schools and Related Associations — Con- 
gregational Church and Au.viliary Or- 
gani::ations — Bethlehem German Ei'an- 
gelical, Norzvegian-Danish and Swedish 
Lutheran Churches — Evanston Chris- 
tian Church and Its History — Church 
of Christ (Scientist). 

(The matter in the following chapter devoted 
to general church history, is arranged in chron- 
ological order as related to individual church 
organizations, but under independent heads.) 

METHODIST CHURCHES 

<By F. D. RAYMOND) 

First Methodist Episcopal Church. — 

The earliest preaching of Methodist cir- 



cuit-riders in the territory called "Grosse 
Point," of which I have knowledge, was 
in the home of George W. Huntoon, on 
Ridge Avenue, near Main Street, during 
the period from 1838 to 1843. These 
services were occasional and were usually 
held on Tuesday evenings. In the sum- 
mer of 1846, Rev. Edward D. Wheadon 
and Rev. Solomon F. Denning were as- 
signed to an extensive circuit which in- 
cluded Grosse Point, and in turn they 
preached at the Grosse Point School 
House — a log structure standing in the 
the burial ground at the corner of Ridge 
Avenue and Greenleaf Street. Other 
preachers from Fort Dearborn sometimes 
supplied the pulpit. 

In 1850 the town of Ridgeville was or- 
ganized and thereafter that log school house 
was in the town of Ridgeville. The land 
in the town of Ridgeville, purchased by 
the Northwestern University, was platted 
as "Evanston" in the winter of 1853-54. 
The school house was outside the plat. The 
spring of 1854 saw the arrival of several 
Methodist families, among them the fami- 
lies of John A. Pearsons, Rev. Philo Jud- 
son (the University agent), John L. Bev- 
eridge, James B. Colvin and A. Dai'iks. 
Soon after his arrival Mr. Judson organized 
a Methodist class, the nucleus of a Meth- 
odist church, of which George VV. Huntoon 
was appointed leader; and on July 13, 
1854, the first quarterly conference for Ev- 



341 



342 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



anston charge was held by Presiding Elder 
John Sinclair, "at the log school house in 
the town of Ridgeville." Some time prior 
to that date a Sunday school had been or- 
ganized at the school house, of which 
Abram Wigglesworth was Superintendent, 
and at that time Rev. John G. Johnson was 
preaching there by appointment of the Pre- 
siding Elder. Philo Judson and J. G. John- 
son, preachers, and George W. Huntoon. 
class leader, were the members of that first 
quarterly conference. The Sunday school 
was reported as having thirteen officers and 
teachers and eighty-four scholars. John L. 
Beveridge, A. Danks and J. B. Colvin were 
elected stewards and Abram Wigglesworth 
was elected Superintendent of the Sunday 
school. Mr. Johnson was recommended to 
the Annual Conference for admission to the 
itinerary connection ; evidently he was a 
local preacher. He remained at Evanston 
only about six months after the organiza- 
tion of the church. Mr. Beveridge soon 
succeeded Mr. Wigglesworth as Superin- 
tendent of the Sunday school, but during 
the next year three schools seem to have 
been maintained by this church — one in the 
village plat under Mr. Beveridge, one in 
the aforementioned log school house on the 
South Ridge, in the "Huntoon" district 
under IMr. Danks, and still another conduct- 
ed by Mr. Wigglesworth, in the other log 
school house on the North Ridge, or "Steb- 
bins" district. During subsequent years 
Sunday schools at Winnetka, Glencoe, 
Rockland (Lake Blufif), Deerfield, and 
Bowmanville were tributary to this church. 
January i, 1855, the first building of 
Garrett Biblical Institute — later called 
Dempster Hall — was completed, and the 
preaching services were transferred from 
the school house to the Institute Chapel, 
the Sunday school remaining in the old 
location. Professor P. W. Wright, of the 



Institute, was appointed preacher in 
charge. About May i, 1855, the preach- 
ing services and the Sunday school were 
transferred to the upper story of a build- 
ing erected and owned by ]Mr. Judson. at 
the corner of Davis Street and Orrington 
Avenue. In November of that year 
(1855), the University building was 
opened at the corner of Davis Street and 
Hinman Avenue, and all services were 
transferred from the Judson Building to 
the University Chapel. In September of 
the same year. Rev. John Sinclair, the 
former Presiding Ekler. was appoint- 
ed preacher in charge. In the sum- 
mer of 1856, the first church build- 
ing was erected at a cost of $2,800, at the 
northeast corner of Church Street and 
Orrington Avenue and dedicated July 27th, 
by Rev. John Dempster, D. D., assisted 
by W. D. Godman and Rev. John Sin- 
clair. A. L. Cooper succeeded John Sin- 
clair as pastor in October, 1859. In the 
quarterly conference records of that year, 
the committee appointed to estimate the 
table expenses of the pastor reported that 
he should be allowed $400 for such pur- 
pose, which, with his disciplinary allow- 
ance of $2GO, made $600, the society fur- 
nishing him a house in addition. G. M. 
Huntoon was appointed a committee to 
collect unpaid subscriptions, and was in- 
structed to present (those who, in his 
judgment, could but would not pay the 
same, to the preacher in charge by way of 
complaint for trial. In the autumn of 
1858, Rev. Charles P. Bragdon was ap- 
pointed pastor, and after filling his full 
term of two years' service died in Ev- 
anston on January 8, 1861. 

The records of the Official Board dur- 
ing these pastorates furnish us some in- 
teresting glimpses of old fashioned Meth- 
odism. Cases of delinquency in attend- 
ance upon class-meeting were reported 








S 




t» 








m 




H 




X 












O 








X 




•-; 




n 




h-" 








<— • 




!« 




n 




a 









HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



343 



and discussed, and committees were ap- 
pointed to labor with the dehnquents 
and report at the next meeting. Commit- 
tees were appointed to investigate, adjust if 
possible and report upon cases of disagree- 
ment between members of the church, also 
to investigate and report upon cases of ques- 
tionable financial dealings on the part of 
certain members, all of which reports 
were set out in full in the records. The 
committee appointed to investigate the 
affairs of Brother B., in connection with 
the failure of the banking firm of which 
he was a member, reported that there ap-, 
peared no just cause of complaint against 
him. Brother and Sister S. were tried 
and expelled from the church for breach 
of rules in not attending class meeting. 
Dr. \V. was tried and sentenced to be ad- 
monished by the pastor for buying, 
through a third party, a judgment against 
himself, thereby depriving his creditor of 
part of his just due. Sister T. and Broth- 
er W., two of the younger members 
of the church, were deemed disorderly 
in having engaged in dancing at a 
picnic "on or about" the 4th of July, 
and were called upon to acknowledge 
their fault and do so no more. Probation- 
ers were dropped in blocks, for neglecting 
class-meeting, some of them being rein- 
stated again and again. 

The Board resolved that they would 
sustain the preacher in charge in strictly 
enforcing the disciplinary requirement, 
that members should attend class, and 
instructed the secretary to read the reso- 
lutions in the public congregation on the 
following Sabbath. 

The class leaders of those days were : L. 
Clifford, J. W. Clough, A. C. Stewart, A. 
Vane, William Triggs, F. H. Benson, John 
Fussey, G. W. Reynolds, I Smith, P. Jud- 
son, S. Springer, and H. S. Noyes. 

In i860 Rev. R. K. Bibbins was ap- 



pointed pastor and remained one year, 
being succeeded by Rev. J. R. Goodrich. 
In 1862, Rev. O. H. Tiffany. D. D., came 
to the pastorate, widely known as one 
of the finest orators that the Methodist 
Episcopal Church has known. During 
his pastorate the church building was en- 
larged, so that it assumed the form of a 
Greek cross. 

In the autumn of 1864, Rev. Miner Ray- 
mond, D. D., Professor of Systematic 
Theology in the Garrett Biblical Insti- 
tute, was appointed pastor. He served 
the church ably for three years and was 
succeeded by Rev. W. C. Dandy, D. D., 
in October, 1867. Plans were discussed 
for a new church, and committees ap- 
pointed for that purpose. Much discus- 
sion and dift'erence of opinion were en- 
countered in determining the location of 
the new edifice. It was not until Octo- 
ber, 1869, that they settled on the corner 
of Hinman Avenue and Church Street, a 
site donated by the Northwestern Uni- 
versity, adjoining the lot on which the par- 
sonage had been built foiir years before. 
Dr. Dandy was made Presiding Elder 
in 1869, and Rev. James Baume was 
appointed pastor of the church. The 
corner-stone of the new edifice was 
laid with appropriate ceremonies, July 
4, 1870. The lecture room was dedi- 
cated September 24, 1871, when a sub- 
scription of $20,597 was raised to cover 
the cost of the building in excess of pre- 
vious subscriptions up to that point. The 
value of these subscriptions was much af- 
fected by the Chicago fire, in October 
of that year, which postponed the day of 
liquidation. In October, 1872, Rev. M. 
C. Briggs, D. D., was transferred to Ev- 
anston from Cincinnati. During his pas- 
torate the church was finished and dedi- 
cated at a cost of $63,837.73, and a large 
organ provided at a cost of $4,500. 



344 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



In December, 1875, R^^. J. B. Went- 
vvorth, D. D., was transferred from New 
York and stationed at the First Church, 
Evanston. He is described as an intellec- 
tual giant and a great theologian who 
often preached over the heads of his con- 
gregation. During his pastorate the la- 
dies of the church, under the leadership 
of Airs. E. E. Marcey and IVIrs. Jane Peek, 
began a systematic collection of funds, 
which resulted in reducing the debt fully 
$8,000. 

Rev. R. M. Hatfield, D. D., was ap- 
pointed pastor in 1877, and served the 
full time allowed by the laws of the 
church. In October, 1880, Rev. Amos W. 
Patten succeeded to the pastorate, re- 
maining three years. During his admin- 
istration, and largely by his efforts, the 
last of the building debt was provided 
for by subscription, on September 23, 
1882, when at a banquet in the church 
parlors arranged by the trustees. $14,200 
was subscribed for the payment of the 
funded debt. By subsequent solicitation 
this was increased to $18,000, and, on 
September 6, 1884, the final payment of 
the funded debt was made, and the mort- 
gage on the church property released. 
The period of the building of the new 
church and the payment of the building 
debt was one of great activity on the part 
of the trustees. Those who served as trus- 
tees and bore the grievous burdens of the 
office during those days were: 

Elected in 1868-L. P. Hamline, W. H. Lunt, 
D. P. Kidder, E. Haskin, L. J. Gage, A. J. 
Brown, O. Huse, E. Russell; 1869 — E. A. 
Gage, W. T. Woodson, J. S. Kirk, J. L. Bev- 
eridge, O. Marcy; ISTO — E. O. Haven. S. A. 
Matteson; 1873— W. B. Phillips, I. R. Hitt, N. 
S. Davis. A. B. Jackson; 1876— W. C. Wilson, 
H. V. Smith. M. C. Bragdon. J. D. Easter; 
1878 — Chas. Munson, Wm. Deering; 1882 — T. 
H. Traver, E. S. Taylor. 

Trustees elected since 1884 have been: 1S86 
— O. E. Haven, G. M. Sargent, W. H. Jones, 
D. Bonbright, H. R. Wilson. C. B. Congdon; 
1888— H. H. Gage; 1892— P. R. Shumway; 



1900— W. H. Whitehead; 1901— W. G. Hoag, 
I. G. Hatcher; 1903— E. P. Clapp. 

Rev. Lewis Curts succeeded Dr. Pat- 
ten in October, 1883. One j'ear later. 
South Evanston was put on a circuit sys- 
tem with the First Church, and Dr. 
Ridgaway and Dr. Terry were associat- 
ed with him in the pastorate. In October, 
1885, Dr. Ridgaway was appointed acting 
pastor and, assisted by Dr. Bennett, served 
until the following March, when Rev. 
S. F. Jones, D. D., was appointed pastor, 
being succeeded in October, 1890, by Rev. 
W. S. Studley, D. D. Dr. Studley died at 
Evanston, February 27, 1893. During his 
pastorate the conference collections reached 
the highest point to which they have attained 
in the history of the Church. After the 
death of Dr. Studley and until the annual 
conference in October following. Dr. 
Chas. J. Little, President of Garrett Bib- 
lical Institute, was acting pastor. During 
that summer the parsonage was recon- 
structed at a cost of about $4,500, and fif- 
teen hundred dollars was spent in refur- 
nishing. In October, 1893, Rev. Frank 
M. Bristol, D. D., was appointed pastor, 
and remained nearly five years until the 
spring of 1898, when on his departure 
for Washington, D. C, Dr. Little again 
assumed the duties of acting pastor. Dur- 
ing that summer the church was redecor- 
ated and refurnished and the parsonage 
partly refurnished, at a cost of $6,000. 
In September, 1898, Rev. William Alaca- 
fee, D. D., came to the pastorate and re- 
mained five years. In January, 1901, the 
organ built by the Austin Organ Com- 
pany at a cost of $12,500, was completed 
and in October of that year the Annual 
Conference met a second time in Evanston, 
the first time being in Dr. Jones' pastorate. 
In closing his pastorate in October, 1903, 
Dr. Macafee reported to the Annual Confer- 
ence benevolent contributions amounting to 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



345 



over $19,000. which, with the expenses of 
the church, made a total of over $31,000 for 
the year. In October. 1903. Rev. Dr. T. P. 
Frost was appointed pastor, which pastorate 
continues at this writing to the great sat- 
isfaction of his people. 

The following is a complete list of the 
Sunday School Superintendents of the 
First Church since 1855 : 



Elected 


Superintendent 


Assistant Supt. 


1856 


.J. L. BeverldKe 




1859 


F. H. Benson 


T. C. Hoag 


1859 


P. Judsnn 


G. M. Huntoon 


1860 


H. S. Noyes 


G. M. Huntoon 


1860 


B. T. Vincent 


G. M. Huntoon 




B. T. Vincent 


J. L. Beveridge 


1860 


F. D. Hemenway 


.1. L. Beverldge 


1861 


J. L. Beveridi^e 


H. L. Stewart 


1861 


W. Taplin 


G. M. Huntoon 




W. Tapliii 


W. A. Spencer 




W. Taplin 


A. C. I.ynn 


1862 


E. S. Taylor 


Q. E. Strowbridge 


1863 


H. B. Kurd 


G. E. Strowbridge 


1864 


E. S. Taylor 


A. L. Sewell 


1865 


W. A. Spencer 


W. E. Clifford 


1866 


L. .T. Gage 


P. B. Shumway 


1866 


K. S. Taylor 


P. B. Shumway 


1867 


Edward Eggleston 


L. H.Bugbee 




Edward Ej;gle.«toii 


L. J. Gage 




Edward EsKleston 


W. T, Shepherd 


1870 


W. T. Shepherd 


L. a. Gage 




W. T. Shepherd 


W. M. Wyckoff 




W. T. Shepherd 


Mrs. Gillespie 


1872 


J. E. Miller 


W. T. Shepherd 




J. E. Miller 


W. M. Wyckoff 




J. E. Miller 


J. -J. Crist 


1877 


H. F. Fisk 


Wm. Deering 




H. F. Fisk 


F. D Raymond 


1881) 


r. P. Crandon 


F. D. Raymond 




F. P. Crandon 


T. H. Traver 




F. P. CrandoTi 


H. H. C. Miller 


1892 


0. B. Congdon 


C. B. Atwell ' 


1892 


C. M. Stuart 


G. A. Coe 




C. M. Stuart 


C. B. CongdoQ 


1S94 
1S96 


W. H. Dunham 
B. D. Caldwell 








1896 


R. H. Johnston 






1897 


W. E. O'Kane 


.J. A. Burhans 


1899 


L. G. Westgate 


C. M. Stuart 


1900 


T. F. Uolgate 


U. S. Giant 


1902 
1904 


W. H. Dunham 
A. L. Lindsey 




W. H. Dunham 



The following is a complete list of per- 
sons who have served the First Church as 
Stewards — the date given being that of 
first election : 

18.54— A. Danks, J. B. Colvin, J. L. Bever- 
idge: lSo5 — H. S. Noyes; 1S56 — G. W. Rey- 
nolds, G. ^I. Huntoon; 1858 — J. \V. Ludlam. 
T. C. Hoag, Geo. F. Foster, Hiram Clark 
(Northfield circuit); 18.59 — W. T. Woodson, G. 
H. Bliss, W. P. Jones, Jr.; 1860 — John 



Evans, William Gamble, E. Haskin ; 1862 — 
J. A. Pearsons, J. F. Willard, A. C. Lang- 
worthy; 1S6S— H. B. Hurd, A. Vane, O. Mar- 
cy; 1867- A. J. Brown, L. J. Gage, W. H. 
l.unt. A. J. Hanchette. A. L. bewell; 1868 — L. 
P. Hamline; ISTO- O. Huse; 1871— E. New- 
man; 1872— .\. B. Jackson, 1. R, Hitt. S. P. 
Lunt. W. M. Wyckoff. H. A. Pearsons; 1873- 
E. A. Clifford; 1S74— R. Baird; 1875— Wm. 
Deering, J. E. Miller; 1876— J. J. Parkhu'st, 
L. C. Pitner, J. H. Raymond; 1877 — S. Fa.-well, 
H. S. Carhart. C. E. Wiswall ; 1878— F. D. 
Raymond, H. H. C. Miller; 1880- D. R. 
Dyche; 1881— O. E. Haven; 1883- F. P. Cran- 
don; 1884- W. H. Whitehead, X. W. Har.is, 
L. C. Tallmadge. E. S. Weeden ; 1885- R. B. 
McMuUen; 1886— M. H. Bass. F. A. Fletcher; 
18S7— G. G. Calkins; 1888— G. .\. Foster; 1890 
—J. F. Ward; 1892- .\. L. Butler. I. Bailey; 
1893— W. A. Dyche; 1894 — R. R. McCabe, B. 
D. Caldwell; 1895- T. M. Hubbard. W. M. 
Scott, J. R. Fitch; 1896- J. C. Shaffer; 1899— 
B. F. Crawford; 1900- C. N. Stevens, A. F. 
Townsend; 1901— W. J. Morphy; 1903— R. E. 
Barrett. H. B. Prentice. 

Central Street M. E. Church.— At the 

cjuarterly conference of the First Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church, held August 9, 
1870, a resolution was adopted approving 
of the setting off of North Evanston as a 
separate charge. Pursuant to this action 
Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Warren and Mr. 
John Culver took their letters of member- 
ship from the First Church, and, with 
Rev. E. G. W. Hall, a local preacher, set 
about the organization of the second 
Methodist Episcopal society in Evanston. 
Others joined them, and the society was 
organized on the sixth day of September 
of that year. The first official members 
were : John Culver, A. C. Fulton, D. W. 
Warren, A. F. Kleise, John Picket and 
Joseph McCallum. John Culver was 
Sunday School Superintendent and class- 
leader. Soon after the organization steps 
were taken to secure a site for the erec- 
tion of a building in which to hold service. 
Mr. Culver donated a lot on West Rail- 
road Avenue near Lincoln Street. Rev. 
D. P. Kidder encouraged the enterprise 
bv a very liberal contribution. Further 
pledges being secured of sufficient 
amount to warrant the commencement 



346 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



of building operations, the rear part of 
the church building was finished and oc- 
cupied for some months. The completed 
edifice was dedicated August ii, 1872, 
the property being then valued at $2,500. 
The society worshiped in this building 
until 1891, when the property was sold 
for $1,100, and the lot at the corner of 
Central Street and Prairie Avenue was 
purchased for $1,600. Upon this lot a 
new building was erected at a cost of 
nearly $5,000, and dedicated December 
13, 1891. The improvements added since 
have increased the value of the property 
to about $8,000. 

The following is a list of the pastors of 
this church : 

E. G. W. Hall Sept., 1870 

Wm. Craven Mar., 1871 

Samuel Paine Sept., 1873 

J. J. Tobias Oct., 1875 

Wm. Daws 

T. Van Scoy Oct.. 1876 

R. J. Hobbs ■{ to 

C. E. Lambert | Nov., 1879 

V. F. Brown [ 

A. H. Kistler Nov., 1879 

W. F. Stewart Oct., 1880 

C. H. Zimmerman Oct., 1882 

J. H. Ailing Oct., 1883 

J. E. Farmer Sept., 1884 

E. H. Brumbaugh Oct., 1886 

C. S. Dudley April, 1889 

H. W. Waltz Mar., 1892 

A. S. Haskins June, 1893 

G. P. Sturges Oct., 1898 

R. H. Pate Oct., 1900 

E. G. Schultz Oct., 1902 

Norwegian-Danish M. E. Church. — 

Organized Christian work among the 
Scandinavians in Evanston began in the 
year 1870, when Karl Schou, a native of 
Denmark and a student in the University, 
gathered around him a group of friends 



for Bible study, meeting on Sunday after- 
noons in the Benson Avenue school 
house. From the membership of this 
Bible class a Methodist class was organ- 
ized, which formed the nucleus of a 
church. The number of class members 
increased, and preachers from Chicago 
visited them. At the Annual Conference 
held in Milwaukee, October 9, 1871, 
Bishop Simpson appointed Brother Schou 
pastor of this church. He was also the 
first appointed teacher of a class of young 
men preparing for the ministry, and lead- 
er of one of the two classes into which 
the church was divided, Oliver Hansen 
being leader of the other. The member- 
ship of the church at this time numbered 
thirty-three. 

In the year 1872 the frame building va- 
cated by the First j\I. E. Church was pur- 
chased and moved to the lot on the south 
side of Church Street between Orrington 
and Sherman Avenues, the lot being 
leased from the University. The build- 
ing was repaired, and a parsonage added; 
the whole at a cost of $7,800, part of 
which remained as a debt. In February, 
1873, Brother Schou left Evanston to take 
up the work assigned to him as Superin- 
tendent of the Mission in Denmark. Rev. 
C. W^illerup, the former Superintendent 
of the Mission in Denmark, succeeded 
Brother Schou as pastor of this church 
until the next conference, when B. Johan- 
nessen was appointed pastor. In Octo- 
ber, 1874, the Swedish members of the 
society, desiring services in their own lan- 
guage, withdrew and organized a society 
of their own. 

In October, 1876, M. Nilsen was ap- 
pointed to supply this church ; but his 
work was of brief duration. Before the 
close of the conference year he withdrew 
from the work, and sometime aTterward 
connected himself with the Lutheran 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



347 



church, with whose doctrines he was 
more in accord. Otto Sanaker, a student, 
acted as pastor during the remainder of 
the conference year. At the next con- 
ference C. F. Ehzholtz was appointed to 
the Second church in Chicago and Evan- 
ston. In 1878, Chr. Treider was appoint- 
ed editor of Den Cbristelige Talsmand 
and pastor of the church in Evanston. At 
this time the membership of the church 
numbered thirty-nine in full connection 
and three on probation. 

In October, 1879, Mr. Willerup was ap- 
pointed pastor and remained one year. 
From October, 1880, until September, 
1884, A. Haagensen was pastor of the 
church, and also at the same time editor 
of the church paper before named. B. 
Smith was pastor in 1884 and 1885. 

In November, 1885. \. E. Simonsen, 
being transferred from the Norway Con- 
ference, took up the work as pastor in 
connection with his work as P»»6ident of 
the Norwegian-Danish Theological Sem- 
inary; but the Annual Conference, rec- 
ognizing that his work as teacher de- 
manded his entire attention, appointed 
M. Rye, a student, as pastor in 1886. Bro. 
Rye did faithful work for about a year 
and a half, when failing health compelled 
him to retire. He died in Utah in 1888. 

E. M. Stangland, a student in Garrett 
Biblical Institute, took up the work dur- 
ing the conference year 1888-1889. His 
report to the annual conference showed 
fifty-seven persons in full connection and 
four on probation. G. Anderson received 
his appointment as pastor in September, 
1889; the following February he was 
transferred to San Francisco, Cal. Chr. 
Arndt, a student in the Norwegian-Dan- 
ish Theological School, then became pas- 
tor for sixteen months, when he was suc- 
ceeded by H. P. Berg, assistant teacher 
in the theological school, who served two 



years. During Bro. Berg's pastorate the 
church lot on Clark Street was bought. 
A. Anderson, a student in the Norwegian- 
Danish Theological School, followed Bro. 
Berg, and was pastor two years. 

In 1895 Paul Haugan was appointed 
pastor. At this time the membership 
numbered eighty-eight in full connection 
and eleven on probation. Of seventeen 
pastors up to this time four were teach- 
ers in the theological school, two were 
editors of Den Christcligc Talsmand, 
and six were students in the educational 
institutions in Evanston. Such combina- 
tions of duties were necessary in view of 
the fact that there are not many Norwe- 
gians and Danes in Evanston, and the 
congregation has never been large. Dur- 
ing Bro. Haugan's pastorate the present 
church building on Clark Street was 
erected. He both made the plans for the 
building and superintended the erection. 

In 1897 Gustav Mathesen became pas- 
tor and served until 1901, when he was 
succeeded by Charles J. Johnson, the 
present pastor. 

Swedish M. E. Church. — The society 
organized in the year 1872, of which Karl 
Schou, a Dane, was appointed the first 
pastor — now the Norwegian-Danish M. 
E. Church — was styled the Scandinavian 
Methodist Episcopal Church in Evanston. 
Although the Swedes were in the majori- 
ty, the new society was soon connected 
with the Norwegian-Danish work; and 
the request of the Swedish members to 
have occasional meetings conducted in 
their language being denied them, they 
withdrew and formed a separate society. 
Meetings were first held in Ladd's Hall, 
where quite a revival followed. Later the 
society worshiped in Union Hall, where, 
on October 17, 1874, the church was for- 
mally organized, J. B. Anderson act- 
ing as chairman and Charles J. Wigren 



348 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



as secretary of the meeting. The five 
Trustees elected were : Charles J. \\ ig- 
ren, L. O. Lawson, A. B. Johnson, John 
A. Oberg, and Otto Johnson. The first 
quarterly conference was held the same 
evening, presided over by Rev. A. J. An- 
derson, of Chicago, and J. B. Anderson, 
a theological student, was appointed the 
first pastor. The following year O. J. 
Stead, also a theological student, was ap- 
pointed pastor. During his time the 
church building on the corner of Grove 
Street and Sherman Avenue was erected, 
and dedicated on the nth of June. 1876. 
The cost of the building was $5,000. 
Later a parsonage was built and the en- 
tire property of the church freed from 
debt. 

The following is the complete list of 
pastors: J. B. Anderson, 1874-75: O. J. 
Stead, 1875-76; Wm. Henchen, 1876-77: 
Fr. Ahgren, 1877-78; James T. W'igren, 
1878-79; S. B. Xewman, 1879-82; John 
Lundgren, 1882-83; Albert Ericson, 1883- 
86; N. O. Westergreen, 1886-90; Alfred 
Anderson, 1890-91 ; Richard Cederberg, 
1891-94; O. F. Lindstrum, 1894; Jas. T. 
Wigren, September, 1899; John W. Swen- 
son, September, 1903. 

The present trustees are : Frida Han- 
son, Hanna Barck, Carl Anderson, Leon- 
ard Gustafson, J. A. Holmgren, Tina 
Carlson and Mary Nelson. J. A. Holm- 
gren is Superintendent of the Sunday 
school and Ernest Johnson is President 
of the Epworth League. 

Hemenway M. E. Church. — The Meth- 
odist church in South Evanston had its 
inception in the spring of 1872. Lots for 
a site of a church building were secured 
at the northwest corner of Lincoln Ave- 
nue (now Main Street) and Benson Ave- 
nue. Regular services were held several 
months in a small school house on Ridge 
Avenue just south of Lincoln. The per- 



manent organization of the church was 
effected Thursday evening, July 17, 1873, 
and ground was broken for the first 
church building Tuesday, July 22nd. The 
corner-stone was laid Monday, August 
nth, the religious ceremonies having 
taken place the previous Sunday. The 
church was dedicated Sunday, November 
9, 1873, only the basement being finished. 
About ten years later, on Wednesday, 
May 9, 1883, this building was complete- 
ly demolished by a cyclone. The society 
rallied at once, began rebuilding, wor- 
shiping in the meantime in Ducat's hall. 
The second church edifice was dedicated 
Sunday, November 11, 1883. This struc- 
ture was destroyed by fire early on the 
morning of Saturday, January 2;^. 1886. 
Worship was resumed in Ducat's hall. A 
new location on the east side of Chicago 
Avenue a little north of Lincoln (now 
Main Street) was decided upon, March 
20. 1886. . A lot one hundred and fifty feet 
front, and containing a house suitable for 
a parsonage, was purchased. Ground was 
broken for the new church edifice Satur- 
day, August 28, 1886. The corner-stone 
was laid October 9th, the formal cere- 
monies occurring Sunday, October loth. 
About this time it was decided to call the 
church "Hemenway AL E. Church," in 
honor or Rev. Francis Dana Hemenway, 
D. D., Professor in Garrett Biblical Insti- 
tute, and a former pastor of the church. 
The new church edifice, a substantial 
building of red pressed brick with white 
stone foundations and trimmings, was 
dedicated Sunday, December 25, 1887, 
Rev. T. P. Marsh being the pastor. The 
program of dedication week, beginning 
on the previous Sunday, is interesting as 
showing the names of the men active in 
the Methodist churches about Chicago 
and Evanston at that time. On the first 
Sundav there was preaching in the morn- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



349 



ing by Rev. R. M. Hatfield, D. D., and in 
the afternoon by Rev. Frank M. Bristol, 
with a platform meeting in the evening 
presided over by Charles B. Congdon, 
Esq., and addressed by Judge O. H. Hor- 
ton, J. B. Hobbs, I*". P. Crandon, and H. 
S. Towle. There was preaching on sub- 
sequent evenings of the week by C. E. 
Mandeville, H. W. Bolton, H. G. Jack- 
son, and S. F. Jones, with another plat- 
form meeting on Friday evening presided 
over by Rev. L. Curts and addressed by 
Rev. William Smith, pastor of the Pres- 
byterian church, Rev. D. S. Smith, rector 
of the Episcopal church and former pas- 
tors Burns and Zimmerman. On Sunday, 
"the great day of the feast," Doctor Ridg- 
away preached in the morning. Rev. B. I. 
Ives in the afternoon and Miss Frances 

E. Willard delivered an address in the 
evening. Others taking part in the exer- 
cises of the week were Drs. Stowe, Bor- 
ing, Edwards, Jutkins and Rev. C. M. 
Stuart. At the time of dedication the 
Trustees were: Thomas Purnell, Presi- 
dent: John W. Byam, Wesley L. Knox, 
W. H. Blake, M. D. Ewell, W. G. Miller, 
Edwin Benjamin. The stewards were 
Thomas Purnell, E. Benjamin, J. E. 
Hathaway, James H. Thomas, Thomas 
Blackler, J. Milhenning, F. W. Brown, 
James Wigginton. Charles O. Boring 
was Sunday School Superintendent. 

The following is the complete list of 
pastors who have served this church : 

A. G. Button Jan. Sept. 187.3 

W. H. Burns Sept. 187.3— Oct. 1874 

W. X. Ninde (supply) Oct. 1874— Oct. 1876 

J. C. R. Lay ton (supply) Oct. 1876— Apr. 1S77 

C. H. Zimmerman (supply) June Sept. 1877 

F. D. Hemenway (supply ) Oct. 1878 — Oct. 1881 

S. H. .^dams Oct. 1881— Oct. 1882 

I. Linebarger Oct. 1882— Oct. 1884 

H. B. Ridgaway 1 

L. Curts [ (supply) Oct. 1884— Oct. 1885 

M. S. Terry ) 

T. P. Marsh Oct. 1885— Oct. 1888 

W. H. Holmes Oct. 1888— Oct. 1803 

W. E. Wilkinson Oct. 1833- Oct. 1807 

O. F. Mattison Oct. 1807— Oct. 1903 

R. B. Kester Oct. 1903 — 



Wheadon M. E. Church. — In February, 
1887, Rev. Edward D. Wheadon formed a 
class which, for a time, met in the homes 
of the members in the neighborhood of 
Wesley Avenue, and north of Emerson 
Street. Later a tent was pitched on Fos- 
ter Street, and preaching services held in 
it. In 1888 a hall was secured on (West) 
Foster Street; a church was organized 
by Rev. Dr. Luke Hitchcock, Presiding 
Elder of the Chicago District, and "Fa- 
ther" Wheadon was appointed the first 
pastor. The first Trustees were : E. D. 
Wheadon, Adam Tait, John Owens and 
John Culver. In 1889, Rev. E. G. Lewis 
was appointed pastor; and a lot 120 feet 
by 192 feet was" secured on the corner 
of Ridge Avenue and Leon Street. It 
is recorded that the enterprise was kindly 
encouraged by Rev. S. F. Jones, pastor 
of the First Church, and by \\'illiam 
Deering, Frank P. Crandon, John B. Kirk, 
and James H. Raymond. Under the pas- 
torate of Rev. F. G. Boylan. a chapel was 
built on the property costing $1,750, 
which was dedicated in February, 1890, 
Rev. H. D. Kimball, Dr. Hitchcock, Dr. 
Jones and Dr. Ridgaway taking part in 
the dedication. The chapel was built on 
the rear part of the lot facing north on 
Leon Street. In 1903 it was turned 
around to face Ridge Avenue, and much 
improved at a cost of about $3,500. L'p 
to 1902 over 500 persons had united with 
the church by letter or on probation, the 
average resident membership being 100, 
the average congregation about 130, and 
the average membership of the Sunday 
school about 150. 

The following is a complete list of pas- 
tors, with dates of entrance upon their 
pastorates: E. D. Wheadon, April, 1888; 
E. G. Lewis, May, 1889; F. G. Boylan, 
October. 1889; J. B. Lucas, October, 
1890; R. H. Wilkinson, October 1891 ; 



35° 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



John Lee. October, 1894; R. H. Wilkin- 
son, October, 1896; J. R. Smith, October, 
1898; W. T. Euster, October 1900: W. C. 
Reuter, July 1901 ; M. L. Norris, October, 
1903. 

The present officials of the church are : 
Trustees — William Campbell, R. H. Bald- 
win, J. W. Travis, F. Flood, A. B. Cros- 
by, C. J. Tisdel, W. A. Dyche; Stewards 
— Charles Beck, A. C. Pearson, Charles 
Rose, George Fellingham, G. F. Stark- 
weather, Joseph Justice, J. P. Sloan, Miss 
Cora Marsh, Mrs. F. M. Crosby, Mrs. H. 
L. Lincoln ; Sunday School Superintend- 
ent- — G. F. Starkweather; President Ep- 
worth League — Stanley Ward ; President 
Junior Epworth League — Miss Myrtle 
English. 

Emmanuel M. E. Church. — ]^Iarch 10, 
1889, a Sabbath School was organized in 
the High School building, west of the rail- 
road track. Charles O. Boring was Sup- 
erintendent, S. A. Kean, Assistant Super- 
intendent, and Charles G. Haskins was 
secretary and treasurer. This school was 
under the control of the First Church. 
At the quarterly conference of the First 
M. E. Church, held November 25, 1889, 
Rev. Dr. S. F. Jones being pastor, the 
following resolution was ofifered by C. O. 
Boring and unanimously adopted: 

"Whereas, it is the sense of this quarter- 
ly conference that the time has come to 
arrange for the purchase of a lot, looking 
toward the ultimate erection of a church 
on the west side of Evanston ; and, 

"Whereas, a committee was recently ap- 
pointed, at a meeting of gentlemen living 
on the west side, for the purpose : 

"Be It Resolved, that this quarterly con- 
ference appoint a committee to cooperate 
with said committee in the selection of a 
lot south of Davis Street, and that the 
lot so selected may then be purchased 



with the full consent of this quarterly 
conference." 

The chairman. Dr. Jones, appointed as 
such committee, C. O. Boring, William 
Deering, D. R. Dyche, C. B. Congdon 
and R. B. McMullen. 

At the quarterly conference, held Sep- 
tember 22, 1890, the committee reported 
that a lot had been purchased at the cor- 
ner of Greenwood Boulevard and Oak 
Avenue, and the report was accepted. A 
communication was received from the 
Secretary of the Board of Trustees of 
Emmanuel M. E. Church, stating the 
facts of the organization of that church, 
as follows : On the evening of June 9, 
1890, a meeting was held at the residence 
of Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Haskin, 203 
^laple Avenue. There were present: 
Hon. Harvey B. Hurd, Dr. S. F. Jones 
(pastor of the First Church), Mr. Wil- 
liam H. Jones, Mr. Charles O. Boring, 
Mr. David B. Dewey, Mr. David R. 
Dyche, Mr. Frank P. Crandon, Mr. Hen- 
ry H. Gage and Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. 
Haskin. 

Dr. Jones, the pastor, stated that 
he had nominated, and Presiding Elder 
Truesdell had approved, the following 
gentlemen for Trustees of the new 
church: H. B. Hurd, W^ H. Jones, D. 

B. Dewey, J. B. Kirk, J. J. Shutterly, H. 
H. Gage, F. P. Crandon, D. R. Dyche and 

C. G. Haskin. 

The meeting was organized by the elec- 
tion of H. B. Hurd, Chairman, and C. G. 
Haskin, Secretary ; the name of the 
church was declared to be Emmanuel 
Methodist Episcopal Church of Evans- 
ton the persons above named were elect- 
ed the first Board of Trustees ; and the 
secretary was directed to file a certificate 
of organization in the Recorder's office of 
Cook County. At a regular meeting of 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



351 



the trustees, held June 13th, the following 
officers were elected : H. B. Hurd, Presi- 
dent : C. G. Haskin, Secretary, and D. B. 
Dewey, Treasurer. The secretary's com- 
munication further stated that the site 
selected for the erection of the church 
buildingf, at the northeast corner of Green- 
wood Boulevard and Oak Avenue, has a 
frontage of seventy feet on Greenwood 
Boulevard and 214 feet on Oak Avenue ; 
that it was bought in two parcels, the 
total purchase price being $11,500, all of 
which had been paid, and the title placed 
in Emmanuel M. E. Church ; that it was 
proposed to erect a church edifice to cost, 
when finished and furnished, about S35,- 
000, which, with the cost of the lot — less 
the sale of old buildings to be credited — 
would make an investment of about $45,- 
000; the seating capacity of this church to 
be about 600, with a Sunday school room 
ample for all needs for several years to 
come. 

The first Stewards of Emmanuel Cliurch 
were: H. B. Hurd, W. H. Jones, R. B. 
McMullen, S. A. Kean, J. J. Shutterly, 
C. O. Boring, George S. Baker. John Free- 
man and George A. Bass. C. O. Boring 
was the first Sunday School Superinten- 
dent. Of the first Board of Trustees 
Messrs. Gage, Crandon, and Dyche were 
members of the First 'SI. E. Church. 

In October, 1890, Rev. Sylvester F. 
Jones was appointed the first pastor of 
Emmanuel Church. During the construc- 
tion of the church edifice the society wor- 
shiped in the building on (West) Davis 
Street, formerly occupied by St. ^Mark's 
Episcopal Church. 

The church building was finished and 
dedicated in August, 1892. The total cost 
of the property was $80,000. Doctor 
Jones served as pastor three years and 
was succeeded, October, 1893, '^Y Rev. C. 
A. \'an Anda, who remained one year. 



From October, 1894, to October, 1895, the 
pulpit was supplied b}^ Rev. S. J. Herben 
and Rev. M. S. Terry, D. D. October, 
1895, Rev. N. M. Waters was appointed 
pastor and remained four years. Rev. W. 
O. Shepherd was pastor from October, 
1899, to October, 1901 ; Rev. W. E. Mc- 
Lennan, from October, 1901, to October, 
1903, when he was succeeded by Rev. F. S. 
Rockwell, the present pastor. 

The present officers of the church 
(1905) are: 

Trustees. — H. B. Hurd (now deceased) ; 
W. H. Jones, \V. O. Dean, Dr. W. R. 
Parkes, M. L. Record. L. M. Sawyer. C. S. 
Graves, S. J. Llewellyn. J. L. Whitlock ; 
Stewards— J. M. Barnes, C. O. Boring, W. 
L. Boettcher, G. J. Dart, G. W^ Eddy, G. 
N. Friend, J. P. Grier. J. C. Turner, S. R. 
Winchell, J. L. Whitlock, E. R. Prickett, 
J. S. Crosby; Sunday School Superinten- 
dent — W. A. Burch ; President Epworth 
League — H. H. Young. 



FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 

(By RKV. B. A. GREENE. D. D.) 

Those interested in forming a Baptist 
church in Evanston met in the chapel of 
the Northwestern L'niversity April 24, 
1858. Mr. E. H. Mulford was elected 
moderator and Moses Danby clerk. "Ar- 
ticles of Faith and Practice" were adopted, 
and it w^as voted to call the church "The 
Evanston Baptist Church." The six con- 
stituent members were : E. H. Mulford, 
Rebecca Mulford, Francis M. Iglehart, 
Judith W. Burroughs, Rebecca Wester- 
field and Moses Danby. 

For two years previous to this time 
Mrs. Francis Iglehart had been the leader 
in Sunday school work in the vicinity of 
Oakton. Her leadership, at this earlv 
stage, and her hearty, generous, contin- 



352 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



ued helpfulness afterward, made her the 
mother of the Baptist interest in the city. 
A marble tablet may be seen in the pres- 
ent church edifice commemorating hei 
conspicuous fidelity. 

A council for the recognition of the 
church was held April 29th in the Metho- 
dist church. Five churches in Chicago 
and the church in \\'aukegan were repre- 
sented by delegates. Dr. W. G. Howard, 
pastor of the First Baptist Church, Chi- 
cago, was elected moderator. E. H. Mul- 
ford stated that a lot worth $600, on the 
northeast corner of Hinman Avenue and 
Church Street, had been given to them 
by the Northwestern University, and the 
Trustees had further given the use of 
their chapel until a new house of worship 
should be built. This surely was very 
generous help from Methodist friends. 
Those who participated in the recogni- 
tion were : Rev. Dr. Foster, President of 
Northwestern University, who read the 
scripture ; Prof. Goodman offered the 
prayer; Dr. Howard preached the ser- 
mon ; Rev. A. J. Joslyn, of Union Park 
Church, gave the charge to the church; 
Rev. A. Kenyon. of the Berean Church, 
offered the closing prayer and pronounced 
the benediction. 

At a business meeting, on May 6, 1858, 
the following were elected Trustees of 
the church : N. P. Iglehart, President ; 
E. H. Mulford, James Sudlam, Moses 
Danby and Mr. Trumbull. A month later, 
at a church meeting, the following were 
received for baptism, and the next day, 
June 6th, were baptized in the lake : Isaac 
Burroughs, Betsy Burroughs, Almina 
Burroughs and Hannah Newell. This 
month, also, the church was admitted to 
the Fo-x River Baptist Association, held 
at Plainfield, having sent as delegates F. 
M. Iglehart and E. H. Mulford. 

The church, although small, seemed to 



be well started and entering upon a career 
of organic and spiritual life. But it was 
very soon found that they must pass 
through a stage of struggle and disap- 
pointment. The preaching service was 
irregular. Supplies for the pulpit came 
sometimes from neighboring churches 
and sometimes from the University. The 
next year, 1859, when four of their most 
active members were temporarily absent, 
the church became discouraged, and voted 
in Jul)' "to suspend further efforts toward 
erecting a building for the church, and 
also to give up public worship for the 
present." However, social gatherings and 
prayer meetings continued to be held, and 
so they were kept together in sorrowing 
hope until the next spring. They had 
given up the use of the chapel, and the 
Congregational people occupied it. In 
the meantime Mr. Iglehart had erected a 
building, twenty by thirty feet, on their 
home lot at Oakton, near what is now 
Ridge Avenue and Oakton Street. This 
building was put up for a billiard room, but 
was christened instead as "Oakton 
Chapel." and here public services were 
resumed. 

Rev. Ira E. Kenney began his pastorate 
March 11, i860. In August of that year, 
as the Congregationalists had given up 
their service in the University chapel, it 
was voted to hold a four o'clock service 
there and have an evening prayer meeting 
at Oakton. In their letter to the Fox 
River Association, this year, the)' report 
fourteen members, $460 raised for ex- 
penses and benevolence, a sewing society 
and sociable every other Friday after- 
noon and evening, a sewing society 
for little misses every Saturday afternoon, 
and that scholars in the Bible school learn 
ten verses each, every Sabbath. In 1861 
they left Oakton Chapel and worshipped 
in the schoolhouse near bv : and, for a 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



353 



while, they had preaching only once a 
month. Mr. Kenney closed his pastorate 
March 9, 1862, having accepted a call from 
Niles, Mich. 

Rev. J. S. Mahan was then called to the 
pastorate from Waukegan, "May 4, 1862. 
The compensation was not flattering — 
"$2.50 to $3.00 every two weeks." He 
preached his farewell sermon October 
19th of that year. Preaching service was 
again suspended. Prayer meetings were 
kept up for a while, but the records say that. 
as Mrs. Iglehart and family removed tem- 
porarily to Chicago in the winter of 1863- 
64, all preaching and prayer-meetings 
were suspended until the family should 
return. The Civil War had its depressing 
effect, not only on business life, but upon 
social and religious life as well. 

The next spring there was a concerted 
movement on the part of the members 
and of friends in the city to get the church 
into such condition as to receive those 
who had moved out from Chicago. 
Thomas Goodman, of the Union Park 
Church, and afterward editor of The 
Standard, the Baptist denominational 
paper of the Northwest, was a leader in 
the advisory work. A meeting was held 
in June. Minor matters in the "Articles 
of Faith" were corrected. A proper record 
was made of the former election of E. H. 
Mulford as deacon. Then, ten persons 
were received into membership. S. E. 
Jackson, who had served as clerk since 
i860, resigned, and A. \V. Ford took his 
place. The latter soon moved to Free- 
port and, October 20th, J. N. W'hidden 
became clerk. Thomas Goodman and J. 
N. W'hidden were elected deacons. "The 
Evanston Baptist Society" was consti- 
tuted, and the following trustees elected : 
B. F. Johnson, Richard Somers, James 
Maclay, Riley M. Graves. John Clough 
and I. P. Iglehart. Their report to the 



Association, in June, 1865, begins with 
this sentence : "Our long night of anxiety 
has passed, and the full light of a new 
and, we trust, a better day has dawned." 
They received twenty-six by letter and 
had dedicated their new house of worship, 
costing $6,500, free of debt. Many friends 
from Chicago came February 16, 1865, 
and Dr. Everts, pastor of the First Bap- 
tist Church, of that city, preached the 
sermon. The next Sunday, February 19th, 
after Dr. Tiffany preached in the after- 
noon, the entire indebtedness was pro- 
vided for. Rev. N. Sheppard was en- 
gaged to preach once on the Sabbath until 
further arrangement could be made, and 
his pay was to be $10 per Sabbath. 

June 28, 1865, \^'illiam J. Leonard was 
called to be pastor, at a salary of $1,000. 
He was young and umnarried. He was 
ordained in the church September 7th. 
Dr. E. J. Goodspeed preached the sermon. 
Dr. J. C. Burroughs offered the ordaining 
prayer. Dr. Raymond, of the Methodist 
Church, gave the charge to the candidate, 
and Rev. N. Sheppard the charge to the 
church. Previous to the coming of the 
pastor, on July 17th, Theodore Reese was 
elected treasurer, L. L. Greenleaf having 
resigned. Riley M. Graves, John Clough 
and John Goebel were elected deacons. 
During this pastorate quite a number 
were received by letter, bringing the 
membership up to seventy-three. There 
is a story still in circulation, which used 
to be told with much gusto, as throwing 
light upon customs and comments behind 
the scenes, especially touching up long- 
winded parsons. One day a visiting 
clergjanan, stopping with the pastor, was 
asked to "say grace" at the table. The 
pastor's little nephew was very hungry, 
and, after he had waited and waited for 
the words of blessing to cease, when the 
"amen" was pronounced, he burst forth. 



354 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



"Hocus-pokus, what a long prayer!'' A 
parsonage was built. Messrs. Greenleaf, 
Graves and Clough advanced the required 
capital : but, as the church became finan- 
cially involved, the "so-called parsonage" 
was sold in the same year, 1867. A bap- 
tistry was built in November of this year. 
Mr. Leonard's pastorate closed in Novem- 
ber, 1868, amid considerable disturbance 
of feeling. He was a man of intellectual 
ability, generous instincts and fine taste, 
but was lacking in some of those tactful 
qualities so essential in a struggling 
church. 

It is to be noted here that, on Thurs- 
day evening, August 18, 1868, Theodore 
Reese was elected clerk, and, for the next 
seven years, served faithfully. He had 
been immediately preceded in short terms 
by J. R. Hearsey and J. W. P. Hovey. 

In January, 1869, Dr. M. G. Clark, a re- 
tired minister living in Chicago, began 
preaching. His services proved so ac- 
ceptable, tending to restore harmony in 
the church, that he was given a unani- 
mous call, at a salary of $1,500. He was 
a strong man and received into the 
church, in the next two years, about 
eighty persons. The Trustees at this 
time were: John Clough, Andrew Shu- 
man, H. C. Tillinghast, R. S. King, R. M. 
Graves, C. F. Grey, J. W. P. Hovey and 
E. R. Paul. The Treasurer was Towner 
K. Webster. During this pastorate "The 
New Hampshire Articles of Faith" were 
adopted by the church, in place of those 
which had given trouble in earlier days. 
The trouble was verbal and of minor 
character, rather than theological. There 
was feeling on the part of some that the 
pews should be free ; but they voted, Jan- 
uary 10, 1870, to rent them as before, and 
Mr. C. F. Grey was made chairman of 
the committee to solicit the renting of 
them. In February of that year it was 



voted to have a covenant meeting both 
afternoon and evening. In May, 1870, 
they reported a membership of 103 — 
twenty-three having recently been bap- 
tized ; $3,200 for home expenses and be- 
nevolence, and the Bible school .was sup- 
porting two native Garo preachers in Bur- 
mah, and members were working in four 
mission schools. 

Dr. Clark befriended the janitor of the 
church, a colored man, because he was 
shamefully abused, and, on that account, 
came near being mobbed by the "hood- 
lum element." His friends shielded him, 
and his enemies were afterward ashamed 
of their folly. Dr. Clark's wife was edi- 
tor of "The Mother's Journal." He re- 
signed in March, 1871, to become district 
secretary of the Home Mission Society 
in the State of New York. 

On Sunday, May 28, 1871, a unanimous 
call was extended to Rev. F. S. Chapell, of 
Middletown, Ohio, at a salary of $2,500. 
This double fact of unanimity and of 
large increase in salary shows advance. 
And, within a week, they entertained the 
Fox River Association for three days. 

Mr. Chapell began work July 2d. The 
church now entered upon longer pastor- 
ates and larger activity. They decided 
upon quarterly business meetings, ap- 
pointed a committee on music and se- 
lected a new hymn-book. Within a year 
they decided to secure a more central lo- 
cation and fixed upon the lot now occu- 
pied, the northwest corner of Chicago 
Avenue and Lake Street. The price of 
the lot was $6,000. C. F. Grey, C. E. 
Brown, H. C. Tillinghast, W. C. Clark, 
A. S. Shuman were appointed a commit- 
tee to have charge of building the new 
house. The last service on Hinman Ave- 
nue was held August 18, 1872. The next 
four .Sundays they occupied "Lyons" 
Hall." At the end of that time the little 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



355 



wooden church had been moved and lo- 
cated on the rear of the new lot. There 
the congregation worshiped until the 
present brick church was finished, in No- 
vember, 1872. 

Sunday evening, November 3, 1872, a 
crowd of people had come to hear one of 
a series of sermons for the young and to 
witness a baptism. Just as the pastor be- 
gan preaching "nearly half of the floor 
gave way and precipitated the congrega- 
tion into the basement, about nine feet 
below." None were seriously injured. 
Nathan Branch, a highly esteemed col- 
ored brother of the church, was sitting in 
a pew that was fastened to the side of 
the building. \\'hen he felt the floor giv- 
ing way, and glanced at the confusion 
below, he leaped to a window-sill from 
his lofty perch and plungetl through the 
window, breaking sash and glass. He 
came around to the treasurer the ne.xt 
morning and offered to pay the damage. 

Sunday, April 27. 1873, the fifteenth an- 
niversary of the church was celebrated. 
The pastor preached a historical sermon 
in the morning and Rev. Dr. W. W. 
Everts preached in the evening. During 
the day the sum of $19,400 was subscribed 
for the new church. 

In June, 1874, Riley M. Graves and 
four others were dismissed, to help form 
a new Baptist church at Winnetka. The 
church was organized, but it did not con- 
tinue long, as the leaders in the work soon 
left the village. 

In December of this year the church 
adopted revised and elaborated "Rules 
of Order" for the church, and also a "Con- 
stitution of the Bible School." A finan- 
cial report for the year 1874 shows 
$3,714-32 received and $3,305.35 expended, 
with $178 for benevolence. The follow- 
ing officers were elected for the year 1875 : 
Deacons: E. H. Mulford, James B. Van 



Euren, John Goebel, H. C. Tillinghast. F. 
S. Belden, C. H. Rudd and S. Harbert. 
Trustees : C. F. Grey, C. F. Brown, D. F. 
Keeney, R. S. King, John Goebel, An- 
drew Shuman and E. R. Paul ; Clerk. The- 
odore Reese ; Treasurer, George D. 
Mosely. Finance Committee: D. B. 
Dewey, George D. Mosely, C. F. Grey, 
Francis B. Belden and H. C. Tillinghast. 

February 17, 1875, the church was re- 
incorporated "under and by virtue of Sec- 
tion 44 of an Act concerning corpora- 
tions, approved April 18, 1872," and the 
corporate name adopted was "First Bap- 
tist Church of Evanston." In March of 
this year fourteen names were dropped 
from the roll of membership. In June it 
was voted to establish three mission 
schools, the financial obligation of the 
church not to exceed $150 per annum. 
John Goebel was elected superintendent 
of the South Mission, F. S. Belden of the 
North Mission, and C. H. Rudd of the 
West Mission. The latter was the more 
successful, and brought a number of mem- 
bers to the church afterward. In July 
letters were granted to J. G. Westerfield 
and three others, to help form a new 
church in Wilmette ; but this movement, 
like the one in Winnetka, was short- 
lived. It will thus be seen that the church 
was feeling the vigor of growing life. 
They had business enterprise. They 
could clear the decks for eff'ective action, 
and the}' had the missionary zeal to reach 
out into the surrounding regions. In No- 
vember, 1875, N. L. Stow was elected 
clerk of the church, and has served with 
conscientious, painstaking fidelity up to 
the present time, a period of twenty-seven 
years. 

The building of the new church pro- 
gressed rather slowly, on account of the 
hard times. A loan of $10,000 was se- 
cured in June, 1875, to pay off the float- 



356 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



ing debt and for completing the church. 
N. L. Stow, in his address at the fortieth 
anniversary, has this to say of the con- 
dition of things : "The foundation for the 
new building was laid in the autumn of 
1873. The panic of these years caused 
the work to drag slowly, and two 3'ears 
went by before we saw the completion. 
The building committee had so attended 
to the main work, the ladies to the fur- 
nishing and the pastor to the bell, that 
the house was very complete ; the spire 
being finished, the entire floor carpeted 
and the seats cushioned. It was a beau- 
tiful day — this Sabbath, the 21st of No- 
vember. 1875. -^ large congregation as- 
sembled, morning, afternoon and evening. 
Dr. Everts preached in the morning. The 
afternoon service was a children's service, 
H. C. Tillinghast, the superintendent, 
having charge. Other schools of the vil- 
lage were represented. Rev. Mr. Pack- 
ard, of the Congregationalist Church ; 
Rev. Dr. Noyes, of the Presbyterian, and 
Prof. Hemenway, of the Methodist. 
gave addresses. Col. Fairman, the artist, 
made the closing speech. Dr. Northrop, 
President of the Chicago Baptist Theo- 
logical Seminary, preached in the even- 
ing. The subscriptions this day amounted 
to $14,000. The bell was made especially 
for the church. The motto cast in the 
metal was selected by the pastor, and is 
as follows: "Gather the people together, 
men and women and children, and thy 
stranger that is within thy gates, that 
they may hear and that they may learn 
and fear the Lord your God." Many sub- 
scriptions were made by citizens outside 
the church, that Evanston might have at 
least one church bell centrally located. 
The building cost $31,000. which, added to 
the cost of lot, bell and furnishing, made 
a total of $40,000. Mrs. Rebecca J. Mul- 
ford, wife of Major E. H. Mulford, re- 



membered the church generously in her 
will; and her name, in memory of her 
devout character, was placed in one of 
the windows beside the appropriate em- 
blem of a sheaf of ripe wheat. 

It was a large undertaking to keep up 
the running expenses and meet the matur- 
ing obligations involved in the new con- 
struction. Heavy lifting there was on the 
part of many; but in March of the fol- 
lowing year, 1876, the auditing committee 
insert this statement in their report with 
regard to H. C. Tillinghast : 

"We find that, in addition to the usual 
cares incident to the position as Treas- 
urer and Chairman of the Building Com- 
mittee, rather than see the work stop, he 
has loaned his own individual credit, giv- 
ing his notes, endorsing subscription 
notes to make them negotiable, advancing 
money when the funds of the church were 
low. and at the present time, the church 
is indebted to him over $1,400. We owe 
Brother Tillinghast a lasting debt of grat- 
itude and that some acknowledgment of 
these services be placed on record." 

Record is made July 4, 1876. that the 
new bell was consecrated to patriotic ser- 
vice by being rung thirty minutes at sun- 
rise, noon and sunset. Ivy was also 
planted at the south of the spire. The 
church contributed to the new Moody 
movement in Chicago. Thursday. No- 
vember 9th, of this year, a large social 
gathering met at the pastor's house, to 
celebrate his fortieth birthday by giving 
him a set of "Johnson's Encyclopedia." 

In December. 1877, Pastor Chapell ten- 
dered his resignation to take effect the 
following July. He felt it was impossible 
for the church to keep up his salary; that 
the pastorate was. already as long as the 
average, and a change might be beneficial 
to the health of his family. He had 
wrought a noble work, and there was the 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



357 



best of feeling in the separation. Reso- 
hitions were spread upon the records, 
affirming that it was through the pastor's 
pulpit ability, his zeal and consecration, 
that the church had come to its present 
state of growth. He was devout and at 
the same time practical. He believed in 
attending to details and statistics and 
discipline. He was untiring in labors 
and, during the last year, acted as Super- 
intendent of the Bible school. During 
the seven years of his pastorate he 
preached 684 sermons, conducted 535 de- 
votional meetings, married 34 couples, 
attended 66 funerals, baptized 83, received 
into the church 204, and there has been 
raised in money $53,250. He went to 
Janesville, Wisconsin. 

It is very evident from the report of the 
Trustees, the December following, that 
the church was passing through financial 
straits, owing to the loss of several val- 
uable members and the general business 
depression. When overtures were made 
to Rev. Mr. Custis, of Chicago, to become 
pastor, he felt that he could not come for 
less than $2,000. That salary they could 
not then pay. March 31, 1879, a unanimous 
call was extended to Rev. George R. 
Pierce of Oneida, N. Y., at a salary of 
$100 per month. He accepted April 8th, 
and immediately entered upon his work. 
Nothing unusual marked the early part of 
his pastorate. July 27th the records state : 
"Service this morning was made more 
than usually interesting, because of the 
first introduction of a quartette choir." 
The pew question came up for consider- 
ation, and the evening preaching service 
was repeatedly discussed and voted upon, 
while the church, exercising the usual 
Baptist prerogative, instructed the Trus- 
tees not to order any "further collection 
to be taken, unless the matter be first 
submitted to the church." At the opening 



of the second year the pastor's salary was 
raised to $1,300 per annum, and, a little 
later, he was granted a vacation of five 
weeks. During the year 1880, the Eddy 
mortgage of $10,000 became due. It was 
arranged to pay $1,000 by November ist 
and let the remaining $9,000 run until 
May, 1885, at 7 per cent interest — it beino^ 
understood that the church could, at any 
time, pay any portion of the principal. On 
November 28th of that year Mr. Kimball, 
of Chicago, spent the day trying to raise 
the entire debt. In the morning $6,000 
were subscribed and in the evening $1,000. 
In order to raise 25 per cent more, a com- 
mittee of ladies was appointed to solicit 
help from every individual. These ladies 
were: Mrs. Goebel, Mrs. Craine, Mrs. 
Somers and Miss Sarah Webster. But 
not until March, 1883, was there recorded 
any special reduction of the debt. Then, 
by the aid of R. S. King's bequest of 
$5,000, the bonded debt was reduced to 
$3,000, and the interest to the rate of 
6 per cent per annum- An amended and 
revised constitution for the Bible school 
was reported by J. W. Thompson, and 
this was adopted April 18, 1881. Novem- 
ber 15, 1882, Nathan Branch and nine 
other persons were dismissed to become 
constituent members of the First Colored 
Baptist Church to be organized in Evan- 
ston. 

March 19, 1883, Pastor Pierce resigned, 
stating as his reason that "general dissat- 
isfaction has sprung up in the minds of 
the members of the church." A week 
from that time the resignation was ac- 
cepted by a vote of 29 to 16, the resigna- 
tion to take effect September 30th. 

Sunday, April 22d, they began celebrat- 
ing the twenty-fifth anniversary. Dr. Wil- 
liam ^I. Lawrence, of the Second Church 
of Chicago, preached in the morning, and 
Dr. Anderson, of the Chicago University, 



358 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



in the evening. In the afternoon the 
pastor gave a history of the church and 
read letters from Rev. W. J. Leonard and 
Rev. F. Chapeil, former pastors. Two 
constituent members were present, Mrs. 
Iglehart and Mrs. Burroughs. On the fol- 
lowing Tuesday evening, in response to 
'an invitation, many friends from Chicago 
and Evanston rallied, and, after listening 
to the pastor in a brief recital of church his- 
tory and short addresses from Rev. ^Nlr. 
Burhoe, Rev. Mr. McGregor and Dr. Hat- 
field, they repaired to the vestry where 
bountiful tables awaited them. 

At the quarterly meeting, June 25; 1883, 
the motion accepting the pastor's resigna- 
tion was rescinded and he was asked to 
remain. The pastor wished time for con- 
sideration, but finally decided that he 
must go. There was considerable feeling 
stirred, and D. B. Dewey with some 
others withdrew from the church. This 
pastorate ended December 30, 1883- Al- 
though 65 had been added to the church 
in the four years, losses had made the net 
gain only three, and the number reported 
to the .'Association the ne.xt year showed a 
net loss of three. 

Rev. Fred Clatworthy, of Norwalk. 
Ohio, was given a unanimous call, Jan- 
uary 9, 1884. This call, coming as it did 
after so much commotion, and with an 
offer of $2,000 salary ($500 of it to be 
made up by private subscription), when 
much financial strength had been lost to 
the parish, spoke highly of the church's 
regard for the man. This esteem was 
well placed, for, beginning March 1st, he 
did a rare work in settling disturbed con- 
ditions and rallying forces for the begin- 
ning of even a larger prosperity than ever. 
The work began with revising the church 
rules of order and a new election of offi- 
cers. For Deacons they elected C. H. 
Rudd, A. O. Bassett and E. S. Turner; 



for Trustees, H. C. Tillinghast, John Goe- 
bel, C. F. Grey, J. W. Thompson, L. K. 
Gillson ; for Clerk, N. L. Stow ; for Treas- 
urer, H. G. Grey; for Superintendent of 
Bible School, J. W. Thompson. 

In March, T. K. Webster reported from 
the Trustees that they had decided to 
secure the income for the church from 
voluntary offerings, and, in April of the 
next year, they reported a floating debt of 
$500 wiped out. the additional $500 for 
salary met, the chapel painted and dec- 
orated, a good choir kept up, all bills 
(aside from mortgage) paid, and a small 
balance in the treasury. The amount ex- 
pended this year was $4,305.41. There 
was a net increase in membership of t,"] 
making a total of 198, and the church was 
thoroughly united. P. N. Fox followed 
H. G. Grey as Treasurer, while James E. 
Low took the place of J. \N\ Thompson as 
Superintendent of the Bible School. 

May 6, 1885, the church sent delegates 
to help form a city Mission Society in 
Chicago. A tablet in memory of the wife 
of Rufus King was placed on the east wall 
of the church, carrying out the condition 
on which he bequeathed to the church the 
$5,000. before referred to. 

During December, 1887, a new organ, 
made by Steere and Turner, was placed in 
the church, and on the thirty-first of the 
month a concert was given by Mr. Clar- 
ence Eddy of Chicago. 

May 5, 1889, Mr. Clatworthy resigned 
to go to the church in Adrian, Michigan. 
It was with regret that the resignation 
was accepted, for "exceedingly pleasant 
relations characterized the pastorate." 
He preached his farew^ell sermon June 
30th. 

During his pastorate 197 were added 
to the church roll by baptism and by let- 
ter and, the total membership was in- 
creased from 169 to 284. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



359 



Before the pastor left the field, a com- 
mittee, of which J. W. Thompson was 
chairman, reported in favor of calling Rev. 
H. A. Delano, of South Xorvvalk. Conn. 
It was with the hearty endorsement of 
the retiring pastor that this was done. 
Such a call was extended June 13, the vote 
standing 54 to 19, and the salary to be 
$2,000. Mr. Delano accepted July ist, and 
began his labors September i, 1889. 

The work started in a prosperous way. 
At the following Easter enough money 
was raised to close up the old year and 
begin the new year "in the best possible 
condition." Treasurer James E. Low, 
April 7, 1890, reported they had expended 
for the year just closed $3,727, and there 
was on hand $271. There was an in- 
creasing demand for pews and it was de- 
cided to go back to pew rentals. The 
church building was equipped for electric 
lighting, and they began agitating the 
question of a new chapel, as the old one 
was in bad condition and not at all in 
keeping with the new structure in front. 

In September of the following year, 
1891, Mr. C. F. Grey very generously of- 
fered "to donate towards a new chapel, 
all the mason and carpenter work, with 
material for all the building, except the 
roof, plumbing, painting and finishing — 
provided the church would complete the 
building without incurring debt in so do- 
ing." With a vote of hearty thanks to 
the donor, the Trustees were authorized 
to secure plans and provide for the addi- 
tional money needed. Plans were re- 
ported and adopted March 6, 1892, and on 
March 27, at the close of the sermon, the 
amount required ($6,500) was very nearly 
pledged and the work on the new chapel 
began. 

The last service in the old chapel was 
on Sunday evening, June 12, 1892. The 
new chapel was first occupied Sunday, 



June II, 1893. The Bible school session 
was first, as they had before changed the 
hour of the school from 12 m. to 9:30 
a. m. The service was, in part, an instal- 
lation of the new officers and in part a 
dedication. The morning preaching ser- 
vice was also held here. The chapel was 
solidly built, conveniently arranged and 
beautiful, giving completeness to the 
church property. Its cost reached about 
$22,000. 

For a ^yhile, previous to this, the mid- 
week prayer-meeting was held in "Union 
Hall." The Presbyterian church very 
kindly offered the use of their vestry. 
And this courtesy was reciprocated when, 
in 1894, the Presbyterian church building 
was burned. They were invited to use 
the Baptist auditorium, and did so for a 
while. 

Dr. Delano's salary was raised twice, 
$500 at a time. His ministry was an able 
one. He was interested in public affairs 
and social reforms, and was everywhere ac- 
ceptable as a platform speaker. His 
hearty, companionable way won him 
hosts of friends in the community. When 
his resignation came, March 23, 1896, to 
take eft'ect May ist, it was with great 
reluctance his friends consented to have 
him go. He accepted a call to the Belden 
Avenue Baptist church, Chicago. In the 
seven years of his pastorate the church 
had received 295 additions ; but removals 
had been so frequent, the net gain was 
only about 60, leaving a membership of 

354- 

During the following year the pulpit 
was supplied, for the most part, by Prof. 
Albion W. Small, of Chicago University. 
He preached only in the morning. The 
evening preaching service, which had 
been a perplexing problem even in the 
hands of the popular pastor, Dr. Delano, 
was suspended. November 18, 1896, a 



36o 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



unanimous call was extended to Rev. D. 
B. Cheeney, of Racine, but he did not feel 
justified in leaving his field. 

January 20. 1897, a unanimous call was 
extended to B. A. Greene, D. D., of Lynn, 
Massachusetts, at a salary of $3,000. The 
church had not heard him preach, neither 
had he known the church ; but the call 
was given on the strength of reports 
gained from many sources as to his fit- 
ness for the place. J. W. Thompson and 
J. S. Dickerson were selected to confer 
with the man of their choice. Dr. Greene 
accepted and began work March 2, 1897. 
The last nine years have been prosperous 
and harmonious. There have been 290 
additions. The finances have been gener- 
ously cared for. In addition to pew 
rentals, and to provide beforehand against 
deficiency, it is a custom to secure pledges 
at some selected morning service. Annual 
expenses amount to about $7,000; be- 
nevolences, about $3,000. 

The church has adopted as its own the 
Delano Mission, corner of Maple Avenue 
and Foster Street. 

The following is a list of officers at the 
present time (1906) : 

Pastor — B. A. Greene, D. D. ; Deacons 
— James E. Low, J. S. Dickerson, Peter 
Lemoi, L. K. Gillson, W. G. Sherer, A. M. 
Zimmerman, A. E. Wright, Rev. M. Bar- 
ker ; Trustees — J. E. Scott, J. W. Low, H. 
G. Grey, Dr. D. J. Harris, J. H. Mac- 
Gregor, L. R. Wing, J. F. Piersen ; Treas- 
urer — E. R. Gilmore: Clerk — N. L. Stow; 
Bible School Officers — L. A. Trowbridge, 
Superintendent ; Wm. Hanchett, Associate 
Superintendent ; Fred Richards, Secretary ; 
J. O. Adams, Treasurer ; Women's Socie- 
ties — Mrs H. W. Tate, President of Wo- 
man's Aid and Home Mission Department ; 
Mrs. W. P. Parker, President of Foreign 
Mission Department ; Mrs L K. Gillson, 
President of Home Missions; Young Peo- 



ple's Society (B. Y. P. U.)— Mr. S. S. 
Crippen, President : Harold Hanchett, \'ice- 
President ; Miss Mabel Piersen, Secretary ; 
Miss Helen Talbot, Treasurer. 



PRESBYTERIANISM IN EVANSTON 

(By REV. JOHN H. BOYD, D. D.) 

The City of Evanston is the ofl:'spring 
of a Methodist University, and very nat- 
urally, the first church organized was the 
noble First Methodist Church, who is the 
mother of us all. In the days of small 
population and primitive simplicity the 
religious life of the village was nurtured 
solely by her; but as the community 
grew, the uniformity which marks the 
early stages of every infant society passed, 
and little groups of kindred faith and spirit 
drew off, one by one, to organize separate 
churches; the Baptists in 1858 and the 
Episcopalians in i8r)4. 

First Presbyterian Church. — In July, 
1866, the Rev. James B. Duncan, of the 
Presbyterian Church of Canada, came to 
Evanston upon invitation, with a view to 
establishing a Presbyterian Church, but 
after a canvass of the field a imion church 
alone was deemed possible of success. 
Accordingly, on the first of August a small 
company of Congregationalists and Pres- 
b3'terians united in forming an inde- 
pendent church. The ministry of Mr. 
Duncan continued over a period of about 
two years. The Northwestern University, 
continuing the generosity shown to all 
previously organized societies, presented 
this new church with a lot situated on the 
northwest corner of Hinman Avenue and 
Greenwood Boulevard, where the Green- 
wood Inn now stands. This lot was 
afterwards exchanged for one at the cor- 
ner of Lake "Avenue" and Chicago Ave- 
nue, and the church thereafter was known 
as the "Lake Avenue Church." Upon this 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



361 



site was erected a simple wooden struc- 
ture, without lecture or Sunday School 
room, with about 250 sittings. At the end 
of two years, after a most harmonious and 
profitable association, each of the ele- 
ments constituting this society felt strong 
enough to separate and organize churches 
of their own order. The Presbyterians 
purchased the interest of the Congrega- 
tionalists, and remained on the original 
site. B}' appointment of the Presbytery 
of Chicago the Rev. Robert \V. Patterson, 
D. D.. antl the Rev. James T. Matthews 
organized "The First Presbyterian Church 
of Evanston, July 27, i868,"' with thirty- 
eight members, all except three of whom 
had been members of the "Lake Avenue 
Church." Three of these original mem- 
bers live today: Airs. Frances ^^"inne, 
Mrs. Priscilla Poole, of Evanston. and 
John McLean of Chicago. At its organ- 
ization, Brainerd Kent, George E. Pur- 
ington, Lewis M. Angle and A. L. Winne 
were chosen and ordained ruling elders. 
But one member of this original session 
is living today — Mr. George E. Purington 
of Chicago. 

In October following the Rev. George 
Clement Noyes, of LaPorte, Ind., was 
called to the pastorate. He began his 
ministry November 22, 1868. The rapid 
growth of the congregation made it neces- 
sary to enlarge the building the year after 
his coming. One hundred sittings were 
added to the auditorium and a pleasant 
lecture room annexed. On Alay 2, 1875, 
the building, with its entire contents, was 
destroyed by fire. The loss was a most 
serious one for the little congregation. 
Many men of business had been financial- 
ly embarrassed by the great Chicago fire, 
and a long period of depression in busi- 
ness ensued, but the spirit of the people 
was undaunted ,and their liberality and 
enterprise are manifest in the fact that, 



at the following Christmas season, ser- 
vices were held in the completed lecture 
room. The entire building was ready for 
dedication July 23, 1876. The cost of this 
edifice with furnishings was about twenty- 
two thousand dollars. 

The ministry of Dr. Noyes was one of 
remarkable fruitfulness, evidenced in a 
net growth of the Church from a member- 
ship of thirty-eight to four hundred and 
sixty-four — nine hundred and sixty-three 
persons having been received into the 
Church during his pastorate of twenty 
years. The benevolences for the last five 
years of his ministry amounted to more 
than twenty-three thousand dollars, but 
the power of his ministry cannot be meas- 
ured in concrete facts, however large and 
significant. Dr. Noyes. through his mas- 
sive and sweetly spiritual personality, be- 
gat a spirit and created an atmosphere in 
which this congregation still lives. He 
possessed and represented the highest 
style of Presbyterian Christianity. Pro- 
foundly serious, earnest, broad and toler- 
ant, believing God too great and too good 
to be exhausted by human definitions, and 
the ways of love and grace too many and 
too mysterious to be traced and numbered 
by formulas and creeds, he tolerated, he 
welcomed, he embraced all who loyally 
and lovingly clung to the Divine Master. 

During his long pastorate of more than 
twenty-one years, he represented — it 
would be more true to say that he em- 
bodied — in his own personality the Pres- 
byterianism of Evanston, making it con- 
spicuous and noble before the eyes of the 
Church and the world. For many years 
he was an editorial writer and weekly 
correspondent of the Nezv York Evan- 
gelist. The words of "Clement" were 
read throughout the land as messages of 
wisdom. In the great controversy be- 
tween the Reverend David Swing and the 



362 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



Reverend Frank L. Patten, Mr. Swing 
chpse Dr. Noyes as his counsel, and he 
was so appointed by the Presbytery of 
Chicago. He conducted the defense with 
distinguished ability. For a long term of 
years he was Chairman of the Committee 
of Home Missions of the Chicago Presby- 
tery, the aggressiveness and efficiency of 
that body being in a large measure due to 
his splendid leadership. The ministry of 
Dr. Noyes was closed by his death Jan- 
uary 14, 1889. Miss Frances E. Willard, 
who knew Evanston so long and intimate- 
ly, writes thus of the places which this 
noble Presbyterian had in the life and 
affection of the community: "I think," 
says she. "no other death, unless it be that 
of Dr. Otis Haven, in all the years I have 
been an Evanstonian, ever drew forth so 
many expressions of sorrow, or from 
quarters so various, including the wide 
gamut that separated our municipal coun- 
cil from the freshman class of our Uni- 
versity." 

The Church, thus so sadly vacated, re- 
mained pastorless until a worthy succes- 
sor to Dr. Noyes was found in the Rev. 
Newell Dwight Hillis. then pastor of the 
First Presbyterian Church of Peoria. The 
congregation invited Dr. Hillis to become 
pastor on February 6, 1890. He accepted 
and entered upon his labor April 6th. 

The work prospered under the younger 
prophet as it had under the elder. He had 
the joy of seeing the work and Kingdom 
of God ever enlarging under his hand, and 
the congregation was happy in watching 
the unfolding of that power and eloquence 
which have placed him in a position where 
he addresses, through tongue and pen. an 
audience which may well be the admira- 
tion of any man who desires to reach his 
fellows with the message of God as he 
understands it. 

The years of Dr. Hillis" ministry were 



very fruitful. The membership of the 
Church grew from four hundred and six- 
ty-four to seven hundred and twelve. Be- 
nevolent gifts increased to unprecedented 
largeness, while every branch of the work 
showed thorough organization and won 
ever enlarging successes. The traditions 
of the Church were all preserved and the 
spirit of the great soul who had preceded 
him and had molded the congregation was 
that of his own soul. 

In the fourth year of this pastorate the 
Church went through its second fire bath. 
On a quiet Sabbath morning, February 
24, 1894, the assembling congregation, in- 
stead of entering the Sanctuary to wor- 
ship, stood by and saw it consumed by the 
flames. They were not, however, difficult 
to comfort. The loss of the building was 
not a serious disaster. It was rather an 
unlooked-for solution of a difficult prob- 
lem. The growth of the audience had 
made is necessary to consider the question 
of either enlarging the old building or 
erecting a new one. The charred timbers 
and ashes of the old answered the ques- 
tion. The congregation moved with such 
characteristic energy that, on the "th day 
of the following October, the corner-stone 
of the present structure was laid with ap- 
propriate ceremonies, and. less than a 
year from that date, the building stood 
completed and furnished, being opened 
for worship September i, 1895, the pastor- 
elect preaching the sermon. 

This new building is a splendid, mas- 
sive structure, built of Lemont limestone, 
with interior finishings of red oak. the 
roof beams of Georgia pine. It cost, com- 
plete with decorations and furnishings, 
$63,500, the organ costing $6,600 addi- 
tional. The main auditorium, of 75x90 
feet, with a gallery in the rear, has a seat- 
ing capacity of about fourteen hundred. 
It is lighted by two great memorial win- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



363 



dovvs — that on the north commemorating 
the Rev. Robert W. Patterson, D. D., who 
was a noble father of Chicago Presbyter- 
ianism, from the besfinninsT the friend of 
this Church, and afterwards coming with 
his family to be. for many years, a mem- 
ber of the congregation : that on the 
south dedicated to the memory of the 
Rev. George Clement Noyes, D. D. It is 
most fitting that the worship and the work 
and fellowship of the congregation of the 
First Presbyterian Church should exist 
between windows sacred to the memory 
of these two men ; for. as the fair audi- 
torium is lighted by the rays of the sun 
v.'hich fall through the rich glasses, so the 
life of the congregation has been, and will 
in the future continue to be, illuminated 
by the rays of the Sun of Righteousness 
which shine through their holy characters. 
During the erection of this edifice Dr. 
Hillis retired from the pastorate, present- 
ing his resignation in December, 1894, 
having accepted an invitation to mniister 
to the Central Church (Independent) of 
Chicago. On the loth of July following, 
a call was extended to the Rev. John H. 
Boyd, D. D., then pastor of the Second 
Presbyterian Church of Charlotte, N. C. 
The call was accepted and the new pas- 
torate opened on the 6th day of October, 
1895. Dr. Boyd still remains in the field, 
and under his charge the prosperity which 
has always characterized the organization 
continues. The roll of church member- 
ship, after careful expurgation, showed 
at the beginning of his pastorate six 
hundred and fifty-nine names. This has 
been increased to eight hundred and sixty- 
three. During the seven years past $14,- 
716 have been contributed to the cause of 
Home Missions, and $10,618 to Foreign 
Missions. Other Boards and benevolences 
have received $25,813, while in the pay- 
ment of debts and self-support the con- 



gregation has expended $109,602, making 
a grand total of $160,749, or almost $22.- 
000 per year. During the past seven 
years 219 persons have been received on 
profession of faith, and 449 by letter — 
making a total of 668 additions to the 
membership. 

A notable event in the recent life of the 
congregation was the payment of a large 
debt which existed after the new church 
was completed. This amounted to $21,- 
500. After three years this amount was 
reduced by $4,000, leaving $17,500 in- 
debtedness. On Sunday morning, April 
23. 1899, after a discourse by the pastor, 
the congregation with enthusiastic liberal- 
ity swept the whole debt away, in forty 
minutes time contributing more than suf- 
ficient to pay the whole. 

The Church, as now organized, is a 
splendid piece of religious machinery, em- 
bracing sixteen different organizations, 
wdiich engage the active co-operation of 
more than six hundred workers. The 
present session consists of twelve elders : 
Homer C. Hunt, who has served for more 
than twenty-two years; Thomas Lord, 
with a record of twenty years of service; 
Andress B. Hull, nineteen years of ser- 
vice ; Thomas H. Linsley, Adam E. Dunn. 
Edward B. Ouinlan, Otis R. Larsen, 
Frank S. Shaw. Cornelius D. B. Howell, 
Harry B. Wheelock, Charles C. Cox and 
Frank Marimon. 

The Board of Trustees consists of nine 
members: Henry J. Wallingford, Jerome 
A. Smith, Philip P. Lee. Andrew Patter- 
son, Adam E. Dunn, Frank W. Gerould, 
J. H. Nitchie, David B. Forgan, M. Coch- 
rane Armour. This roll of esteemed and 
earnest men fully represents that greater 
list of officers who have served the church 
during the thirty-two years of its ex- 
istence. The splendid personnel of the 
governing body and their positions of 



364 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



leadership is tlie explanation of the years 
of unarrested prosperity and continued 
peace which have marked this Church. 
The Sunday School, with a membership 
of five hundred, is under the leadership 
of Elder H. B. W'heelock, who, with his 
diligent officers and teachers, has brought 
the work to a high state of efficiency. The 
school is excellently graded. Miss Laura 
E. Cragin is in charge of the Kinder- 
garten, Mrs. George H. Ludlow, the Pri- 
mary, and T. K. Webster, the Inter- 
mediate. The Superintendent conducts 
the main department, and Mr. Fleming 
H. Revell and Mr. Newell C. Knight are 
leaders of Bible classes. The other minor 
organizations, devotional and benevolent, 
operate along the whole front of religious 
opportunity and are accomplishing large 
results. 

The enlargement of Presbyterianism in 
Evanston is represented in two move- 
ments; one resulting in the organization 
of the Second Church in what was then 
the village of South Evanston, and the 
second and more recent one the building 
of a chapel whose future is full of prom- 
ise. For nine years a prayer-meeting and 
Sunday School were sustained in a store 
house at 131 5 Emerson Street. This was 
known as the Emerson Street Chapel. In 
the winter of 1902 the Church felt justi- 
fied in placing this work upon a more sub- 
stantial footing. A lot was bought at the 
corner of Emerson Street and Dewey Ave- 
. nue. A neat little Chapel, well equipped 
for a neighborhood church, seating about 
250, was erected. It was first occupied 
May 4th and was dedicated, amid the re- 
joicings of Children's Day, on June 8, 
1902. 

The Second Presbyterian Church grew 
out the interest of the Rev. Dr. Noyes 
of the First Church, in the people of the 
village of South Evanston. Having 



moved with his family to the corner of 
Greenleaf Street and Judson Avenue, he 
began to hold cottage prayer-meetings in 
the neighborhood. These gatherings 
quickened the desire of the people in that 
locality to have a church of their own. 
The growth of the movement and career 
of the church is here given from the pen 
of Mr. George W. Hotchkiss, who was 
from the beginning active in advancing 
the cause and who remains, today, to en- 
joy the large measure of success which 
has come to the effort of the earnest men 
and women of that congregation : 

Second Presbyterian Church. — The 
Second Presbyterian Church of Evanston, 
located on the northeast corner of Hin- 
man Avenue and Main Street, originated 
in February, 1884, from the gathering to- 
gether of a few citizens of the then \'illage 
of South Evanston (now comprising the 
Third and Fourth ^^'ards of the City of 
Evanston), to consider the spiritual needs 
of the village, which, with about 1,500 in- 
habitants, had but one church organiza- 
tion, that of the Methodist Episcopal de- 
nomination. The preliminary and several 
successive conferences were attended by 
Messrs. Charles Randolph, Gen. Julius 
White, A. H. Gunn, J. M. Brown, T. 
Winter, S. E. Norton, A. L. Winne, J. B. ' 
Lamkin, E. A. Downs, Wm. AI. R. Vose 
and George W. Hotchkiss, and a general 
call was promulgated addressed to — 

"All persons who believe that the time 
has arrived when an earnest effort should 
be made to organize either a Presbyterian 
or Congregational Church in South Evan- 
ston, and those feeling any interest in 
the subject are requested to assemble in 
Ducat's Hall on the afternoon of Sunday, 
February 24, 1884, at four o'clock, to con- 
sider the question and to inaugurate such 
action as will lead to the accomplishment 
of such an organization." 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



365 



At this meeting eighty-five persons 
were assembled, and by a practically 
unanimous vote, it was decided to can- 
vass the village and thus ascertain if 
financial and religious support could be re- 
lied upon. This resulted in a report to a 
meeting, held March 9th, that the move- 
ment could rely upon the approval and 
support of two hundred and three adults, 
while one hundred and two children and 
youth had been found who would gladly 
attend the Sabbath School, and the Com- 
mittee recommended that immediate steps 
be taken toward permanent organization 
and the securing of subscriptions for a 
building fund. At a meeting held April 
13th subscriptions to the amount of over 
$6,000 were reported as having been 
pledged, and it was formally decided to 
go forward as rapidly as possible with the 
work of organization and the erection of 
a house of worship. At this meeting 
articles of association were adopted for 
the formation of a religious society and 
received the signatures of one hundred 
and twenty-five persons. On Saturday 
evening, April 19th, a formal organization 
was eflfected by the adoption of by-laws, 
and a two-thirds majority of those present 
being in favor of a Presbyterian form of 
government, the new organization was 
designated as the Presbyterian Church of 
South Evanston. and, as such, was certi- 
fied by the Secretary, George W. Hotch- 
kiss, to the County Clerk of Cook County 
in accordance with the laws of the State 
of Illinois. At this meeting A. H. Gunn, 
John M. Brown and O. F. Gibbs were 
elected Trustees to serve one year, and 
Thaddeus \\inter, Charles Randolph and 
H. C. McClary to serve for two years. 
The first meeting of the Board of Trustees 
was held April 23d. at which time it was 
voted to purchase a lot of 114 feet front- 
age on Hinman Avenue, northeast corner 



of Lincoln Avenue (afterwards named 
Main Street), for the price of $3,500. April 
25th a building committee was appointed 
to act in conjunction with the Board of 
Trustees. June 7th Messrs. Holabird and 
Roach were selected as the architects, and 
their plans of a building to cost about 
$8,000 were approved. These plans were 
subsequently remodeled and the final 
structure, as it now stands, represents an 
outlay of about $20,000. The edifice has 
seating capacity for about four hundred 
and fifty persons. So much for the origin 
and completion of the temporalities of the 
Church which, upon the incorporation of 
the two villages of South Evanston and 
Evanston, became known as "The South 
Presbyterian Church of Evanston." In 
June, 1901, the corporate name was again 
changed to conform to existing conditions, 
and it is now known as "The Second Pres- 
byterian Church of Evanston." 

During the progress of events from the 
initiation of the movement looking to the 
formation of the Society and during the in- 
terim of building, neighborhood prayer- 
meetings were held, ladies' societies formed 
and every preparation made for the final 
organization as a religious body. By 
June, 1885, the church building had so far 
progressed that, on Sabbath Day, June 
28th, a committee from the Presbytery of 
Chicago consisting of Rev. George C. 
Noyes (pastor of the First Presbyterian 
Church of Evanston) and Rev. R. W. Pat- 
terson, D. D., met and examined the let- 
ters of forty-four members of other 
churches who had decided to join the new 
organization, and who, together with six 
persons who presented themeslves upon 
confession of their faith, were declared to 
form the thus constituted church. At this, 
the first religious service held in the 
church. Rev. R. W. Patterson. D. D.. ad- 
ministered the ordinance of baptism to 



366 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



three adults, after which he preached i 
sermon from Luke 13: 18-21. Dr. Patter- 
son was assisted in this service by Rev. 
Clatworthy, pastor of the' Baptist Church 
of Evanston, and the Rev. Lewis Curts, of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church of Evan- 
ston, while the service of dedicating the 
building to the worship of Almighty God 
was conducted by Rev. George C. Noyes, 
D. D., the dedicatory prayer being offered 
by Rev. A. J. Scott, pastor of the Congre- 
gational Church of Evanston. From this 
time regular church service was held m 
the lecture room, a Sabbath School organ- 
ized and a Wednesday evening prayer- 
meeting established. On July 15th, at the 
close of the prayer service, it was decided 
to elect but two elders at that time and Wil- 
liam H. Spencer and William I\L R. \'ose 
were elected to that office. During the 
remainder of that year the Rev. R. W. 
Patterson, although of advanced age and 
infirmity, assisted the young Church as 
pulpit suppl}', until November 11, 1885, 
when a call was extended to Rev. William 
Smith, of Hudson, N. Y., who, accepting, 
came at once to his new pastorate and 
continued to the great edification of the 
Church until his death, February 23, 1892. 
In June. 1892, the Rev. John N. Mills, of 
Beatrice. Xeb.. was called to the pastorate 
which he filled acceptably until May 8, 
1895, when failing health compelled him 
to present his resignation, much to the 
regret of the membership, and his fare- 
well sermon was preached on the 26th 
of the same month. From that time until 
March, 1896, Prof. M. Bross Thomas 
acted as pulpit supply with great accept- 
ability and, on March 4, 1896, a call was 
extended to Rev. A .W. Ringland, D. D., 
late of Toledo, Ohio, which, being ac- 
cepted, Dr. Ringland entered upon his 



pastorate April 5. 1896. He continued a 
most successful and harmonious pastorate 
until February 25, 1898, when failing 
health compelled his resignation, taking 
effect April 1st of that year. Loath to 
accept the resignation of so faithful a 
pastor, a resolution prevailed granting to 
Dr. Ringland a year's vacation in the hope 
that, with restored health, his pastorate 
might continue; but, in February, 1899, 
he deemed it judicious to make his resig- 
nation absolute, and it was accepted. 
During the interregnum the pulpit was 
again supplied, to the great edification of 
the Church, by Prof. M. Bross Thomas, 
of the Lake Forest University, until Feb- 
ruary 26, 1899, when a call was extended 
to Rev. John W. Francis, of Richland 
Center, Wis., who was installed as pastor 
on June 4, 1899, and still occupies that 
position, at this writing (April, 1902), the 
Church under his charge having greatly 
prospered. The present membership is 
220. 

During all the years since the organiza- 
tion of the Church a Sabbath School, 
which now has a regular attendance of 
about 185, has been maintained. A so- 
ciety of Christian Endeavor has engaged 
the attention and interest of the young 
women of the Church, while various so- 
cieties in different branches of church 
work have done effective service. Of 
these, the Ladies' Home and Foreign 
Missionary Societies, the Ladies' Aid So- 
ciety and the Forward Circle of the 
vounger ladies have been prominent in 
efi^ective work. The weekly prayer-meet- 
ing has been well sustained from the be- 
ginning, and the Second Presbyterian 
Church of Evanston justly holds a posi- 
tion of prominence among the many 
churches of the city. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



367 



EPISCOPAL CHURCHES 

(By REV. AIlTHrii \V. LITTLE, D. D., L. H. D.) 

In the year 18G4 there were in Evanston 
only three or four faniihes wlio reallv 
belonged to the Episcopal Church. There 
were, however, several leading citizens 
who loved the Prayer Book, and were 
ready to aid in starting a parish church. 
There were also certain other public- 
spirited men who, from considerations of 
civic pride, desired to see an Anglican 
church in the village. Thus the way was 
opened for the founding of St. Mark's 
Church. 

In the spring of 1864 the Rev. John 
Wilkinson, a priest, and chaplain to the 
Rt. Rev. Dr. Whitehouse, Bishop of Illi- 
nois, was permitted by the courtesy of the 
Methodists to give notice in the chapel of 
the University that a parish would be or- 
ganized according to the canons of the 
Diocese of Illinois, and that the organi- 
zation would take place on April 20th. 
At this meeting a canonical organization 
was effected under the title of St. ]\Iark's 
Parish, and I\Ir. Charles Cumstock and 
Mr. D. J. Crocker were chosen church 
wardens. St. Mark's, therefore, started 
as a parish, and was never a mission. 

The first service was held on the third 
Sunday of May, 1864, in the building then 
known as the First ]\Iethodist church. 
After that the services were held in the 
chapel of the University, the Rev. Theo- 
dore I. Holcombe being priest in charge. 
There are many interesting reminiscences 
of his ministry here as a temporary supply 
for about a year, although it was indeed 
the day of small things. 

Early in the spring of 186:^ the Rev. Mr. 
Holcombe was transferred to the Diocese 
of Wisconsin, and for several weeks there 
seem to have been no public services of 
the Church. Meantime, however, the 
Trustees of the University kindly gave 



the parish a lot of land on the north side 
of Davis Street, between Ridge and Oak 
Avenues, sixty feet front by 150 feet deep, 
upon which a small wooden church was 
built. On September 15th of the year 
1865 the church, being free of debt, was 
consecrated by Bishop Whitehouse, the 
solemn function being attended by the 
clerical and lay members of the Diocesan 
Convention, which was in session that 
week in Chicago. At the same time the 
Rev. John W. Buckmaster, a priest of the 
Diocese of New York, was made rector of 
the parish. From that day to this there 
has been no interruption in the parochial 
work of this church. The eucharistic sac- 
rifice has been offered, and all the sacra- 
ments have been duly celebrated, while 
divine worship and preaching of the gos- 
pel have been maintained, with much 
charity and good work for the bodies as 
well as for the souls of men. \Mien there 
has been a vacancy in the rectorship, there 
have always been temporary supplies. 

The first class of candidates for con- 
firmation was presented by the rector, V.r. 
Buckmaster, on March 26, 1866. It con- 
sisted of ten persons who were confirmed 
by the Rt. Rev. J. C. Talbot, D. D., Bishop 
co-adjutor of Indiana, acting for the 
Bishop of Illinois. That was a great event 
in Evanston. It was like the day when 
St. Peter and St. John came down from 
Jerusalem to Samaria, and laid their 
hands in apostolic benediction upon the 
first converts who had been baptized by 
St. Philip. This was the only class pre- 
sented by the first rector; ten confirma- 
tions in two years— an average of fi^■e a 
year. This rectorship lasted from Septem- 
ber. 1865 to April, 1867. 

During much of the history of St. 
Mark's, the parish undoubtedly suffered 
from the shortness of the rectorships— a 
thing which seriously interrupts parochial 



368 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



work and the pastoral relation. The first 
ten years show four rectorships, besifies 
two years of supplies. The next thirteen 
years show three rectorships, with about 
two years of supplies ; in short, up to the 
year 1888, the average rectorship was less 
than three years. This seems like the 
Methodist system grafted upon the Old 
Church. It is wholly contrary to the 
Church idea, and was the cause as well as 
the result of evil. 

The second rector of St. Mark's was the 
Rev. Thomas Lisle of Philadelphia, who 
was the parish priest here from the 20th 
of May, 1867, to the 7th of June, 1869. 
Great progress was made during this rec- 
torship. The fact is, the people of the 
village began to realize that St. Mark's 
Church was here, that it stood for some- 
thing, and that it had come to stay. 
Moreover, the village was growing quite 
rapidly at that time. It is recorded that 
the number of familiejS and communicants 
in the parish doubled in those two years. 
The church building was also greatly en- 
larged by being lengthened, and a small 
wooden tower was built, containing a bell 
made by the Meneely Bell Company of 
Troy. So that, from that day St. Mark's 
has never been without "the sound of the 
church-going bell," to tell of God and to 
summon to the House of God, except dur- 
ing the time after the, new church was 
built and until the beautiful chimes of St. 
Mark's were installed. 

Bishop Whitehouse made his first epis- 
copal visitation for confirmation on April 
19, 1868, confirming a class of four per- 
sons ; and again, on April 25th of the year 
1869, when he confirmed ten, making four- 
teen who received the sacrament of con- 
firmation during this rectorship — an aver- 
age of seven a year. 

From January, 1869, until April, 1872, 
there was one short rectorship with sev- 



eral priests in charge as temporary sup- 
plies. Not much work was done. There 
were no confirmations. The rectorship 
was that of Rev. A. J. Barrows, from 
November, 1869, to September, 1870 — less 
than a year. 

In April, 1872, the Rev. C. S. Abbott 
became rector, and remained until in 1875. 
He was a kindly and faithful priest and 
pastor. He presented three classes for 
confirmation, containing, respectively, 
one, five and twelve souls, making 
eighteen confirmations — an average of 
four and one-half a year. 

During this rectorship, as early as in 
the year 1873. plans for building a new 
church began to be formed. The scheme, 
however, was rejected by the vestry on 
what were probably wise and prudent 
considerations. There had been what is 
familiarly known as a great "boom" in 
■ Evanston. After the Chicago fire, many 
Chicago people were left homeless and 
came out to this suburb to live. Among 
them were many Church folk. Thus the 
parish received agreataccession of numbers 
and strength. But the vestry knew that 
many of these would go back to Chicago, 
and that the boom was an artificial one 
and could not be depended on. Conse- 
quently they were not willing to under- 
take either the building or enlargement of 
the church. But, as often happens in such 
cpses, the women of the parish were 
roused to action, as appears from the fol- 
lowing extract from the minutes of the 
vestry of St. Mark's under date of July 
II, 1875: 

"A proposition of the women of the par- 
ish to enlarge the church-building at their 
own cost, by widening it about twelve feet 
on the east side and making some other 
minor improvements incidental thereto, was 
laid before the vestry. After a discussion 
of the plan proposed, it was unanimously 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



369 



resolved" (note the unanimity with which 
it was resolved), "that the ladies of the par- 
ish be allowed to enlarge the church build- 
ing at their own expense, provided that the 
contract be so made as in no wav to make 
the vestrv liable or to incumber the church 
building for any part of the cost of the con- 
templated improvement." 

The good women were not abashed; 
they took hold and built what, in ecclesi- 
astical language, is known as the south 
aisle of the church. The example of the 
women produced an effect which was 
that, subsequently, the Men's Guild of 
the parish built and added to the old 
church the north aisle. 

I have thus very briefly sketched the 
first ten years of the parochial life of St. 
Mark's. God alone knows the unrecorded 
works ; the faith and charity that went on 
all through that decade; the earnest, de- 
voted and faithful struggles of the laymen 
to maintain the church ; the faithful pas- 
toral work, and the preaching by the three 
rectors and the various temporary sup- 
plies. These things are written in the 
Lamb's Book of Life. 

Toward the close of the period of ten 
years, hard times came upon the parish 
and the town. Many of the refugees 
from the Chicago fire had moved back to 
their own rebuilded homes. There had 
been a great panic in the financial world, 
and men felt the pressure of straightened 
resources. The congregation fell off. It 
is recorded that the Sunday morning con- 
gregation that used to fill the church had 
now dwindled down to thirty-five or forty 
persons, hardly more than the present 
choir. 

The first ten years of parochial admin- 
istration of St. Mark's were years when 
the parish work was done on what may 
be called protestant lines. The general 
teaching and tone of the church, aside 



from the irresistible influence of the 
Prayer Book, were hardly above the aver- 
age Puritan level. One may see some- 
thing of this, for example, in the fact that, 
during those ten years there were but 
fifty confirmations — an average of five a 
year. There was, comparatively speaking, 
little brightness in the service; there 
seemed to be a fear of making the worship 
of God beautiful ; and the senseless cry 
of "no popery" was raised by some, over 
things that are a part of the Anglo-Catho- 
lic heritage. The building itself was un- 
churchly and unattractive. The altar was 
a wooden box only four feet long, with- 
out cross, vases, altar lights, altar vest- 
ings, or even a full set of altar linens. 
There was no credence or prothesis. 
In celebrating the Holy Eucharist, in- 
stead of the unleavened bread which our 
Lord used, common bread was employed. 
The mixed chalice was not used. Eucha- 
ristic vestments were unknown ; the cele- 
brant wore a long white surplice and 
black stole. The ablutions were not per- 
formed. There were no early commun- 
ions, and the Saints' days and many of 
the Church's holy feasts and fasts were 
not generally observed. 

With the coming in of the new rector, the 
Rev. J. Stewart Smith, which coincided 
with the advent of the new Bishop of 
the diocese, a new system was inaugu- 
rated ; and, from that time St. Mark's has 
known prosperity and progress un- 
dreamed of before. For thirty years, 
then, after the first ten. the parish 
has been administered on what may prop- 
erly be called Anglo-Catholic lines. In 
the History of Evanston by our late bril- 
liant fellow-townswoman. Miss \A'iIlard. 
are these words, describing the rector- 
ship of the Rev. J. Stewart Smith: 

"This was the beginning of a new order 
of things, wherein was a striking contrast 



370 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



to the old ; the change was a marked differ- 
ence in CathoHc teaching and practice, and 
the work then earnestly begun has been 
faithfully increased and widened by Mr. 
Smith's successors. The trend of this 
movement has steadily been in harmony 
with the Catholic revival in the Anglican 
Church, and St. Mark's has been highly 
favored in the men who have filled her pul- 
pit since then." 

It is impossible to overestimate the 
work of the Rev. J. Stewart Smith, 
the fifth rector of St. Mark's. He 
was the curate of the Rev. William E. 
McLaren, D. D., rector of Trinity Church, 
Cleveland, when Dr. McLaren was made 
Bishop of this diocese. Mr. Smith was 
then in deacon's orders, but the Bishop, 
knowing the worth of his young curate, 
nominated him to the rectorship of St. 
Mark's. He was elected by tht vestry 
on the 30th day of January, 1876, with the 
understanding that he should become rec- 
tor as soon as he was advanced to priest's 
orders, for a deacon cannot be rector of a 
parish. He was advanced to the sacred 
order of the priesthood on the 30th day 
of January of that year, and on the 14th 
day of February — known as St. Valen- 
tine's Day — Mr. Smith became the rector 
of this church. He remained as rector for 
about four years; that is, until January, 
1880. 

He found the parish very sadly run 
down. The services, as has been said, 
were protestant in tone and unattractive. 
That, however, was characteristic of the 
church services in general throughout this 
part of the land. But the clergy and a 
few of the parishes were beginning to feel 
the uplifting tide of Catholic reform 
which was then spreading over England 
and the East. 

Immediately upon the coming of J. 
Stewart Smith, an improvement was seen 



all along the line, and no one would wish 
to go back to the condition of things that 
prevailed before he accomplished his great 
work. But his work was not accom- 
plished without heroism, perseverance and 
indomitable courage. Almost every im- 
provement that he made in the character 
of the services was opposed or criticised 
by some section of the parish. But he 
was a man whom nothing could discour- 
age, whom nothing could daunt. The fact 
is, the whole subject of the Church's ritual 
on which so much has been said of late 
years, after all is simply this : Whether 
we shall have reverent behavior in the 
House of God and a decent adornment of 
the House of God, or whether we shall treat 
God and His House worse than we treat 
ourselves and our own domestic dwell- 
ings. 

A bare summary of the chief restora- 
tions and improvements introduced by 
Mr. Smith must suffice: He secured a 
good cabinet organ in place of the old 
melodeon. The church was repaired and 
decorated in as churchly a style as the 
limitations of the old building would per- 
mit. A large altar was placed in the 
Sanctuary, with cross and vases and 
proper vestings for the various seasons 
of the Christian year. A credence was 
procured. Proper vestments were worn. 
All Holy Days were duly observed. Re- 
quiem masses were celebrated. Services 
and instructions were greatly multiplied 
and the pastoral care of souls greatly in- 
creased. 

The opposition against him was such as 
is always met with when- a sleepy and 
protestant parish is brought under the 
leadership of a truly Catholic priest. But 
his loving kindness, his tact, and his per- 
severance conquered ; and when finally he 
left, the parish found itself transformed, 
and has never been willing to sink back 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



371 



I 



into the condition in which it had pre- 
viously been. Fatlier Smith is still living 
and active, the rector of St. Mary's, Kan- 
sas City. All subsequent rectors have 
simply built upon the foundations that 
he laid. If any honor is due to any rector 
of this parish, it is above all to the Rev. 
J. Stewart Smith. 

Aside from purely local and parochial 
work. Mr. Smith also launched forth into 
missionary work and Church-extension. He 
began the services of the Church in the 
neighboring villages of Winnetka, Wil- 
mette. North Evanston and Rogers Park, 
where, today, four flourishing churches, 
which may be called daughters of St. 
Mark's, remain as monuments of Mr. 
Smith's zeal and devotion. The time had 
not yet come for starting a mission in South 
Evanston. That was done a few years 
later. 

Every year of his rectorship Mr. Smith 
presented good classes for confirmation, 
numbering, respectively, sixteen, eighteen, 
nine and seven per year — an average of 
twelve a year instead of four, which had 
been the previous average. After his de- 
parture, there was a vacancy for about a 
year, during which time four persons were 
confirmed. 

The sixth rector of St. Mark's was the 
Rev. Dr. Frederick S. Jewell, 6th May, 
1880, to August, 1885. Dr. Jewell had 
been a Presbyterian minister, but had 
been converted to the older Church, had 
been confirmed, ordained a deacon and 
then advanced to the priesthood. He was 
a Catholic Churchman and a strong and 
brilliant preacher. His work here for 
about five years was fruitful. One in- 
teresting feature of this rectorship was 
that, in the year 1882 there was organ- 
ized what was called the "Men's Guild." 
During the five years of its existence 
the guild raised nearly $4,000. It was 



the Men's Guild that paid for building the 
north aisle of the church ; for the enlarge- 
ment of the choir, and in large part for 
the purchase of the new pipe organ, which 
was considered a fine instrument for those 
days. One of the great objects of the 
guild was to promote fellowship in the 
parish, visit the newcomers, get acquaint- 
ed with strangers, and support the rector 
in every one of his works. The result 
was that everything in the parish was 
strengthened, directly or indirectly, by 
the Men's Guild. It was during this rec- 
torship that the mission in "South Evans- 
ton" (now the flourishing parish of St. 
Luke's, Evanston) was started, not with- 
out the help of Dr. Jewell and the Men's 
Guild of St. Mark's. 

Dr. Jewell was the first to complete the 
adornment of the altar by placing upon it 
altar lights. During his rectorship Dr. 
Jewell presented classes for confirmation 
every year, numbering respectively, nine, 
four, fifteen, nine and ten candidates — 
being an average of nine and one-half per 
year. 

Dr. Jewell, during the latter part of his 
rectorship, also introduced some choral 
services which are now so dear and up- 
lifting to the people of the parish and of 
the community. Yet, strange to say, this 
induced opposition which spread through- 
out the parish. After faithfully upholding 
the standard of the Cross here for more 
than five years, the good doctor resigned. 

The seventh rector of St. Mark's was 
the Rev. Richard Hayward, who held the 
rectorship from February, 1886, to May, 
1888. He had previously been a chaplain in 
the United States Navy. He was a sound 
Churchman and a good preacher. Two 
notable events marked his brief rector- 
ship of less than three years. Tht first 
was the successful introduction of the 
vested choir, which took place on Whit- 



2>7^ 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



Sunday in 1887, and has been the greatest 
blessing to the public worship of the 
Church ever since. The faithful and be- 
loved choirmaster, Mr. Robert Holmes, 
has been the choirmaster nearly all the 
time since then. 

The second notable event in the rector- 
ship of Mr. Hayward was the revival of 
the scheme of building a new church and a 
rectory. Ten thousand dollars (or nearly 
that) were pledged, payal:)lc as soon as the 
church should be begun. During his rec- 
torship Mr. Hayward presented three 
classes for confirmation, numbering re- 
spectively, four, thirteen and ten — an av- 
erage of nine a year. When Mr. Hayward 
left in May, 1888, for about six months 
the parish was vacant, but was chiefly 
in charge of a faithful priest, the Rev. 
Walter H. Moore, afterwards dean of 
Ouincy. 

The eighth rector of St. Mark's was a 
young priest from the diocese of Maine, 
the Rev. Arthur W. Little. Mr. Little 
had been for seven years rector of St. 
Paul's, Portland He was a member of 
the Cathedral Chapter and of the Stand- 
ing Committee of the Diocese; had repre- 
sented Maine in the General Convention 
of 1886, and was well known as the author 
of a popular work entitled "Ixeasons for 
Being a Churchman." His rectorship be- 
gan on All Saints' Day. Noveml^er i, 
1888. He was formally i.istituted by the 
Bishop on the i8th of November, being 
the twent\-fifth Sunvlay after Trinity, and 
is still the rector of the parish. In 1895 he 
received a doctor's degree from Hobart 
College. He has been for many years 
Examining Chaplain to the Bishop, a 
member of the Board of Missions and of 
the Standing Committee of the Diocese, 
and Lecturer on Ecclesiastical History in 
the Western Theological Seminary. Still 



later he was a delegate to the General Con- 
\cntion in 1904. 

Mr. Little Ft once began to push for- 
ward the building of the new church, 
A desirable lot on the corner of Ridge 
Avenue and Grove Street was bought and 
paid for. \ beautiful stone ciiurch of 
early English type, designed by the dis- 
tinguished architects, Holabird & Roche, 
was built. The corner-stone was laid by 
the Bishop on the Sunday after Ascen- 
sion, May 18, 1900. The first services 
were held on Easter Day, March 29, 
n;oi. ( )n tiie following Wednesday, at a 
high celebration of the Holy Eucharist, 
at which most of the clergy of the diocese 
were present, an office of Benediction was 
said by the Bishop, the Rt. Rev. William 
E. McLaren. D. D., D. C. L., who also 
preached the sermon. At evensong the 
Rt. Rev. George F. Seymour, D. D., LL. 
D., Bishop of Springfield, preached. On 
St. Mark's Day, April 25, 1895, the church, 
including the chapel of St. Mary, in the 
north choir aisle, being entirely free from 
debt, was solemnly consecrated by the 
Bishop in a splendid and memorable 
service. 

This was the last public service at 
which the venerable Charles Comstock. 
for thirty years the Senior Warden and 
constant benefactor of the parish, was 
present. He died on the 5th of the fol- 
lowing September, in the eighty-second 
year of his age. 

In 1899 a commodious rectory or par- 
sonage was bougl't on Ridge Avenue, 
near the church. A beautiful Rood Se- 
rene, of carved oak. separating the choir 
from the nave, was placed in the church 
in 1899. as a memorial to the late Franklin 
G. lieach. The church contains some beau- 
tiful vvindn\vs of the best English stained 
glass, made by Ward & Hughes of Lou- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



37.5 



don. The great east window over the 
high altar, representing The Institution 
of the Holy Eucharist, is considered the 
finest example of stained glass in the 
West. It is a memorial to the late Frank- 
lin G. Beach and Elizabeth, his wife. The 
windows in the north aisle depict scenes 
fiom the Old Testament, and those in 
the south aisle from the New. 

In the fall of 1891 a superb chime of 
nine bells was placed in the tower of the 
church, along with an automatic attach- 
ment for playing the beautiful "West- 
minster changes" at the quarter hours. 
The following Latin inscription was cast 
on the great bell : 

A. M. D. G. 

AEDI PAROCHIAEQUE SANCTI 

MARCI ME, OCTO CUM ALUS CAM- 

PANIS, GRATO CORDE DEBIT 

AMICUS MENSE SEPTEMBRE, 

MDCCCCI, 

RDO. ARTURO W. LITTLE, L. H. D., 

PAROCHO. 

LAUDE SONO DOMINI; POPULUM 

VOCO AD OSTIA CAELI. 

(To the greater glory of God. To the 
church and parish of St. Mark's, a friend, 
out of a grateful heart, gave me, along 
with eight other bells, in the month of 
September, 1901, during the rectorship of 
the Rev. Arthur W. Little, L. H. D. I re- 
sound with the praise of the Lord: I sum- 
mon the people to the gates of heaven.) 

The parish during 1903 erected a large 
and beautiful Guild Hall or Parish House, 
adjoining the church, for the use of the 
Sunday School, and the various guilds and 
other charitable and social organizations 
of the parish. 

During the rectorship of Dr. Little the 
church has enjoyed a steady and healthy 
growth in numbers and influence and in 
all departments of worship and of work, 



especially in the cause of missions and 
charities. In the seventeen years of his 
rectorship Dr. Little has presented five 
hundred and ten candidates for con- 
firmation, being an average of thirty 
a year. In the previous twenty-three years, 
one hundred and sixty were confirmed — 
making six hundred and seventy confirma- 
tions in the forty years of parish life. 

In the summer of 1904 a superb marble 
altar and reredos were presented to St. 
Mark's by the children of the late Senior 
Warden, Charles Comstock, as a memorial 
to him and his beloved wife, and to their 
daughter-in-law, Eleanora K. Comstock. 

In 1905 the interior of the choir and 
sanctuary was rebuilt of massive carved 
stone, the walls of the clear-story being cov- 
ered with gold. The efifect is very fine. 
This was the gift of Mr. William C. Com- 
stock, and is a memorial to his beloved wife, 
Eleanora K. Comstock. 

The year 1905 also witnessed the organ- 
ization of the Men's Club of St. Mark's, a 
society for literary and social as well as for 
ecclesiastical purposes. It has had one 
prosperous year under the presidency of 
Mr. William B. Bogert. The President for 
1906-7 is Mr. William S. Powers. Any citi- 
zen of Evanston is eligible to membership 
in this club. 

St. Mark's is a strong and united parish. 
It numbers among its adherents some of 
the best citizens of Evanston, and has 
the respect and esteem of the community. 

A few items from the last Parochial 
Report — May, 1906 — must close this 
sketch : 

St. Mark's. 

Rector, Dr. Arthur W. Little. 

Church Wardens, Messrs. Henry S. 
Slaymaker and Edward H. Buehler. 

Members, about 1,500. 

Communicants, 775. 

\'alue of property, about $125,000. 



374 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



St. Matthew's Mission.' — The first serv- 
ice in connection with the starting of "St. 
Matthew's" Mission was held in the pub- 
lic school-house and was conducted by 
the Rev. J. Stewart Smith. Rector of "St. 
Mark's," Evanston, on Sunday, May 14, 
1876. Services were maintained every 
third Sunday until 1878, when these were 
discontinued. The Sunday School was 
organized September 8, 1878, soon finding 
a home in the house of Mr. T. A. Turner. 
March 7, 1878, a Sunday evening service 
was begun in the same place. This con- 
tinued until January, 1880. 

After Mr. Smith's departure from St. 
Mark's, lay-readers conducted the service. 
In 1862, May 21st, a lot was donated by 
Mr. Jenks, and by July I, 1883, the church 
building was ready for occupancy. It was 
in May of this year that the Mission was 
duly organized, being put in charge of the 
Rev. Dr. Jewell, rector of St. Mark's. 

The Rev. George B. Whitney was ap- 
pointed priest in charge June 24, 1883, 
having also in his care Christ Church, 
Winnetka. Mr. Whitney remained in 
charge until November i, 1885. Through 
the kindness of friends in St. Mark's and 
elsewhere, the indebtedness on the build- 
ing was cancelled, and the church conse- 
crated by the Rt. Rev. William E. Mc- 
Laren, D. D., Bishop of Chicago, October 
30, 1884. 

The years following the departure of 
the Rev. Mr. Whitney were marked by 
various and ofttimes trying experiences, 
but the life was maintained by the faith- 
ful women of the Mission and the assist- 
ance of students from the Western 
Theological Seminary, the Rev. John C. 
Sage, now of St. John's, Dubuque, serving 
in this capacity for a year. He left in 
September, 1870, and on November 2, of 
the same year, the Rev. H. R. Neely took 
charge, remaining until May, 1897. In 



the fall of 1897 the Rev. H. C. Granger, 
at that time assistant at St. Peter's, Chi- 
cago, was given charge of "St. Mat- 
thew's ;" he is still the incumbent. 

Several fitting memorials have recently 
been placed in the church, such as a pair of 
three-branch candlesticks for the altar, in 
memory of the late Mr. C. O. Ferris, and a 
beautiful oak lecturn. 

W'hile credit is due to many kind friends 
for their undiminished interest in St. 
Matthew's during all these years — es- 
pecially to the rectors of St. Mark's, Ev- 
anston — it is not too much to say that 
among the names deserving of very par- 
ticular mention are those of Mr. and 
Mrs. T. A. Turner, by whose unceasing 
and loving care the lamp, once lighted, 
was never suflfered to go out. 

From the Parochial Report of St. Mat- 
thew's Mission. May, 1906: 

Priest in charge, the Rev. Henry C. 
Granger. 

Members, 200. 

Communicants, 70. 

Estimated value of property, $3,000. 

St. Luke's Parish.^ — St. Luke's Church 
was organized as a mission early in July. 
1885, and the first service was held in 
Ducat's Hall. In August a store was 
rented on Chicago Avenue and fitted up 
for use of the mission. In June. 1886, the 
Rev. Marcus Lane, who had been priest in 
charge for this first year, resigned, and 
was succeeded, August i, by the Rev. 
Daniel F. Smith, who continued in charge 
until August I, 1904. 

In October, 1886, ground was broken for 
the erection of a church on the northeast 
corner of Lincoln Avenue (now Main 
Street) and Sherman Avenue. In May, 
1887, this was so far completed as to be 



iThls sketch of St. Matthew's Mission was furnished by 
Rev. Henry C. Granger. 

2The sketch of .St. Luke's, up to 1904. was furnished by the 
Bev. D. F. Smith, D. D. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



375 



available for the services, though still 
quite in the rough. Improvements have 
been made almost continually, and twice 
the church has been enlarged. It was 
solemnly consecrated November lo, 1889, 
being free from debt. 

On January I, 1891, the mission was re- 
organized as a parish, which, on May 26 
of that year, was admitted into union with 
the Convention of the Diocese of Chicago, 
with the following officers: David L. 
Thorp, Josiah C. Lane, Wardens. 

In twenty-one years since the organiza- 
tion of St. Luke's the number of communi- 
cants has increased from twenty-seven to 
four hundred and sixty-two. The parish is 
now numbered among the stronger and 
more active in the diocese, is united and 
piosperous and abounds in good works. 

In 1904 the Rev. Daniel F. Smith, D. D., 
resigned, and was elected rector emeritus, 
carrying with him the love and esteem of 
the people to whom he had ministered so 
faithfully and so long. He was succeeded 
by the Rev. George Craig Stewart who be- 
came rector of St. Luke's, August i, 1904. 
Air. Stewart is an able and energetic 
priest. Among the notable events in the 
history of Evanston during the last two 
years has been the great progress of St. 
Luke's. Strong preaching on Catholic 
lines, improvement in the ritual and cere- 
monial of public worship, large confirma- 
tion classes, the organization of the Men's 
Club of St. Luke's, and great parochial ac- 
tivity are signs of his progress. A large lot 
has been bought on the corner of Hinman 
Avenue and Lee Street, and plans had been 
adopted for a large and beautiful stone 
church, to cost, when completed, $125,000. 
The building will be begun in June, 1906, 
and the work will be pushed forward with 
the energy which characterizes the rector 
and the people of St. Luke's. 



From the Parochial Report of St. Luke's 
Parish, May, 1906: 

Rector Emeritus, the Rev. Daniel F. 
Smith, D. D. 

Rector, the Rev. Geo. Craig Stewart. 

Church Wardens, Messrs. C. H. Cowper 
and C. E. Dudley. 

Members, 1,000. 

Communicants, 462. 



CATHOLIC CHURCHES 

(By FR. H. P. SMYTH) 

Among the earliest settlers of Evanston 
were a few Catholic families. They wor- 
shipped either at St. Joseph's Church, 
Gross Point, or at St. Henry's, High 
Ridge, according to their convenience. 

However, in 1864 a concerted eflfort 
was made to establish a church in Evan- 
ston. Accordingly, on July 20th of that 
year, the property upon which St. Mary's 
Church now stands, corner of Lake Street 
and Oak Avenue, was purchased ; the 
deed being made to "the Catholic Bishop 
of Chicago." 

The few families that then constituted 
the Catholic population of Evanston. 
found that the purchase of property had 
exhausted their resources, leaving them 
little hope of erecting a church in the 
near future- Yet, so confident were those 
pioneers of the ultimate success of their 
enterprise, that, as it were, burning the 
bridges behind them, they had inserted in 
the deed a clause making the property 
revertable to the original owner, in the 
event of its being used for other than 
Catholic Church purposes. This limita- 
tion of title, though prudent at the time. 
afterwards gave trouble ; and has been 
removed at considerable expense within 
the last few years. The few people con- 
tinued as formerly to attend mass, either 
at Gross Point or Rose Hill. 



376 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



In 1866 the foundation of a church was 
laid, but it was found impossible, through 
lack of funds, to construct the edifice ac- 
cording to plans. A- smaller structure 
forty feet by twenty, which still stands 
on the rear of an adjoining lot, was erected. 
In this church the small congregation 
worshipped for three years. In 1869 the 
little building was moved south on the 
property, and work was begun on another 
structure according to the original plan. 
This second church was finished towards 
the close of the year. 

Still there was no resident pastor in 
Evanston. Father Heskemann, of Gross 
Point, had superintended the construction 
of the first church, and, for two years after 
its completion, came every alternate Sun- 
day to Evanston. 

Early in 1868, the priest in residence at 
Rose Hill, Father Heamers, succeeded 
Father Heskemann, in charge of the small 
congregation and church. He, too, how- 
ever came only on Sundays. He con- 
tinued to minister to St- Mary's, Evan- 
ston, as long as he remained at Rose 
Hill. In 1869 or 1870 he was succeeded 
in both charges, first by Father Marshall 
and later by Father Michels, who like their 
predecessor attended Evanston as a mis- 
sion from Rose Hill. 

During Father Heamer's pastorate a 
school was established, and two nuns of 
German birth taught and resided in Evan- 
ston for one year. Lay teachers were 
emplo}-ed subsequently. 

In the fall of 1872, Rev. M. Donohue 
came from Waukegan to St. ]\Iary's, Ev- 
anston, as its first resident pastor. When 
he came he found the church which con- 
tmued to be used for the succeeding 
twenty years, and also the parochial resi- 
dence, which is occupied today, awaiting 
him. 

In 1874 the Dominican Sisters of Sinsin- 



awa Mound, Wis., were invited to lake 
charge of the school which was now estab- 
lished. They have continued to work un- 
interruptedly to the present. 

Father Donohue had. at some time in 
the 'seventies, been created Rural Dean 
by Bishop Foley, and, in 1887, was made 
permanent rector by Archbishop Feehan. 
The former title is honorary and, in the 
Chicago archdiocese, brings with it no re- 
sponsibility. The latter is more substan- 
tial and was conferred upon Father Don- 
ohue purely as a personal compliment ; 
the parish, as it then was, not being of 
sufficient importance to warrant the 
honor- 
In the same year, 1887, Catholics of 
German birth and blood, became suffi- 
ciently numerous to support a church ; 
and Archbishop Feehan sent Rev. Otto 
Greenebaum to organize a new congre- 
gation. Father Greenebaum came in 
July, 1887, and, in November of the same 
year, a two-story building, intended as a 
school and temporary church, was opened. 
Father Donohue's declining health com- 
pelled him to ask for an assistant, and, in 
the fall of 1883, Rev. W. J. McNamee, who 
had recently come from Ireland, was sent 
to help him. Father McNamee, however, 
was soon transferred to a more important 
parish in Chicago, and his place was filled 
bv a priest from the Servite Church, Chi- 
cago, who came occasionally as required. 
This condition obtained until 1888, when 
Rev. M. Foley, present pastor of St. Pat- 
rick's church, Dixon, came to Evanston as 
assistant to Father Donohue. In the sum- 
mer of 1889, he was succeeded by Rev. P. 
C. Conway, who remained four years. 

The new St. Mary's church was begun 
in 1891 and was opened to worship in May, 
1892. 

On March 12, 1893, Father Donohue 
died. The formalities governing the sue- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



2,77 



cession to an irremovable rectorship, de- 
layed for some weeks the appointment of 
a new rector. Toward the end of April 
the present pastor, Rev. H. P. Smyth, 
was selected by the Archbishop, and on 
May 6, 1893, -took possession of the par- 
ish. 

Father Conway, who had been acting 
pastor, was transferred to St. Mary's 
Church, Chicago. On November i, 1893, 
Rev. Thos. M. Burke came as an assistant, 
and an out-mission at Rogers Park was 
immediately opened- During the follow- 
ing summer the present St. Jerome's 
church was built and dedicated. The mis- 
sion continued to be attended from St. 
Mary's, Evanston, until it became im- 
portant enough to need the attention of a 
resident pastor. 

In July, 1897, Father Greenebaum died ; 
and in August of the same year the pres- 
ent pastor of St. Nicholas' Church, Rev. 
P. L. Biermann, came to Evanston. On 
February 3d, following, the structure 
which had for ten years served as church 
and school was burned to the ground. 
The fire occurred during school hours, but 
the children and teachers escaped in 
safety. St. Nicholas' congregation then 
again worshipped in St. Mary's Church 
for some months during the erection of the 
present church and school, which were 
opened in the spring of that year. A hand- 
some parochial residence was also built 
simultaneously. 

In the fall of 1897 a Community of 
\'isitation Nuns, twenty-five in number 
came to Evanston to establish an Acad- 
emy for young ladies. They rented a 
large residence on the northeast corner of 
Davis Street and Wesley Avenue, where 
they resided for four years. In 1899 they 
purchased the tract of land known as the 
Freeman Place on Ridge Avenue, and in 
1901 erected the south wing of an im- 



posing structure designed for them by 
Architect Schlaachs. They took possession 
of the building on the eve of Thanksgiv- 
ing Day, 1901. 

In the autumn of 1900, Fathers Smyth 
and Biermann, acting for the Franciscan 
Sisters, purchased the Kirk Mansion and 
grounds on Ridge Avenue in South Evan- 
ston, and on December ist of the same 
year, the nuns took possession of it. The 
mansion was, in 1901, fitted up as a hos- 
pital and patients were received. In De- 
cember of the same year the Catholics 
of both parishes came together to estab- 
lish "The St. Francis' Hospital Auxiliary 
Association" 

The growing needs of St. Mary's 
Church necessitated the purchase of a lot 
adjoining the church property in January, 
1807. I" June, 1900, Rev. Thomas 
Egan came to fill the place of the pastor 
who was setting out on an extended tour 
through Europe and the Orient. On the 
return of Father Burke, who is now trav- 
eling, as we write, it is the purpose to 
have three priests at St. Mary's. 

The Catholic Church of Evanston has 
not grown as rapidly as the church in 
Chicago and its other suburbs, yet there 
has been considerable growth. A census, 
taken in the interest of church work in 
the summer of 1900 gave the Catholic pop- 
ulation about 3,400. It would seem that 
was somewhat of an exaggeration. The 
question put by the canvassers bore upon 
preference rather than affiliation. It has 
been ascertained that some expressed a 
preference for St. Mary's who have no 
affiliation with it- But. today, as we write, 
February, 1902, we are safe in saying that 
the Catholics of Evanston number at least 
3,400. These are of various nationalities. 
Those of Irish and German blood predom- 
inate. Besides these, there are English, 
French, Scandinavian, Italian, Greek and 



378 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



Dutch. Nearly all European nationalities 
are represented. These attend two 
churches and support two schools, with 
six hundred pupils. There are five priests 
and four communities of nuns. 

The Dominicans, eleven in number, 
teach St. Mary's Parochial School ; six 
Sisters of St. Agnes have charge of St. 
Nicholas' School ; seven Franciscan nuns 
take care of the new Hospital, and, in the 
Visitation Convent and Academy, there is 
a community of about thirty nuns. 

Recent Changes. — In bringing the story 
of Catholic work in Evanston down to date 
(May, 1906), we have a few important 
changes to note : Rev. Thomas M. Burke 
was intrusted by the Archbishop of Chicago 
with the formation of a new parish in Chi- 
cago, and Rev. P. J. Hennessy came to suc- 
ceed him at St. Mary's June, 1903. Rev. 
L. J- Maiworm came to assist at St. Nicho- 
las' church in 1902. In the spring of 1904, 
ground was broken for the new St. ]\Iary's 
School, which was ready for occupancy in 
the following September. Later the new 
parochial residence was commenced. On its 
completion in the s])ring of the present year 
(1906) the old presbytery, which had done 
service for thirty-five years, was removed. 
The splendid new Gothic church of St. 
Nicholas' Parish, begun over a year ago, is 
approaching completion as we write. 



FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 

(By REV. JEAN FKEDKKIC LOBA) 

The very first Congregational Church 
in Evanston was organized on December 
8, 1859. A preliminary meeting had been 
held to consider the possibility of such a 
step on November 13, 1859, and another 
preparatory to organization the week fol- 
lowing; but the final step was taken on 



the first date above mentioned, when, by 
a council called for that purpose, meet- 
ing in the Chapel of the Northwestern 
University, the Church was organized, 
consisting of five members. Of this coun- 
cil the Rev. W. W. Patton, pastor of the 
First Church of Chicago, was Moderator, 
and E. W. Blatchford, Esq., was scribe. 
A. T. Sherman was clerk, and S. S. Whit- 
ney and Isaac D. Guyer were deacons of 
the Church. During the six months of the 
following year (i860), the membership 
was increased to eleven members, and it 
is interesting to note that of these only 
seven were originally Congregationalists, 
the others coming from diflferent denom- 
inations. 

This first Congregational Church at- 
tained to no strength nor did it long con- 
tinue to exist. In the records of that 
Church, kept by Mr. Sherman, we find a 
note to the effect that, on June 15, i860, 
at a meeting of the Church, it was re- 
solved : "That as so many of the mem- 
bers contemplated removing from the 
place, the services could not be sustained, 
and that the clerk be authorized to grant 
letters to any who might desire them." A 
final note informs us that letters were 
granted by the clerk to all except him- 
self, he keeping up the organization by 
paying the annual assessment to the Asso- 
ciation until the year 1865, at which time 
the organization was suspended, as he 
saw no hope of reviving the church. This 
is the pathetic little story of an early 
effort to organize a Congregational 
Church in the weak, scattered and un- 
settled conditions of the early days of 
Evanston. 

There was, however, a growing sense 
of the need of such a church, for in that 
same year, as we learn from the late L. 
H. Boutell, "One Sunday afternoon in the 
summer of 1865, as I was sitting in the 



I 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



379 



library of Dr. Bannister, that large hearted 
man suggested the propriety and feasi- 
bility of forming a Congregational Church 
in Evanston. That suggestion bore fruit 
in the autumn of that jxar when, on the 
6th of November, a few families met at 
the house of Francis Bradley and organ- 
ized a weekly prayer meeting, out of 
which grew the Lake Avenue Church, an 
independent organization composed of 
Congregationalists and Presbyterians." 

In 1868 this Lake Avenue Church or- 
ganized the First Presbyterian Church of 
Evanston from which, in 1869, the Con- 
gregationalist members withdrew with per- 
fect good feeling on both sides; so that 
this Lake Avenue Church, it seems, did 
not long continue its existence, but, in 
turn, became the mother of at least two of 
the present churches of Evanston — the 
First Congregational and the First Pres- 
byterian. A little later on Mr. Boutell 
narrates: "The twenty-two persons who. 
on the first day of August, 1866, gathered 
in .the Baptist Church, which then stood 
on the corner of Church street and Hin- 
man Avenue, to form the Lake Avenue 
Church, little thought that, in so short a 
time, two strong churches would be the 
outcome of an enterprise so insignificant." 

It is a very singular fact that, so soon 
after the disbanding of the First Congre- 
gational Church under what seemed to be 
hopeless conditions, a new organization, 
covering practically the same ground and 
on the same basis, should spring up under 
such auspicious circumstances. The pa- 
thetic final note of the clerk of that first 
church affords us a loop-hole through 
which we may see the very uncertain and 
changeable conditions of the population 
of Evanston at that time. 

W^hen in August, 1869, the Congrega- 
tionalists withdrew from the Lake Avenue 
Church, they left the property in the 



hands of the majority who were Presby- 
terians. The winter of 1869-1870, or three 
months thereof, was spent chiefly in or- 
ganizing a Congregational group, the for- 
mal organization taking place upon the 
8th of September, 1869, and recognition 
by Council on January 13, 1870. 

During these early and formative years, 
it is interesting to note the spirit of har- 
mony, fellowship and co-operation among 
the different denominational representa- 
tives in Evanston which has subsisted to 
the present time. The first suggestion of 
a Congregational Church seems to have 
originated with the earnest Methodist, Dr. 
Bannister. The first meetings of the 
Congregationalists were held in the 
Chapel of the Northwestern L^niversity, 
which then was the only building of that 
institution. These services were con- 
ducted by different pastors and teachers, 
prominent among whom were such men 
as Dr. Bannister, Dr. Hemenway, E. O. 
Haven, President of the L'niversity, and 
others. 

Mr. Luther D. Bradley, who, as a 
youth, was present at these early meet- 
ings of the Congregational Church, thus 
writes of them : "The prayer-meeting in 
our little front room I remember very 
well, but the one at the Baptist Church 
but dimh- ; but there was one season of 
services which is very fresh in my mind — 
that during which Dr. Hemenway 
preached for us. These services were held 
in the old chapel of Northwestern Univer- 
sity. The sole building of those days was 
the old frame structure, now standing on 
the campus north of the Preparatory — or, 
as I believe they call it, the 'Old College' 
— building. The structure was then 
standing on the northwest corner of Davis 
Street and Hinman Avenue, fronting 
south. The east room on the ground 
floor was the chapel, a plain old room 



38o 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



with fixed pews of pine, painted a drab 
color, with blackboards around the walls. 
Here the meetings were held on Sunday 
afternoons, and here, I think, Mr. Duncan, 
the first pastor of the church, began his 
work. I think some mention must be 
made of Mr. Duncan, both on account 
of his importance as the first settled min- 
ister of the church, and also because of his 
very picturesque personality. He was a 
Scotch-Canadian, a very agreeable preach- 
er and good man, but not exactly like any 
of his people and not precisely at home in 
the community. 

"I remember that some of the most 
telling sermons that were preached in the 
old chapel at this time were by Dr. S. C. 
Bartlett, later President of Dartmouth 
College, who filled the pulpit for a few 
Sundays, though this was before Mr. 
Duncan's arrival." 

However uncertain, interrupted and in- 
adequately recorded were these early 
steps toward organization, they all crys- 
tallized on the 13th of January, 1870, into 
the First Congregational Church of Evan- 
ston. Very few of the early members now 
survive. But the roll of the church of that 
time contained some noble names such as 
those of Francis Bradley, L. H. Boutell, 
Rev. D. Crosby Green (now and for many 
years a missionary in Japan), Heman 
Powers, J. M. Williams, Orvis French, 
besides many others who won for 
themselves enviable reputations as men 
and women of character, of more than 
usual intelligence, of capacity, energy and 
a wide-reaching influence. 

Immediately upon the organization of 
the First Church, it called, and on the 13th 
day of January, 1870, installed its first 
regular pastor, the Rev. Edward N. Pack- 
ard, D. D., now of Syracuse, N. Y. The 
University again granted the new church a 
lot on which to erect a suitable structure 



for worship. Mr. Dorr A. Kimball gives its 
an interesting sketch of the method by 
which the lot on which the present church 
edifice stands, became Congregational prop- 
erty. He says : "At that time the lot on 
which this church edifice is located, was 
a little park originally given to the Village 
of Evanston by the Northwestern Univer- 
sity, to be used for Park purposes only. 
Immediately after the meeting held at Mr. 
Green's residence for the organization of 
a Congregational Society, our trustees 
had made a very satisfactory arrangement, 
which was this : On payment of the sum 
of $600 to the Milage Trustees, they va- 
cated the park and, the title reverting to 
the University, they persuaded the Uni- 
versity Trustees to deed the property to 
the First Congregational Society without 
further compensation." Upon this lot, 
then the trustees having secured $6,000 as 
a building fund, "General Julius White 
moved that they proceed to build a church 
edifice costing not less than $10,000." 
From Mr. Kimball's sketch, it would ap- 
pear that they "succeeded in getting the 
lecture room completed in July, 1869 ,and 
the main auditorium was wholly com- 
pleted in the month of January, 1870." 
This ten thousand dollar church, how- 
ever, was to cost the little society not 
far from $25,000, leaving them with a 
debt of $7,000, with interest at nine and 
ten per cent. 

The maintenance of a church 'during 
these days of poverty and struggle was 
not all smooth sailing, for in 1871 came 
the Chicago fire which impoverished 
many of its members, and immediately 
thereafter one of the greatest financial 
panics that this nation has ever experi- 
enced swept over the country bringing 
financial ruin and distress upon many 
households. With self-sacrifice and stern 
resolution the society and the church 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



381 



held on, although it required the wisest 
management to meet current expenses 
and keep up interest on the bonded debt. 
In March, 1879, Dr. Packard resigned to 
accept a call to a church in Boston. He 
was succeeded, September loth, of the 
same year, b}' Rev. A. J. Scott. In 1885 
the church edifice was enlarged, repaired 
and in part refurnished at a cost of $5,000. 
greatly increasing the seating capacity. 
On the night of Xovember 23, 1884, after 
the first service in the renovated church, 
the entire edifice was destroyed by fire. 
The ne.xt morning, as the friends gathered 
about the smoking ruins, sums of money 
were at once pledged toward rebuilding. 
These sums, together with the insurance 
of $25,000, enabled the trustees to proceed 
at once to the erection of a new edifice. 
Before the fire was extinguished, invita- 
tions had been received from the trustees 
of the First Methodist, Presbyterian and 
Baptist Churches to use their buildings 
on Sabbath afternoons and for social 
meetings as they might desire. Similar 
invitations were also received from the 
Woman's Christian Temperance Union, 
to occupy Union Hall free of charge, and 
the Northwestern University again gener- 
ously offered Heck Hall on the same 
terms. The new structure was completed 
and dedicated upon the nth of April, 
1886, and has continued in use ever since. 
From the very earliest days the church 
has been marked by a spirit of harmony 
and benevolence. When it numbered less 
than fifty members it erected and fur- 
nished its own church building at a cost 
of about $25,000. Before the burden of 
this debt was fully removed, it enlarged 
and im])roved this building at a cost of 
$8,000. In 1884, it erected and furnished 
the present edifice at a cost of over $50,- 
000. During this time its current expenses 
increased from $3,000 to $10,000 a year. 



During the first twenty-five years its be- 
nevolences to Home and Foreign jNIissions 
aggregated $103,854, making an average 
of $4,154 a year. One of its first mem- 
bers has been himself a missionary to 
Japan for forty years. One of the most 
earnest and devoted Japanese Christians 
was baptized in this church and returned 
as a preacher to his own people in Japan. 

In 1886, on the resignation of Rev. A. J. 
Scott, the Rev. Nathan H. Whittlesey, 
D. D., was called to the pastorate, which 
continued harmonious and unbroken until 
May I, 1892. In October of the latter 
year, Rev. Jean Frederic Loba, D. D., 
was called and installed November 17, 
1892. 

During more than thirty years the 
church has been characterized, first of all. 
by a spirit of harmony. No serious dis- 
sensions have ever existed among its 
members, and, whenever any misunder- 
standings have arisen, they have quickly 
been adjusted and smoothed away. It has 
stood for a perfectly simple evangelical 
faith, its present articles of faith being 
the ones which were adopted by the Lake 
Avenue Church in which Dr. Francis 
Bradley characteristically substituted the 
word "privilege" for "duty." It has ever 
shown interest in every form of philan- 
thropic benevolence. It was among the 
first supporters and benefactors of the 
city settlement movement. Its interest 
in education has been shown by its hearty 
sympathy and co-operation with the 
Northwestern University. Its benevo- 
lences have been unstinted and generous. 
During the year 1901 these exceeded its 
home expenses by $1,500, and during the 
-N'ear 1905 they aggregated over $13,000. 
It has been foremost in its love of 
all that was tasteful and artistic in 
its form of worship, having been gen- 
erous in its expenditure for the best 



382 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



church music. A chapter might well 
be written upon the history of its devo- 
tion to sacred music. Many of its singers 
and organists were artists of the highest 
rank. For the first ten years of its ex- 
istence the expense for music was from 
$331 to $1,912 a year, making an annual 
average of about $1,295. From 1890 to 
1895 the average was $2,390 a year, and 
the total cost of music from 1880 to 1895 
was $24,759. 

The church has been interested in city 
missions and has been a liberal supporter 
of the Chicago City Missionary Society. 
For two years it supported an inde- 
pendent mission on Halsted Street. In 
1894 it purchased a lot on the west side 
of Evanston on which it erected a sub- 
stantial and neat house of worship. For 
this, on one Sabbath, $4,800 were sub- 
scribed and a thousand dollars more se- 
cured for lot and structure. Here it 
co-operated with a small congregation in 
the support of a pastor, so that it may be 
truly said that the church, while inter- 
ested in foreign missions, has never neg- 
lected home culture and home benevo- 
lences. In 1903 it was thought best to dis- 
continue this work or place it in other 
hands, and the property was sold to the 
Christian Church by which a flourishing 
church organization is now conducted. 
The proceeds of this sale were donated to 
the Chicago City Missionary Society for its 
endowment fund. 

During i(]05 and 1906 the Church has 
contributed about $2,500 per year through 
the Chicago City Missionary Society, for 
the support of Bethesda Mission in Chicago, 
besides furnishing some eighteen or twenty 
teachers and officers in the various branches 
of this work. It has also an active interest 
in a promising mission at Rose Hill, in 
Chicago. 

Charity has begun at home, but it has 



not stopped there. The church has always 
maintained a most cordial relation with the 
sister churches in Evanston and, with them, 
has always been ready to co-operate in 
every religious, social and civic effort for 
the improvement of the higher life of our 
city. Its six hundred members are now 
thoroughly organized for work in and out 
of its own organization. Its Sabbath School 
of about 350 scholars has long been one of 
the most prosperous and thoroughly 
equipped in the city, being carefully 
graded into primary, intermediate and 
senior schools, each with a competent 
head of department. 

The benevolences of the Church are 
fostered and directed by the Home, For- 
eign and Young Ladies' Missionary So- 
cieties ; to which should also be added 
the missionary departments of the Young 
People's Society of Christian Endeavor 
and the Light-Bearers. 

Grateful for its history and successes, 
the Church goes forward full of faith and 
hope, assured that its Master, who has in- 
stituted and prospered it thus far, will 
lead it to yet larger successes. 



LUTHERAN CHURCHES 

(By REV. J. D. MATTHIUS) 

German Evangelical Lutheran Bethle- 
hem Church. — It was in the year 1872, 
when a small number of Germans, liv- 
ing in Evanston and professing faith in 
the religion of Martin Luther, first assem- 
bled for regular Evangelical Lutheran ser- 
vices. They did not possess a house of 
worship, so they met in those little cabins 
down on Clark Street, near the locality of 
the present Electric Light plant. Several 
of the first Lutheran pioneers had settled 
in that neighborhood. A pastor they 
found in Rev. A. H. Reinke, of Chicago. 
He agreed to come to quiet little Evan- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



383 



ston on Sunday evenings and preach 
God's message to the attentive Httle group 
which was seated on up-turned wash-tubs, 
laundry-benches, and whatever could be 
used as stool or pew. The majority of 
this small congregation had emigrated from 
the "Old Country." Having become tired 
of the hardships which they had to endure 
under landlordism in Mecklenburg- 
Schwerin, they had come to America in 
the hope of enjoying the freedom of this 
country. But poor they were, indeed — 
the most of them — and the plain, simple 
mode of their living bore ample proof of it. 
Some of them experienced many sad and 
gloomy hours on their "arrival at this 
village in the woods," far away from their 
native home, without their church so dear 
to them, without a German school, with- 
out a pastor to teach and console them. 
Their delight was great when, at last, 
they had their own religious services 
in the dwellings of their fellow-people. 

Twentj'-five years later the Rev. A. H. 
Reinke wrote as follows concerning the 
first Lutherans of Evanston: "When I 
first began to preach at Evanston and 
organized a congregation, there were, ac- 
cording to my knowledge, the following 
people among the members and hearers : 
H. Voigts, H. Witt, Joh. Witt, Joachim 
Witt. P. Claussen, Martin Becker, A. P. 
Handke, F. Lass, Joh. Vorbeck, F. 
Strokey and others." 

The names of the above are also found 
in the records of the church attached to a 
constitution which was adopted August 
8, 1875, foi" the "German Evangelical 
Lutheran Bethlehem Church of Evanston, 
Cook County, Illinois." 

We find that Rev- A. H. Reinke bap- 
tized children here, from June 16, 1872, 
until May 18, 1873. After that time a 
number of baptisms were performed by 
Rev. G. S. Lober, of Niles, Illinois. For 



some unknown reason it appears the little 
flock of Lutherans were without services 
for a while after June, 1873. Again, how- 
ever, Rev. Reinke, missionary as he was, 
turned his attention to his small mission 
post at Evanston, and, though over- 
burdened with work, took up the care of 
the Evanston Lutherans with a zeal and 
devoutness not often to be found. Rev. H. 
Wunder, of Chicago, too, found his way 
here and preached to the people occasion- 
ally. 

The year 1875 was an epoch in the 
annals of the Bethlehem Church. Glencoe, 
about seven miles north of Evanston, had 
had a Lutheran congregation since 1847, 
but had always been attended to by the 
Lutheran ministers of Chicago, especially 
by Rev. ProL C. A. T. Selle, Rev. H. 
Wunder and Rev. J. Grosse. In 1874 they 
rejoiced to have the young Rev. Ed. Dor- 
ing take up his residence at Glencoe as 
their ordained minister. In the following 
year, January, 1875, we find the first 
records of holy communion celebrated in 
Evanston by the Rev. Ed. Doring. He 
it was then who conducted the services 
of the congregation until 1881, when he 
accepted a call to a mission post at Port- 
land, Oregon. In the meanwhile the Luth- 
erans had come into possession of a little 
church property on Florence Avenue, near 
Lake Street, and built a small frame 
church on it. Later this little church was 
sold to the Swedish Lutherans and was 
moved to Lake Street near Sherman Ave- 
nue. Now it is the church of the Danish- 
Norwegian Lutherans, and is to be found 
on Greenwood Boulevard, near Sherman 
Avenue, west of the Northwestern Rail- 
road- 

Until the departure of Rev. Doring the 
congregation had not taken very great 
strides to prosperity ; still it had among 
its members several young, enterprising 



384 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



and good Lutherans, one of which was the 
late Wm. E. Suhr. They were not with- 
out a minister very long. In the fall of 
1881 a young energetic pastor, Rev. A. 
Detzer, a graduate of Concordia Semi- 
nary, St. Louis, Mo., was installed in his 
calling as pastor of the German Lutheran 
Church (at Evanston), with his residence 
at Evanston. In future there were ser- 
vices every Sunday. The new pastor also 
took charge of the parish at Glencoe and 
preached there every two weeks. 

As soon as Rev. Detzer had become 
acquainted with his people, he had them 
found a parochial school. He undertook 
the task of teaching the children himself. 
The school was opened with twelve pupils 
in attendance. The schoolroojn was in the 
attic of a small dwelling house in the 
'"prairie." The venture, however difficult 
for pastor and people, who gladly paid 
their taxes for public schools, and besides 
upheld their private school, proved so suc- 
cessful that they soon saw themselves 
compelled to build a school-house of their 
own. They erected a house for this pur- 
pose at a cost of $1,450, where now the 
parsonage is to be seen at 1410 Green- 
wood Boulevard. 

In 1885 we find a school of fifty-three 
pupils learning the rudiments of the Ev- 
angelical Lutheran denomination, and all 
elementary branches necessary for a good 
secular education. The congregation 
understood how great a burden their 
pastor had taken upon his shoulders and 
relieved him of it by appointing JMr. H. 
Feuchter as provisory teacher, and by 
calling Mr. M. E. Bittner, in 1886, as 
their ordained school-teacher. Mr. Bittner 
still holds this position, having held it 
sixteen years. He now teaches the upper 
class only. 

As the number of pupils increased, so 
also did the number of members of the 



church. The congregation, therefore, 
soon found its first church too small, and 
without delay built a handsome new 
church edifice at the corner of Green- 
wood Boulevard and Wesley Avenue, 
which was dedicated November 21, 1886. 
It was a great day for the German Luth- 
erans. After a period of fourteen years 
since their first services, they now were in 
possession of their second church, which, 
though not as large as some of our present 
churches, was far larger than their firsc 
one and far more artistic and inviting. 
After having stood sixteen years, it still 
deserves to be mentioned as one of Evan- 
ston's notable buildings. 

\Mien the year 1899 came, the class 
of pupils had outgrown the school. There 
was not room enough for a new scholar, 
so the enterprising congregation, number- 
ing about sixty male voting members by 
this time, did not hesitate to purchase a 
new building site at the corner of Lake 
Street and Ashland Avenue. Here they 
erected a two-story brick-veneered school- 
house containing two spacious class- 
rooms, with all modern improvements. 
The "Evanston Press," of March 8, 1890, 
devoted its entire second page to the de- 
scription of the dedication of this school. 
It said : "Our German patrons are to be 
congratulated on the enterprise and devo- 
tion to the cause of education which has 
prompted them to this progressive move." 

Soon after the new school had been 
pressed into service. Rev. Detzer received 
a call from St. Paul, Minn-, where he was 
wanted to build up an English Lutheran 
mission. Though he had been serving a 
German congregation in Evanston, he 
was an able English scholar and therefore 
regarded this call as one which his con- 
science urged him to accept. It was a 
painful parting when he left. 

Again the founder of the congregation. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



385 



Rev. A. H. Reinke, of Chicago, then pastor 
of the largest German Lutheran congre- 
gation in America, was asked to take care 
of his forsaken flock in Evanston. He 
gladly did so. He preached and performed 
all other pastoral duties, attended their 
meetings and assisted them in every man- 
ner to get a new pastor. They extended 
calls to a number of ministers, but in 
vain. Several months passed by, and 
Evanston was still looking for a minister. 
In August, 1890, a call was sent to the 
undersigned, Rev. J- D. Matthius, of Chi- 
cago, son-in-law of Rev. A. H. Reinke. 
He accepted and was installed September 
3, 1890. He was a native of Staten 
Island, New York, the son of a prosperous 
business man. When thirteen years old he 
entered Concordia College, Fort Wayne, 
Ind., took an academic course of six 
years, graduated there in 1885, and in 
1888 from Concordia Seminary. St. 
Louis, Mo. From that time until his 
charge in Evanston he was assistant of 
Rev. A. H. Reinke in Chicago. 

From 1890 up to the present day (Feb- 
ruary, 1902) the congregation has enjoyed 
constant prosperity. It still clings to the 
infallible divine inspiration of the Bible 
and to Faith in Christ Jesus as the only 
way to salvation. The congregation now 
consists of over 200 German Lutheran 
families and many single persons. It has 
130 male voting members, 135 pupils in its 
school and, besides Mr. M. E. Bittner, has 
Mr. R. Mangelsdorf as teacher of the 
second class. In 1893 a handsome par- 
sonage was erected in the rear of the 
church. 

The congregation belongs to the "Evan- 
gelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio 
and other states." 

Besides the German Lutheran, Evan- 
ston has also a Norwegian-Danish Luth- 



eran, a Swedish Lutheran, and, of late, 
also a small English Lutheran congrega- 
tion. The latter conducts its services in 
the church of the Danish-Norwegian 
Lutherans, and is attended to by Rev. J. 
K. Reed of Chicago, a member of the 
General Synod. 

Norwegian- Danish Lutheran Church. — 
The following notes have been kindly 
compiled by the pastor. Rev. D. Larsen : 

The Evanston Norwegian-Danish Luth- 
eran Church was organized July 29, 1891, 
under the supervision of Rev. N. J. Elles- 
tad and Rev. J. N. Kildal of the Bethle- 
hem Norwegian Lutheran Church in Chi- 
cago, and, until the new congregation 
could secure a pastor, Rev. Kildal tem- 
porarily served it in connection with the 
Chicago church. 

Admission into the United Norwegian 
Lutheran Church of America was applied 
for and granted in June, 1892. In March 
of the same year Rev. T. Aarrestad be- 
gan to serve the congregation as its or- 
dained pastor, and remained in that ca- 
pacity until October, 1893. 

John Hetland, the next pastor, served 
from February, 1894, till June, 1900. 

In January, 1894, the Young People's 
Society, "Nordlyset," was organized. 

The congregation had, as yet, owned 
no place of worship, but services were 
held in rented quarters. In 1899, how- 
ever, a lot was bought on Greenwood 
Boulevard between Sherman and Benson 
Avenues, and the chapel, owned first by 
the German and then by the Swedish 
Lutheran congregation, was bought and 
moved to the above-mentioned location. 
This chapel will serve as a temporary 
house of worship until the congregation 
becomes able to build a church. The 
present pastor, Ditman Larsen, was in- 
stalled July 21, 1901. 



386 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



Swedish Evangelical Lutheran (Im- 
manuel) Church. — This congregation was 
organized in 1888, by Rev. S. A. Sandahl 
of Lake View, with thirty-four communi- 
cant members. The first installed pastor 
was Rev. J. Edgren, who served the con- 
gregation a number of years. The next 
pastor was Rev. C. Solmonson. During 
his ministry in Evanston the Swedes built 
their present handsome new church and 
parsonage at Sherman Avenue and Lake 
Street. Their present minister is Rev. 
G. K. Stark. 

Our information concerning the Swed- 
ish Lutherans is very scant. 

We should have gladly inserted a 
chapter from the pen of the present pas- 
tor, but our eiiforts to obtain such an arti- 
cle were in vain. 

Supplemental. 

Since the above chapter was written work 
among the Lutherans of Evanston has kept 
on. The English Lutherans now have a 
handsome little edifice of their own at Ben- 
son Avenue and Greenleaf Street. 

In Bethlehem German Lutheran congre- 
gation the parochial school has experienced 
some changes. Mr. R. E. Alangelsdorf. on 
account of failing health, was obliged to ac- 
cept a position as teacher of a parochial 
school at Black Jack, Mo. Likewise, Mr. 
M. E. Bittner, after having been at the 
head of the school for almost nineteen 
years, accepted a call to Kankakee, 111., in 
1905, where he now is Principal of a pa- 
rochial school. The respective vacancies 
have been filled by Air. F. Toenies, for 
many years teacher at Strassburg, 111., and 
by Mr. L. O. Schaefer, one of the graduates 
of the .Addison Lutheran Teachers' Semin- 
ary in this State, in 1905. 



EVANSTON CHRISTIAN CHURCH 

(By ULYSSES GRANT BUCK) 

The Evanston Christian Church has 
had humble beginnings, but gives prom- 
ise of becoming a strong power for good 
in this city of churches, and has found a 
place and a work that would indicate that 
no mistake has been made in bringing it 
into being. 

The Reformation Movement, which this 
organization represents, had its inception 
in Western Pennsylvania about one hun- 
dred years ago, and has been one of rapid 
growth on lines parallel to the lines of 
immigration, with the result that the 
northern and southern parts of our coun- 
try have few, if any, more prosperous 
churches. However, there have gone into 
all parts of the country, as happens with 
our shifting population, a few represent- 
ative active members, and these have been 
gathered together to form a working nu- 
cleus, and thus have grown up large con- 
gregations where once there was no work 
done. This is the history of the Evans- 
ton Church. 

The Christian Missionary Society of 
Chicago had its attention called to the 
possibilities of a work being started in 
Evanston in the year 1895. Accordingly 
on the 24th day of November, 1895, City 
Evangelist E. W. Darst, accompanied by 
W. B. Taylor, pastor of the North Side 
Christian Church ; E. S. Ames, of the 
Disciples' Divinity House of the Univer- 
sity of Chicago, met with the few disciples 
to be found in this community, among 
whom were Mr. and Mrs- E. E. Starkey, 
of Wilmette; Dr. and Mrs. R. C. Knox, 
of Rogers Park, at the home of Mr. and 
iMrs. Milton O. Naramore, at 925 
Main Street, to discuss the idea of at- 
tempting to organize a Christian Church 
at some point in Evanston. The urgent 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



387 



need of a church organization was con- 
ceded, and it was unanimously decided 
to take steps to hold a meeting, and in 
the meantime to hold preliminary cottage 
meetings in order to enlist the co-opera- 
tion of all persons who might be fount! 
10 be members of the Church. 

Meetings were held at the same place 
on each of the Lord's Days in Decem- 
ber, making six preliminary and prepara- 
tory meetings, during which the whole 
situation was thoroughly canvassed and 
all arrangements were made to hold a se- 
ries of meetings at Union Hall, 807 Davis 
Street, beginning on Sunday. January 5, 
£896. At 3 o'clock on that day a large 
-ludience assembled at the above place, 
among whom were many representatives 
from the city churches, and, as an inau- 
gural service. Rev. W. F. Black, of the 
Central Church, Chicago, preached a 
learned and able discourse. 

(Jn the evening following. Evangelist 
E. W. Darst, assisted by local members. 
began a series of meetings which lasted 
for the next eleven weeks, without in- 
terruption, every week day evening ex- 
cept Saturday and twice on Sunday. At 
the end of this series of meetings there 
were forty-two persons who had made 
confession and thirty-four who had been 
received by letter, making a total of sev- 
enty-six, who thus became the nucleus 
of the Evanston Christian Church. 

Upon the completion of this series of 
meetings the church proceeded to the or- 
ganization of all the departments com- 
mon to Evangelical churches, and soon it 
had an active Sunday School, a live Chris- 
tian Endeavor Society, a Ladies' Aid So- 
ciety and a Woman's Missionary Society. 

On the 17th day of May, 1896, the 
church called Edward Scribner Ames, of 
the Disciples' Divinity House, as its first 
pastor. He continued with the church for 



about one year, when he was followed by 
Rev. A. L. Chapman. 

On the 1st day of May, 1897, the church 
was moved from 807 Davis Street to Odd- 
Fellows' Hall, 604^/2 Davis Street, where 
it continued to meet until it was removed 
to the Y. M. C. A. Building. 

Mr. Chapman remained as pastor until 
the autumn of 1898. On the 30th of Oc- 
tober of that year E. W. Darst was called 
as pastor, and continued until September, 
1899, when Wallace C. Payne, of New 
York, became his successor. Mr. Payne's 
work continued vmtil March 24, 1901, 
when he was succeeded, after a short in- 
terval, by Dr. E. V. Zollars, President of 
Hiram College, Hiram, Ohio. Dr. Zollars 
is one of the ablest men in the Christian 
Church, and gave the church in Evanston 
a standing second to none. He was suc- 
ceeded on October 27, 1901, by Mr. W. D. 
'Ward, a graduate of Hiram College un- 
der Dr. Zollars, and formerly of Mantua, 
Ohio. Under his guidance and preaching 
the church has prospered and grown, and 
his relations with the church have been 
so pleasant that he is liable to remain yet 
many years. 

In 1900 the church, under careful and 
wise financial management, began to ac- 
cumulate a building fund, and after about 
three years' saving, was able to purchase 
a lot at the corner of Oak and Church 
Streets, where it was proposed to build 
a church home, and which it still owns ; 
but the unexpected, which often happens, 
came when the opportunity was presented 
of securing a commodious property at 
the corner of Lee Street and Asbury Ave- 
nue, known as the Plymouth Congrega- 
tional Church. 

This came near the end of 1903, and 
the generous offer of the First Congrega- 
tional Society of Evanston was soon ac- 
cepted, and, for the first time in its his- 



388 



EVANSTON CHURCH HISTORY 



tory, the Evanston Christian Church be- 
came an established fact in the commu- 
nity. 

In June, 1905, the church celebrated, in 
befitting manner, the clearing off of all 
indebtedness ; and with all its equipment 
and with the simple gospel plea which it 
presents, is bound to continue to prosper 
and grow, and lead men and women and 
children to a knowledge of better things 
and to lives of better deeds, until the time 
when it shall be known as one of the most 
potent influences for good in this splen- 
did city of splendid people. 



FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST (SCI- 
ENTIST) 

(By HOLMES HOGE) 

The First Church of Christ (Scientist). 
of Evanston, was organized under a char- 
ter granted by the State of Illinois, Jan- 
uary 23, 1895, with a membership of 
twenty-six. It is a branch church of the 
First Church of Christ (Scientist), Bos- 
ton, Mass., which was founded in 1879. 
Since that time six hundred and sixty- 
three churches and societies of this de- 
nomination have been organized in this 
country and foreign lands. The branch 
churches have the power to govern local 
affairs and elect their First and Second 
Readers, Boards of Trustees and Direct- 
ors, and other officers, annually. 

The Evanston church has had a steady 
growth and has received one hundred 
and fifty-two persons into membership. 
The meetings were first held in a private 
house, but that was soon found too small 
to accommodate the increasing congre- 
gation, and larger quarters have been 
sought from time to time, until now the 
church owns the handsome property on 
the southwest corner of Chicago Avenue 
and Grove Street. 



The present form of Sunday service ob- 
served in all of the churches of the de- 
nomination was inaugurated in 1895. 
The sermons consist of selections taken 
from the Bible and the Christian Science 
Text Book, "Science and Health," with 
Key to the Scriptures, by Rev. Mary Baker 
G. Eddy, the discoverer and leader of 
Christian Science. The lesson sermons of 
all the churches are arranged by a commit- 
tee appointed by the First Church of 
Christ (Scientist), of Boston, and are 
read by the First and Second Readers, 
reading from the Bible and from "Science 
and Health," respectively. 

Following the Sunday morning service 
the Sunday School assembles. Since its 
organization progress has been the key- 
note with these little workers, who are 
bringing out in their daily lives beautiful 
proofs of the power of good in overcom- 
ing evil, as this religion teaches. 

On each W^ednesday evening in this 
church, as well as all other churches of 
this denomination, a meeting is held for 
the purpose of giving testimonies of the 
benefits received physically, morally and 
spiritually from the study and practice of 
Christian Science. 

In accordance with a by-law of the 
First Church of Christ (Scientist), of Bos- 
ton, a reading room has been established 
and is open daily, affording an opportu- 
nity to those who are seeking knowledge 
on the subject of Christian Science to 
read and procure literature. 

The theology of Christiai\ Science in- 
cludes healing the sick, as well as re- 
forming the sinner, by the prayer of faith 
with a spiritual understanding of the 
Scriptures, basing its authority upon the 
teachings and works of Christ Jesus and 
the Apostles, as recorded in the Bible. 

The following item from one of the 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



389 



Chicago newspapers of a year ago — the 
exact date is not known — furnishes an in- 
teresting fact in connection with the his- 
tory of the First Church of Christ (Scien- 
tist), of Evanston : 

"When the temple building of the First 
Church of Christ (Scientist), of Evans- 
ton, was destroyed by fire two and a half 
years ago, the one hundred persons who 



comprised the membership of the church 
erected a new building at a cost of $25,- 
000, and then set out to wipe out the debt 
within three years. Last evening, at the 
regular praj^er service. Holmes Hoge, 
treasurer of the church and assistant 
cashier of the First National Bank of 
Chicago, announced that the last payment 
on the mortgage was made yesterday." 



I 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION 

(By ARTHUR B. DALE. General Secretary) 



Evanston Young Men's Christian Associa- 
tion — Organization Effected in iS8§ — 
First Board of Officers — General His- 
tory — Association Building Erected and 
Dedicated in i8g8 — Gymnasium and 
Katatorium Constructed — List of For- 
mer and Present Officers. 

The Young Men's Christian Associa- 
tion of Evanston, as elsewhere, arose in 
response to a public need for the care of 
the young men of the community, and 
since its organization has steadily grown, 
both in size and efficiency, until now it 
occupies a place of unquestioned utility in 
the city and has become one of the most 
effective arms of the church for its work 
among young men. Differing from the 
usual social or athletic club in breadth of 
purpose, it has steadily aimed to reach 
the young man in his entirety and to ben- 
efit him morally, intellectually, physically 
and socially. It firmly stands for the 
symmetrical growth of all of these sides 
of his life, believing that only thus does a 
man approach the plan designed for him 
by his Maker. 

The local organization was called into 
being as the result of a meeting of pas- 
tors and lay members of the various 
churches of the city, held June 26, 1885, 
at which were present Rev. Messrs, Scott, 
Curts and Noyes for the pastors, and 



Messrs. H. G. Grey, D. S. McMullen, 
Martin, Miller, Adams, Gillson and Ben- 
jamin for the laity. This meeting had 
under discussion the question whether an 
organization for young men was needed, 
on which point they were unanimous ; 
and whether such organization should be 
the Young Men's Christian Association. 
On the latter point, some diiTerence of 
opinion arising, the matter was referred 
to a committee of five, who afterward re- 
ported to a mass meeting in favor of the 
Association, which was finally launched 
on November 17, 1885, with the follow- 
ing Board of Managers: M. P. Aiken, 
Jos. M. Larimer. W. E. Stockton, Capt. 
L. O. Lawson, J. H. Nitchie. W. H. Spen- 
ser, O. E. Haven, S. A. Kean, C. B. Cong- 
don, H. G. Grey, L. K. Gillson and P. O. 
Magnuson. This Board organized with 
the following officers : President— M. P. 
Aiken; Vice-President — J. M. Larimer; 
Recording Secretary — J. H. Nitchie ; 
Treasurer — Howard G. Grey. 

L'nder this Board of Directors the As- 
sociation was duly incorporated as "The 
Young Men's Christian Association of 
Evanston," on November 17, 1885, and 
has continued under these articles to the 
present time. Rooms were secured in the 
Rink Building, at the corner of Davis 
Street and Chicago Avenue, and on March 
16, 1886, Mr. W. S. Mather was engaged 

391 



392 



YOUXG MEX'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIOX 



as General Secretary, to take charge of 
the work. 

From this date the Association pursued 
the usual course of such organizations, 
meeting with difficulties and achieving 
successes from time to time, but persist- 
ently holding to its one purpose of reach- 
ing and benefitting the young men of the 
community. After a period in the Rink 
Building, the rooms were moved to the 
Block Building, on Sherman Avenue, 
south of Davis Street, where the work 
continued to prosper. Among the suc- 
cessful enterprises conducted by the As- 
sociation during this period were the re- 
ligious meetings addressed by Rev. C. 
H. Yatman, of X'ewark, X. J., in the fall 
of 1887. These meetings were held in 
conjunction with the city churches and 
resulted in 218 professed conversions, of 
which 115 were young men, and a gen- 
eral quickening of the religious life of the 
city. 

During the General Secretar\'ship of 
Mr. F. D. Fagg, agitation for a build- 
ing began, and the following resolution 
was adopted at a meeting of the 
Board of Directors on June 3. 1892 : 
"Resolved. That it is the sense of 
this Board that the Association pro- 
ceed, at the earliest possible date, to 
secure a site and take the necessary steps 
to erect a building commensurate with 
the public need." Pursuant to this reso- 
lution, a committee of five was appointed 
to select a site and solicit funds for its 
purchase. This agitation finally resulted 
in the purchase of the present Associa- 
tion lots, in March, 1893, at a cost of S2/,- 
000. 

Just when matters were growing bright 
for the accomplishment of the long-de- 
sired purpose of beginning work for a 
building, the Association met with a great 
loss in the death of Mr. J. 'M. Larimer, 



who was, at the time, its President. Mr. 
Larimer had been for a number of j-ears 
a most active friend and supporter of the 
work, giving both of his time and money 
with unusual generosity, and to his ef- 
forts was largely due the progress that 
had been made up to that time. 

Shortly after the death of Mr. Lari- 
mer, Mr. John R. Lindgren was elected 
President, and Mr. \\"illiam Boyd having 
just entered upon the duties of General 
Secretary, the work of canvassing for 
funds for the new building was taken up 
and pushed to a successful issue. A great 
stimulus was given the project by the 
State Convention of the Association, 
which was held in Evanston in 1895, and 
gave the people of the city an enlarged 
view of the extent and importance of the 
work at large, of which the local organi- 
zation was a part. After much hard work 
and patient continuance in the solicitation 
of funds, the present building was finally 
completed, and on October 6, 1898, was 
dedicated to the interests of young men 
in Evanston in a public reception, at 
v.-hich a very large number of the citi- 
zens were present. 

With the completion of the front build- 
ing, the interest in the Association took 
on a renewed vigor, and work was imme- 
diateh' begun for the building of the gym- 
nasium, without which the work planned 
would have been most incomplete. This 
was carried on in a most systematic and 
successful manner, and on Xovember 28, 
1899, the Gymnasium Building was for- 
mally opened, complete in every detail 
with the exception of the Xatatorium 
that had been contemplated in the orig- 
inal plan. For this latter feature the As- 
sociation waited until July i, 1903, when 
two of Evanston's most liberal citizens 
contributed $5,000 each, for this purpose, 
and one of the finest swimming pools in 



r. 




HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



393 



the country, of tile and marble construc- 
tion, was installed as part of the physical 
equipment. 

The completion of the Gymnasium and 
Natatorium gave the Evanston Associa- 
tion not only one of the most complete 
equipments in the country, but also one 
most admirably adapted to the work to 
be performed. The greatest wisdom has 
been shown by those having the matter 
in hand in providing not only for the pres- 
ent membership, but also for the prob- 
able increase of future years. Since its 
completion, the International officers of 
the Association have frequently referred 
others to the Evanston building as a 
model to be followed, and calls for in- 
spection by visiting officers or architects 
are of common occurrence. 

Together with the completeness of its 
equipment, however, the Association has 
never lost sight of the real purpose of its 
organization, viz., the extension of the 
kingdom of Christ among the young men 
of the city. Aided by the active co-oper- 
ation of the churches, it has conducted its 
physical, educational and social work, as 
well as its more specifically religious 
work, with this object in view, and by 
this policy has won a place for itself 
among the permanent factors going to 
make up the better citizenship and life of 
the city. 

Presidents and General Secretaries cf 



the Association since its organization, 
with their terms of service, have been as 
follows : 

Presidents: 

M. P. Aiken. 1885-1886. 
C- E. Congdon, 1 886-1 891. 
J. M. Larimer, 1891-1894. 
J. R. Lindgren, 1894-1903. 

John E. Wilder, 1903- 

General Secretaries : 
W. S. Mather, 1886. 
Jesse Lockwood, 1886-1887. 
W. A. Hill, 1887- 1888. 

E. A. Barrett, 1888-1889. 
John M. Dick, 1889-1890. 

F. D. Fagg, 1890-1893. 
Wm. Boyd, 1893-1901. 
A. B. Dale, 1901-. . . .• 

The present Board of Directors is com- 
posed of the following gentlemen : John 
E. Wilder, President ; Richard C. Hall, 
Vice-President ; Wm. Hudson Harper, 
Recording Secretary; Wm. A. Dyche, 
Treasurer ; Frank H. Armstrong, Thos. 
L. Fansler, Livingstone P. Moore, JohnH. 
Hardin, John R. Lindgren, James F- 
Oates, Thos. I. Stacey, Wm. G. Sherer, 
Alfred L. Lindsey, Milton H. Wilson. 

The present executive force is as fol- 
lows: Arthur B. Dale, General Secre- 
tary ; J. Graham Stewart, Assistant Sec- 
retary : Lewis O. Gillesby, Physical Di- 
rector. 







t 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 



WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNIONS 

(By SUSANNA M. D. FRY, A. M., Ph. D.) 



Women's Temperance Alliance — Efaiistoii 
JP'otiian's Christian Temperance Union 
Organised in i8/§— Working Depart- 
ments — Enforcement of Four-Mile 
Limit Law — Industrial School — Chil- 
dren's Organisation — Loyal Temper- 
ance Legion and Gospel Temperance 
Meetings — Miss Frances E. Willard 
and Other Xoted Leaders — Manual 
Training School — The Evanstou W. C. 
T. U. — Reiley and South Ezvnstoii Un- 
ions — Young JVoman's Organization. 

The forerunner of the Woman's Chris- 
tian Temperance Union in Evanston was 
the Women's Temperance AlUance. This, 
was formed March 17, 1874, and was a 
part of the general awakening which fol- 
lowed the Woman's Crusade of the win- 
ter of 1873-74. The name, "Woman's 
Christian Temperance Union," was as yet 
practically unknown, and that the organi- 
zation took the name it did was probably 
due to the fact that Mr. L. L. Greenleaf 
had, several years earlier, formed an Al- 
liance which met at his own and other 
homes in Evanston. The chief object of 
the Women's Temperance Alliance was 
the prosecution of violators of the Uni- 
versity charter law, which forbade sa- 
loons within four miles of the college 
campus. As soon as the village of Evans- 



ton was incorporated a local ordinance had 
been passed in harmony w-ith the Uni- 
versity charter. Other objects of the Al- 
liance were the circulation of the pledge 
and the visiting of places within the four- 
mile limit, where liquor was believed to 
be sold, or where gambling was carried 
on. Mrs. A. J. Brown was elected the 
first President, but declined to serve, and 
Mrs. Dr. O. Marcy was elected. Airs. 
Prof. II. F. Fisk was the first Secretary. 
Among those who were particularly in- 
terested were Mrs. Dr. David Noyes, Mrs. 
Edward Russell, Mrs. A. P. Wightman, 
Mrs. Francis Bradley, Mrs. Arza Brown. 
Mrs. Charles E. Brown, Mrs. Emily 
Pluntington Miller, Mrs. John E. Kedzie, 
Mrs. T. C. Hoag, Mrs. Helen E. Hesler, 
Mrs. J. F. Willard, Mrs. Mary B. Willard, 
Mrs. Rev. F. L. Chappell, Mrs. Caroline 
F. Corbin, Mrs. M. C. Van Benschoten. 
The records of the Alliance include the 
names of about seven hundred citizens of 
Evanston who signed the total abstinence 
pledge at that time. The men and women 
signers were about equal in number, and 
the last fifty-four names are noted as com- 
ing from the University and the College 
Cottage, and were handed in by Miss Jes- 
sie Brown, afterward Mrs. Hilton, who 
became National W. C. T. U. Superin- 
tendent of Mothers' Meetings. 



395 



396 



WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNIONS 



THE E\\\NSTOX W. C. T. U. 

^lay I, 1875, the Alliance changed its 
name to the Evanston Woman's Chris- 
tian Temperance Union, and September 
18, 1878, became auxiliary to the State 
and National W. C. T. U. The following 
have served as Presidents of this Union 
from 1874 until 1906: Mrs. Dr. O. 
Marcy. Mrs. Mary Thompson Willard, 
Mrs. \\'. E. Clifford. Mrs. Francis Brad- 
ley, Mrs. A. J. Brown. Mrs. ^I. M. Con- 
ivell, Mrs. Mary Bannister Willard, Mrs. 
Jane Eggleston Zimmerman, Mrs. Mary 
H. Hull, Mrs. William Bradley, Mrs. Ger- 
trude M. Singleton, Mrs. Lucy Prescott 
Vane, Mrs. John B. Finch, Mrs. A. De- 
Coudres, Mrs. Robert M. Hatfield. 'Mrs. 
Harriet Kidder, and Mrs. George R. 
Brown, who became President in 1899. 

For many years the W. C. T. U. and 
the Ladies' Union Praj-er Meeting met as 
one body. The Evanston Union has, at 
different times, carried on the following 
lines of work : Law Enforcement, Gos- 
pel Temperance Meetings, Kindergarten 
\\'ork. Night School, Industrial School, 
Reading Room, Band of Hope, Loyal 
Temperance Legion, Hospital and Res- 
cue Work, Distribution of Literature, 
Scientific Temperance Instruction, Work 
Among Colored People, Temperance 
Teaching in the Sunday School, Parlia- 
mentary Usage. Medal Contest, Work 
Among Railroad Employes, Mothers' 
Meeting, Pledge Signing, and other de- 
partments of the National W. C. T. U- 
work, some of w-hich w-ill be taken up 
somewhat in detail in this sketch. This 
L'nion is still doing good work under the 
leadership of Mrs. George R. Brown, 
President, and Mrs. G. W. Price, its 
faithful, long-time Recording Secretary. 
It has a paid-up membership of sixty. 

Law Enforcement. — In the earlv days 



Mrs. Arza Brown, mother of Mrs. Mary 
H. B. Hitt, who was for many years 
President of the Northwestern Branch of 
the Woman's Foreign Missionary Socie- 
ty of the I\I. E. Church, used to take Mrs. 
Dr. Marcy with her in her buggy to Gross 
Point, a German settlement north of 
Evanston, where they visited saloons and 
did regular temperance missionary work 
among the people. The women prose- 
cuted those found selling liquor within 
the four-mile limit and generally gained 
their case, but too often an appeal was 
taken and the case was finally lost. The 
members of the Union did not hesitate to 
go into the court and testify. INIrs. Arza 
Brown, when nearly eighty years old, 
went fearlessly into the most forbidding 
places and searched most diligently into 
the statutes concerning liquor-selling, 
and, withal, was most fervent in prayer, 
not only in the Union, but among the 
offenders whom she visited. 

The following appeared in the "Evans- 
ton Index" while the Union was still 
called the Alliance : 

"The Women's Temperance Alliance 
of Evanston, appreciating the embarrass- 
ment systematically thrown in the way 
of all who attempt to prosecute the secret 
and open venders of intoxicants, at its 
last meeting created a committee of vig- 
ilance, consisting of many influential la- 
dies and gentlemen, whose duty it will be 
to attend the courts to prevent, as far as 
possible the intimidation of witnesses and 
to do wiiatever else may be necessary to 
insure a prompt and vigorous prosecu- 
tion of all violators of the University 
charter law, and the laws of this State 
and village, within reach of the influence 
of the Alliance." 

The same paper reported at another 
time a liquor case before Justice Hun- 
toon, which was attended by Mesdames 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



397 



Arza Brown, Charles E. Brown, A. J. 
Brown, iMarcy, Bradley. Fisk, \\ illard, 
Boutell, Goebel, Woodson, Ninde, New- 
man, Moore, Stout, Butler, Curtis, Lane, 
Van Benschoten, Hoag, Pitner, Pitt, Clif- 
ford and Miss Jacksorf. 

In 1883 a Law and Order League was 
organized among the men of Evanston, at 
the suggestion of Rev. Dr. Bannister, of 
which Dr. D. R. Dyche was for many 
years President, but the Union never lost 
its interest in this phase of temperance 
work and no single feature has been of 
more general interest to the citizens of 
Evanston. The minutes of the Evanston 
L^nion show, from time to time, that the 
"saloon on wheels" was still rolling up 
and down the streets, and that the Union 
was called upon for greater activity in 
law enforcement. 

October 16, 1880, the Y. W. C. T. U., 
which had been organized the year be- 
fore, moved that the society communi- 
cate, through its Secretary, with the 
Trustees of the Northwestern University, 
respectfully calling their attention to the 
fact that, in direct opposition to published 
laws, beer was sold on the streets, and 
that there were seven saloons in opera- 
tion within less than four miles of the 
L^niversity ; also that the society would 
furnish witnesses who would testify to 
the facts as above stated. 

The National W. C. T. U. has a de- 
partment of Legislation and Law En- 
forcement, and even in Evanston, which 
has never had a legalized saloon, constant 
vigilance is needed on the part of officials 
and other citizens to minimize illicit sell- 
ing of intoxicating drinks. Hence the 
continued activity of the Unions in this 
direction. 

Industrial School. — One of the earliest 
efforts among poor children was made by 
Mrs. Dr. O. Marcy. Those most needing 



instruction along the lines of temperance, 
industr}', cleanliness, et cetera, were gath- 
ered together in a school, which some per- 
sisted in calling the ragged school, but 
which the leader always dignified with the 
title of "Industrial." The children were 
taught in a very simple and practical way. 
Texts were often selected which had 
something to say about "clean hands." 
To illustrate the Scripture. "Make a 
chain, for the land is full of bloody crimes 
and the city is full of violence," the chil- 
dren were taught to make a chain of their 
pledge cards. These had all been deco- 
rated with hand-painted flowers, and upon 
them were the names of those who signed 
the following pledge: "We all, whose 
names are on this pledge, promise not to 
drink anything that will intoxicate." The 
children were taught that "crimes" and 
"violence" were to be lessened by their 
sobriety and industry. The chain of 
pledge cards is still in existence. The 
school met in uncomfortable places until 
taken to Union Hall. They were trained 
to recite pieces and sing, together with 
sewing for the girls and some simple 
manual work for the boj's. Mrs. Cornelia 
A. Churcher and others of the long-time 
residents of Evanston were greatly inter- 
ested in this school. 

The Star Band of Hope. — February 23, 
1875, Mrs. S. M. I. Henry, afterward a 
National W. C. T. U. evangelist, organ- 
ized the Star Band of Hope among the 
children, which soon numbered seventy. 
Mrs. A. J. Brown was the presiding gen- 
ius, and Dr. Eben Clapp was her most 
faithful co-laborer. The meetings were 
held in I\Irs. Brown's house at first, then 
in the old Evanston Hotel on Davis 
Street, and afterward in Union Hall. Dr. 
George C. Noves. then pastor of the First 
Presbj'terian Church, helped to corral the 
unrulv bovs, and assisted in many wa}s. 



398 



WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNIONS 



as did Mr. George Wire, Dr. William B. 
Phillips and others. Many of the boys 
were wild and reckless, and a system of 
military drill was instituted among them 
by Captain Julian R. Fitch. Evanston 
ladies met and made caps and belts for 
the boys. A band of musicians was 
trained among them, and they marched 
through the streets with their wooden 
guns, the band playing such military airs 
as were supposed to indicate that they 
were "soldiers fighting for good habits." 
Mrs. Marcy wrote some songs for them, 
notably, "I Heard a Little Bird One 
Morning Sing, Sip, Sip No Wine." 

Mrs. Edward Russell had charge of the 
Girls' Brigade, which was a part of the 
Band of Hope. The children of many 
prominent families belonged to the or- 
ganization, and the testimony is that 
never was better temperance work done 
among the children than during the five 
years' existence of the Band of Hope. 

The Loyal Temperance Legion. — The 
National W. C. T. U. adopted the name. 
Loyal Temperance Legion, for its tem- 
perance society among the children in 
1886, and these Legions succeeded the 
Bands of Hope. The same year Miss 
Anna A. Gordon, now Vice-President-at- 
large of the National W. C. T. U., and 
Edward Murphy formed a Legion in 
Evanston, which met in the First M. E. 
Church. It was formally adopted by the 
Evanston Union at a meeting on Decem- 
ber 6, 1886, with Miss Gordon as Super- 
intendent. The Legion numbered 200 
members, with an average attendance of 
about 100. Mrs. Mary Owens Denyes, 
now President of the Straits Settlement' 
W. C. T. U., and residing at Singapore, 
was a member of the Legion, as were 
others whose names are now widely 
known. 

After the completion of Miss Gordon's 



first book of "Marching Songs" for the L. 
T. L., her legioners gave a demonstration 
in the church. The banners with mot- 
toes, the marching and singing and de- 
claiming, were new to the audience and 
were wonderfully impressive. Later, 
Mrs. Culla J. Vayhinger, then a student 
in the University and now President of 
the Indiana \V. C. T. U., was Superin- 
tendent of the Legion. The children had 
courses of instruction which have come, 
through repeated revisions and improve- 
ments, to be exceedingly fine manuals of 
study, adapted to Junior, Senior and Nor- 
mal grades. Several L. T. L.'s have suc- 
ceeded each other, but Evanston has 
never been long without such an organi- 
zation. The L. T. L. is a branch of the 
National W. C. T. U., and in its entirety 
numbers about 200.000. 

Gospel Temperance Meetings. — Sun- 
day afternoon, September, 1879, a Gos- 
pel temperance meeting was started 
under the leadership of Mrs. M. M. Con- 
well, in the waiting-room of the old North- 
western depot. These meetings contin- 
ued until 1895 or 1896. After leaving the 
depot they were held in a rented room on 
the corner of Davis and Maple Streets, 
and, later still, were regularly maintained 
in Union Hall. Mrs. Jane Eggleston 
Zimmerman was leader of these meetings 
for about eight years, beginning in 1881. 
Among the devoted workers were Mrs. R. 
H. Trumbull, Mrs. Mary Bannister Wil- 
lard, Mrs. T. C. Reiley, Mrs. R. Somers 
and scores of others. 

When Ladv Henry Somerset, now 
President of the World's W^ C. T. U , 
made her first visit to this country, 1891- 
92, she and Miss W'illard spoke at the 
Gospel temperance meeting on Sunday, 
March 13, 1892. The hall was packed 
and the interest intense. A farewell meet- 
ing for Lady Henry Somerset had been 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



399 



given in Central Music Hall, Chicago, the 
evening before, and both she and Miss 
\\'illard were extremely weary, but they 
did not find it in their hearts to refuse to 
speak on the occasion named. 

Miss Julia Ames, i\Iiss Helen L. Hood, 
Miss Ruby I. Gilbert and Mary Allen West, 
editor of "The Union Signal," all closely 
identified with the National W. C. T. U., 
and domiciled in the northern half of 
Rest Cottage, were frequently at these 
meetings. Mrs. Elizabeth Boynton Har- 
bert, Mrs. M. L. Welles, afterward Na- 
tional W. C. T. U. lecturer, and many 
others belonging to the Union, spoke at 
these meetings, as well as the pastors of 
the various churches. Temperance pa- 
pers from all over the world were re- 
ceived by Miss Willard at Rest Cottage, 
and these were carried over to Union Hall 
every Sunday and distributed. 

The following, which appeared in the 
"Evanston Index" at the time, shows the 
inspiring cause of the meetings: 

"Father \Vheadon was roused from 
sleep one night by a young man living 
near him, who came to him saying: "I 
have signed the pledge, but I must have 
God's help to keep it.' From the spirit 
aroused by the recital of this incident 
came the combination of efifort on the 
part of Mrs. Conwell, Mrs. Clifford, Miss 
Willard and others, which resulted in the 
Gospel meetings." 

An incident will illustrate the characr 
ter of the work : 

When Miss Willard was to speak. 
Union Hall, with all side rooms opened 
up, was always crowded. On one such 
occasion a man was observed to be eager- 
ly seeking admittance. To Mrs. T. C. 
Reiley, who sought to make room for him, 
he said he must see Miss Willard. He 
was informed that he could not see her 
then, as she was about to speak, but 



might do so at the close of the meeting. 
Observation of the man suggested the- 
wisdom of an after meeting, and a note 
to Miss W'illard prompted its announce- 
ment. When the man had an opportunity 
he asked if the Union took care of men's 
wives. He said he had gone to ethical 
culture lectures and many others, and no 
one could tell him how to reform, and 
now it was time to drop all such efforts. 
A word of prayer was proposed, and 
v.'hen the meeting closed the man said 
that if (jod was what they represented 
Him to be, and would keep him from 
falling through the week, he would come 
again next Sunday. He was given a Bi- 
ble, a white ribbon was pinned on his 
coat, and he was sent to his Chicago 
home. liefore going he said he had come 
to Evanston with the intention of killing 
himself, had walked past Rest Cottage ■ 
six times without the courage to enter, 
and then went to the meeting with his 
revolver in his pocket. After reading 
the Bible many times, he said to his wife : 
"If this God will take me past the sa- 
loons, I'll take Him." Influence was 
brought to bear to secure employment for 
the man, he joined the church, and az 
last accounts was still doing well. 

The attention of the Union, however, 
came to be turned more and more to pre- 
vention by work among children, as the 
experiences of this and thousands of 
other unions showed that a large percent- 
age of reformed men eventually went 
back to their cups. The Salvation Army 
came in with the same kind of Gospel 
work, and in time this particular field in 
Evanston was largely left to them. 

Kindergarten Work. — In the winter of 
1885 a kindergarten was started which 
continued until April, 1896, when the 
work was introduced into the Haven pub- 
lic school. Mrs. ]\Iarv Bannister Willard 



400 



WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNIONS 



was chiefly instrumental in raising the 
necessary funds at the beginning, 
through what was termed $15 scholar- 
ships, and in honor of her work the 
school was later named the Mary Ban- 
nister Willard Kindergarten.- Mrs. Hes- 
ter E. Walker had the school in charge 
and was most successful in winning both 
children and parents. The ladies of the 
First M. E. Church earned the first $200 
for the kindergarten. The Y. W. C. T. 
U. and other young people lent a helping 
hand, chiefly through the sale of home- 
made candies, which was a source of con- 
siderable revenue to the Union for many 
years. Miss Mary McDowell, now at 
the head of the Northwestern University 
Settlement in Chicago, did much to aid 
the kindergarten work. Miss Kate Jack- 
son, Mrs. John A. Childs, Mrs. Dr. O. H. 
Mann, Mrs. R. M. Hatfield and Mrs. 
Henderson were also moving spirits. The 
need for the school did not exist after the 
work became a part of the public school 
system. During the more than eleven 
years of its existence it cose the Union, for 
hall rent, salary to the Superintendent, 
supplies, et cetera, about $1,000 per year, 
which was cheerfully contributed by the 
citizens. It is related that some of the 
little folks won their fathers from drink 
by the instructions which they had received 
in the kindergarten and carried to their 
homes. 

Manual Training School. — This school 
was started about 1883 and suspended in 
January, 1887. Mrs. H. H. C. Miller was 
Secretary of the Union during a part of 
that period, and she was especially active 
in raising funds for the school and in 
carrying on the work. Other able women 
assisted her. Miss Lu Bushnell was a 
devoted teacher and Mr. William Lind- 
ley taught the boys carpentry. The meet- 



ings were held in Union Hall and the 
practical work was done in another build- 
ing. The especial aim was to gather in 
the neglected children, or those who for 
reasons had the greatest need, and to 
teach them temperance, industry and 
other virtues. 

Other Undertakings. — The Evanston 
Union inaugurated many other lines of 
work beside those already named. At 
one time a night school was opened for 
youths who were obliged to work and 
could not attend the day schools. This 
numbered about eighty, and was sus- 
tained through the generosity of Mr. Wil 
liam Deering, Rev. Henry Delano, Mr. 
Charles Congdon and others, until the 
Public School Board was induced to open 
a night school. A reading room was car- 
ried on from 1881 to 1886, and cottage 
prayer meetings were held frequently. 
At one time open air meetings were held 
on the University campus and on the 
corner of Ayars Court and Ridge Avenue. 

In 1886 the Good Times Club of girls, 
organized to illustrate that the best of 
good times consist in doing good to some- 
body else, became a part of the Union. 

Much attention was given to mothers' 
meetings. Mrs. Jessie Brown Hilton was. 
for a number of years, the inspiring and 
instructive leader. She served as Na- 
tional W. C. T. U. Superintendent of 
Mothers' Meetings several successive 
years, and gave many special lectures in 
Evanston by invitation of the Union. A 
sewing school for girls was maintained 
for some time. 

Social purity also had its place. Mrs. 
Isabel Wing Lake, for many years Na- 
tional Superintendent of Rescue Work, 
Mrs. Major Singleton, Mrs. R. H. Trum- 
bull and others went regularly to the' 
Cook County Hospital, interested them- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



401 



selves in the welfare of the girls in that 
institution, and in many cases did prac- 
tical rescue work. 

Thousands of pages of temperance lit- 
erature were distributed every year. Act- 
ive interest has always been taken in the 
teaching of scientific temperance truths 
from proper text-books in the public 
schools. As is well known, this plan 
originated with the W. C. T. U., and the 
Evanston Union did its part in securing 
the State law and the amendments which 
have been made from time to time, and 
in helping to make the law effective lo- 
cally. 

The Union was instrumental in organ- 
izing a union among the colored people of 
Evanston at one time, and it has regu- 
larly supervised a number of other depart- 
ments of the National W. C. T. U., such 
as Non-Alcoholic Medication, Anti-Nar- 
cotics, Flower Mission, vvhereljy thou- 
sands of bouquets, with Scripture texts, 
have been given to the sick and unfor- 
tunate, but first, last and all the time, it 
has striven to promulgate the two basic 
principles of total abstinence and prohi- 
bition. The Union assisted the Delano 
Mission and has always been active in 
home charities, besides sending many 
boxes and barrels of clothing to needy 
Western territory. 

As indicative of the practical work of 
the Union, the following, taken at ran- 
dom from its minutes, may be noted : 

"December 23, 1878, the anniversary 
of the Temperance Crusade was observed 
in the M. E. Church, which was deco- 
rated for the occasion, the President, Mrs. 
M. M. Conwell, presiding. Miss Willard 
delivered, in her own peculiarly charming 
manner, her lecture on "Home Protec- 
tion," at the close of which 150 signa- 
tures to the petition to the Illinois Legis- 



lature were secured. (Some 600 in all 
were taken.) 

"January 10, 1879, temperance day in 
the week of prayer, was observed, Mrs. 
Converse presiding. Mrs. Arza Brown 
spoke with energy against the use of to- 
bacco. 

"March 19, 1879, the Union petitioned 
a certain railroad to remove into.xicating 
liquors from its dining-cars and a com- 
mittee reported having visited all of the 
churches of Evanston urging the use of 
unfermented wine at the sacrament, 

"May 7, 1881, Mary B. Willard, Presi- 
dent, a committee was appointed to pro- 
test to druggists against unnecessary Sab- 
bath trade, and to the town authorities 
against a gambling den known to exist." 

For several years lately the W. C. T. U, 
has had representation on the Board of 
Associated Charities of Evanston, Mrs. 
G M. Price having been the representa- 
tive so far. 

Many lecturers have been brought to 
Evanston by the Union to address public 
audiences or union meetings. Among 
these may be named John B. Gough, Joe 
Hess (the reformed pugilist), Francis 
Murphy, Col. George Bain, John B. 
Finch, and of our own, Mary T. Lathrap, 
Mary H. Hunt, Narcissa White Kinney, 
Caroline B. Buell, Esther Pugh, Helen M. 
Barker, Mary A. VVoodbridge, Katharine 
Lent Stevenson, Mary Allen West and 
Mrs. Robinson, an evangelist, who held 
meetings for two months, sometimes five 
a day. Those heard most frequently 
were, of course, our own citizens : 
Mesdames Emily Huntington Miller, 
Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, S. M. I. 
Henry, Jessie Brown Hilton, Dr. Kate 
Bushnell and Frances E. Willard. 

The Sunday Gospel temperance meet- 
ings were addressed by people from 



402 



WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNIONS 



Japan, Persia, India, Mexico, and from 
many of our own States, besides many 
pastors and others citizens of Evanston. 
Frequent mass meetings and receptions 
were held during the early years. 

It is related that when Miss Willard 
made her first public address in Evans- 
ton, in the old M. E. Church which stood 
on the site now selected for the new Pub- 
lic Library on Church Street, she did not 
remove her bonnet. Before the meeting 
opened, a friend suggested that she take 
it off, saying the lines were not just suited 
to Miss W'illard's face. "O no, dear," she 
replied; "I mustn't do it. Some of the 
sisters might not just like it." which is il- 
lustrative of her thoughtful care of the 
feelings of others. 

When Mr. IMurphy was lecturing in 
Evanston, Miss Willard used to occupy 
fifteen or twenty minutes before he began. 
One night a $5 gold piece was put in the 
collection-box by a gentleman who, upon 
inquiry as to whether a mistake had been 
made, said that this piece had come to 
him in a very peculiar manner and was 
to be used for his own personal pleasure; 
that he came to hear Air. Murphy and 
heard Miss \\'illard, and knew the time 
had come to use the $5 gold piece. He 
said he regarded her perorations as worth 
many times the value of the coin. 

Not a few members of the Evanston 
Union have been prime movers in Nation- 
al W. C. T. U. matters, as, for instance, 
Mrs. Dr. O. Marcy was one of the commit- 
tee which founded the first National pa- 
per, called "Our Union." Plans for it 
were discussed in Evanston and investi- 
gations were made in Chicago as to the 
printing of the paper, which was finally 
published in Philadelphia, and if Miss 
Willard's work were to be taken account 
of, it would mean an enumeration of much 



of that which is of greatest value in the 
National W. C. T. U. 

Suffrage was a dangerous question in 
the early days. Mrs. Harbert relates that 
at a meeting of the Union she was nomi- 
nated as Secretary. She rose and said : 
'"Ladies. I think I ought to tell you, before 
you go any further, that I hold in my hand 
an invitation to become the President of 
the State Suffrage Association" ; where- 
upon the presiding officer quickly said, 
"Do sit right down, Mrs. Harbert, or you 
will turn this meeting into a suffrage dis- 
cussion." Mrs. Harbert sat down, con- 
tenting herself mostly thereafter, she says, 
by offering to furnish scalloped oysters 
and angel food on occasions, believing 
these would create no discussion. 

The anniversary meeting for Aliss \\'il- 
lard, on her fiftieth birthday, was the first 
public recognition of the department of 
equal suffrage, which the National had 
adopted years before. Mrs. Elizabeth 
Wheeler Andrew, afterward round the 
world W. C. T. U. missionary, presented 
Miss Willard with a basket of beautiful 
flowers decorated with white and yellow 
ribbons, and explained that the wdiite 
stood for temperance and the yellow for 
equal suft'rage. The Unions, State and 
Local, had long since learned that they 
were free to accept or reject departments 
according to their likings and beliefs, 
which had allayed the fears of some who 
could not accept all of the departments 
proposed by the National W. C. T. U. 

The Reiley Union. — For many years 
there was but the one Union in Evanston. 
except those among the young women called 
the "Ys." In later years, it was thought a 
union west of the railroad tracks would 
appeal more particularly to residents in 
that locality, and January 21, 1896. the 
Reiley Union was organized. The Pres- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



403 



idents have been Mrs. Caroline Franklin, 
Mrs. Ella DeCoudres and Mrs. T. C. 
Reiley, who had served many years as 
Treasurer of the Evanston Union, and 
who was President of the Fourth District 
for nine years, beginning in 1893. The 
Fourth District then included Chicago 
and Evanston, and in fact, all of the north 
shore. The work and the departments of 
the Reiley Union have been similar to 
those of the Evanston Union during the 
same years, and a number of its members 
were previously identified with the older 
union and had a share in what has been 
related of it. It may be noted, however, 
that the Reiley Union has sent quantities 
of literature to needy places and to other 
States ; has worked the department of 
Soldiers and Sailors, supplying the sol- 
diers with many comfortbags during the 
Spanish and Philippine wars. It has been 
an ardent supporter of the one time affili- 
ated interests of the National W. C. T. U., 
and it secured the organization of the 
present Y. W. C. T. U. It has many de- 
voted workers in its membership of thirty. 
The South Evanston Union. — This 
Union was organized by Airs. Reiley in 
1894 and continued the work for seven 
years. Its presidents were Mrs. D. D. 
Thompson, Mrs. K. R. Whitman and Mrs. 
George Hoover. It numbered twenty-five 
or thfrty members, distributed a large 
amount of literature, held most excellent 
mothers' meetings and had a fine Loyal 
Temperance Legion. 

The Ys of Evanston.— The Young Wo- 
man's Christian Temperance Union is a 
branch of the W. C. T. U., and these 
Unions among the young people have 
come to be known as "the Ys." Tradition 
says that Evanston has had three differ- 
ent organizations of the Ys, but written 
records supply information of two only. 
The first of these was organized January 



2, 1879, with a speedy enrollment of 
thirty-seven members. It was organized 
at Rest Cottage, the home of Miss Wil- 
lard, she and Miss Gordon both being 
present and assisting in the organization. 
Miss Belle Webb was elected President 
and Miss Justina A. Pingree, Recording 
Secretary. Miss Webb declined to serve 
and Miss Fannie Wiswall was elected. The 
Union took up temperance teaching in the 
Sabbath schools, securing subscriptions to 
"Our Union," the official organ of the 
National W. C. T. U., and supplying the 
papers with temperance items and reports 
of the work of the Y. The society was 
pledged to total abstinence and also to use 
its influence against the use of tobacco. 
Many signers of the Home Protection 
Petition and the total abstinence pledge 
were obtained. As has already been stated, 
this Union lent its aid to the efforts for 
law enforcement and to the other undertak- 
ings of the mother Lmion, the Evans- 
ton W^ C. T. U. It secured lectures by 
Prof. George E. Foster, Mrs. Harbert, 
Mrs. Hannah Whitall Smith, Miss Lucia 
Kimball, Miss Willard and others. Miss 
Martha Button was the President in 1880. 
A temperance school was conducted by 
the Ys, and they aided the Gospel tem- 
perance meetings and edited and read at 
their monthly meetings a little paper fitly 
called, "The Waterspout." Prof. Haven 
of the public schools, Dr. Garnsey and 
Miss Brace conducted experiments in 
the temperance school. The membership 
came up to forty and the meetings were 
moved from private houses to Room 4 of 
Union Hall, and later to a building on 
the corner of Davis and Maple Streets. 
In 1880, leaflets were distributed to the 
number of 10,000, and 132 total abstinence 
pledges were secured, exclusive of chil- 
dren. The temperance school was held 
every Saturday except for two summer 



404 



WOMAN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNIONS 



months. It numl^ered sixty. Julia Col- 
man's Juvenile Temperance Manual, pic- 
ture tracts and reward cards were used. 
The society subscribed for fifty copies of 
"Illustrated Temperance Tales" and Miss 
Willard donated fifty copies of "The 
Youth's Temperance Banner." A number 
of public entertainments were given. 
Miss Mary Ninde was the President for 
1881, but on March 12, 1881, after two 
years and a quarter of separate activity, 
the Y voted to become a part of the Ev- 
anston W. C. T. U. 

The next Y, of which there are records, 
is the present Evanston Y. W. C. T. U. 
It was organized November 8, 1902, by 
Mrs. Minnie B. Horning, Corresponding 
Secretary of the Illinois W. C. T. U., and 
Miss Kathryn Sawyer, State Y Secretary. 
It began with eight active members, and 
numbers, at the present time, twenty-four 
young women and eighteen young men, 
the latter being honorary members. Its 
Presidents have been as follows: Miss 
Sibyl Horning, Miss Mildred Auten and 
Miss Ernia Hoag. Their work has been 
mainly connected with the Flower Mis- 
sion, Press, Hospital and Literature. A 
necessary requirement for membership in 
all Ys, as well as W's, is the signing of the 
pledge against the use of intoxicating 
drinks, and this one has also declared 
against the use of tobacco, though this is 
■ not made a requirement of membership 
They have contributed to the White Rib- 
bon Missionary Fund, which, at present, 
helps to sustain Miss Kara Smart as a res- 
ident W. C. T. U. missionary in Japan, 
and to the Frances E. Willard Memorial 
Fund, which is used to enlarge and per- 
petuate the work at home, and also to the 
state work. Considerable attention has 
.been given to parliamentary usage, that 
the meetings may be conducted properly. 



At this writing it is proposed to supply 
teachers from their membership for a new 
Junior Loyal Temperance Legion being 
organized among the children. 

At one time, in order to increase the in- 
terest in the meetings, a continued story 
was a part of the program, each chapter 
being written by a dififerent member. 
This L'nion is made up of University and 
High School young people, and bids fair 
to be a worthy member of the trio of 
L^nions now working in Evanston, viz. : 
the Evanston \V. C. T. U.. the Reiley W. 
C. T. U. and the Y. \V. C. T. U. 

Brother Helpers. — The ministers and 
other good men of Evanston have lent 
their aid during the more than thirty years 
of active service by the Unions. Chief 
among the early helpers may be men- 
tioned Dr. Martin C. Briggs, of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church ; Rev. Edward X. 
Packard, of the Congregational Church; 
Rev.F. L.Chappell,of the Baptist Church, 
and Dr. Geo. C. Noyes, of the First Presby- 
terian Church ; and, in later years. Dr. Rob- 
ert M. Hatfield. Dr. Frank Bristol, Dr. 
Frederick Clatworthy, and Dr. Henry De- 
lano, who often spoke for the W. C. T. U. 
and whose church was always open for its 
meetings. Dr. N. S. Davis was ready to 
help at the public meetings with valuable 
contributions from his professional knowl- 
edge. 

Among the other notable Brother Help- 
ers were Mr. William Deering, Dr. O. H. 
Mann, Dr. Eben Clapp, Mr. C. B. Cong- 
don, Major W. F. Singleton, Mr. F. P. 
Crandon, Mr. John B. Finch, Dr. Milton 
Terry, and other University professors, 
including Prof. H. F. Fisk and President 
Joseph Cnmmings. 

All the LT„ions have been greatly in- 
debted from time to time to the Brother 
Helpers who have aided in many ways. 



CHAPTER XL. 



CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS 

(By MKS. LOUISE BBOCKWAY STANWOOD) 



Benevolent Society Organized — Hospital 
Projected — New Society Takes the 
Name "Associated Charities" — Auxili- 
ary Organications — ^ Mothers' Sezving 
School — St. Vincent de Paul Society — 
Needle Work Guild — Mothers' Club — 
Visiting Nurse Association — , King's 
Daughters — Camp Good Will — Its 
Service in Behalf of Poor Mothers and 
Children — Receipts and Expenditures. 

The distribution of charity in Evanston, 
up to the year 1883, had been a matter of 
individual effort or of church discrimina- 
tion; but the winter of 1883 opened very 
bitter and stormy and, on one particularly 
cold day, Mrs. William Blanchard was 
distressed at the thought of the suffering 
there must be amongst the poor of the 
town. Calling her coachman, she in- 
quired if he would think it inhuman to 
take his horses out and drive her about 
to look after cases of suffering. The chil- 
dren coming home from school reported 
that, in one family, a baby had been fro- 
zen to death the night before. When Mrs. 
Blanchard reached this home, she found 
the family in a desperate condition ; several 
children partially frozen and the whole 
family in need of every comfort — clothes, 
food, and heat. After relieving their im- 
mediate necessities, she went home to 
think over the situation, and the idea of a 



benevolent society for the relief of the 
poor and suffering in Evanston took shape 
in her mind. Mrs. Blanchard inserted a 
notice in the village paper, calling on all 
ladies who might be interested in the 
formation of such a society to meet at her 
house on a given day, to talk the matter 
over and to organize. Many ladies re- 
sponded to the call and the Benevolent 
Society of Evanston was duly organized. 

Benevolent Society Organized. — It 
was decided to hold meetings for sewing 
at the different homes, to have a relief and 
investigating committee and a committee 
to solicit funds. The response to the re- 
quest for funds was hearty and generous, 
as Mrs. Blanchard herself says, only one 
person who was approached for money re- 
fusing to give. The names of the first 
workers in the Benevolent Society includ- 
ed those of Mrs. Edward Taylor, Mrs. 
George Watson, Mrs. L. C. Tallmadge, 
Mrs. N. A. Coble, Mrs. N. C. Gridley, Mrs. 
Tillinghast, Mrs. William Deering, Miss 
Josephine Patterson, Mrs. A. L. Butler, 
Mrs. P>ank M. Elliot, Miss Alice Blanch- 
ard and Mrs. Blanchard, Miss Katherine 
Lord and Mrs. Frank Wilder. 

The sewing meetings were continued 
all the winter of 1883-84 and Mrs. Blanch- 
ard's house was used as the depot for the 
storing and distributing of clothing. Mrs. 
Blanchard also made such arrangements 



405 



4o6 



CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS 



with the Cook County hospital that, on 
her request and recommendation, any case 
of sickness could be taken to the hospital 
to be taken care of. This Society, while it 
provided for the needs of many of the 
poor, did not prevent frequent cases of 
duplication in individual charity nor the 
special efforts of churches in relieving 
their own people. That was a develop- 
ment that was to come later. 

The first records of the Association 
show the list of officers elected in the 
winter of 1887-88, when Mrs. Edward 
Taylor was made President, Mrs. L. C. 
Tallmadge, Vice-President-at-large, with 
a Vice-President from each of the 
following churches: Congregational, Pres- 
byterian, Episcopal, Methodist and Baptist ; 
Miss Josephine Patterson, Secretary ; and 
Mrs. J. E. Burke, Treasurer. 

A sewing school, to teach young girls be- 
longing to needy families to sew, had been 
organized in 1883-84 and in this year 
(1887) Mrs. Edward Belknap was appoint- 
ed the chairman of the sewing-school. Dur- 
ing this same winter — which is memorable 
for organization — the Kitchen Garden As- 
sociation was formed, for the purpose of 
giving some instruction in cleaning, set- 
ting tables, making beds and other house- 
work, that would make it easier for girls 
to secure positions where they could earn 
something to help themselves and their 
families. This Kitchen Garden was first 
taught by Miss Gardner of Chicago, who 
trained several of the younger Evanston 
ladies to be teachers and to continue the 
school. In the year 1887, Mrs. L. C. Tall- 
madge and Miss Kate Lord were appoint- 
ed to have charge of the Kitchen Garden. 
Mrs. Blanchard, Mrs. Watson, and Mrs. 
Balding formed the committee to raise 
funds. The amount of money received 
was in no sense insignificant, for from the 
first of November, 1887, to the first of No- 



vember, 1888, the Treasurer's books show 
receipts of over $800. 

Another form of benevolence had been 
maintained by the Flower Mission, an or- 
ganization of young women in the village 
whose chief duty it was to gather and 
send to Chicago, for distribution, both 
garden and greenhouse flowers. This so- 
ciety also had done some relief work, but 
in October, 1887, the Benevolent Society 
and the Flower Mission were consolidated, 
a constitution was adopted, and one more 
step was taken in the thorough organiza- 
tion of charity work in the village. 

The work done by this Society at this 
time consisted chiefly in clothing the poor, 
and it had also helped with actual money 
in the payment of rents, but as the village 
grew, the needy increased in numbers and, 
in the very^ last of 1887, it was decided 
that society could not afford to pay out 
money for rents, nor could it provide cof- 
fee, sugar, and butter, except in cases of 
illness. Throughout the records of the Be- 
nevolent Society the reports of the Sew- 
ing School and the Kitchen Garden fur- 
nish interesting reading; and the gener- 
osity of various merchants of Evanston 
and of the doctors in rendering profes- 
sional services free are many times grate- 
fully acknowledged. In October, 1888, it 
was decided to confine the work of relief 
strictly within the villages of North Ev- 
anston, Evanston and South Evanston. 
Tickets were also distributed amongst 
householders in these three villages, which 
were to be given to all applicants for relief, 
directing these latter to the proper author- 
ities. 

In October, 1889, the Society decided to 
hold an open business meeting at the be- 
ginning of each sewing meeting, and to 
ask for reports from each department con- 
nected with the work. This had a ten- 
dency to increase the attendance at the 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



407 



meetings and to further the interests of 
the Society. Up to this time the money 
had been soHcited either by representa- 
tives from the churches or by a general 
finance committee ; but in this year (1889) 
a sohcitor was appointed for each side of 
the village — these being Mrs. Bishop and 
Mrs. Gridley for the east side and Mrs. 
George Judd for the west. The minutes of 
October 29, 1889. are interesting to read, 
because the problem of furnishing fuel 
to the poor was so well met by the ofifer of 
Mr. Hugh Wilson to give ten tons of coal, 
and the enumeration of garments (old and 
new) blankets, shoes, etc.. indicates that 
the work afterwards performed by the 
Needle Work Guild was so well done at 
this time by the general Society. Another 
point noticed in these minutes is the sug- 
gestion of Miss Lord's growing out of her 
experience as the head of the Kitchen 
Garden, that steps should be taken to 
found a cooking school in Evanston. The 
teachers of the Kitchen Garden drilled 
their girls for a public entertainment 
which was given very successfully and 
the money received was afterwards ap- 
plied to that purpose. 

Hospital Projected. — In the minutes of 
February 11, 1890, occur these words: 
"The hospital question was agitated, and 
it was decided to call a meeting on Tues- 
day, February 15th, at Mrs. Tallmadge's, 
of a committee of six ladies, one from each 
church, to discuss the propriety of estab- 
lishing a hospital in Evanston." The 
names of this committee were as follows : 
Baptist Church, Mrs. Charles F. Grey ; 
Presbyterian Church, Mrs. H. E. Daniels ; 
Methodist Church, Mrs. Tallmadge and 
Mrs. A. L. Butler; Congregational 
Church, Mrs. Joseph Larimer; Episcopal 
Church, Mrs. H. W. Hinsdale ; and from 
the village at large, Mrs. William Blanch- 
ard. In this vear, also, it was decided to 



organize an auxiliary society in North 
Evanston, and the names of Mrs. Corn- 
stock, Mrs. Carson and Mrs. Boomer are 
associated with the reports of work done 
by this society. 

The cooking school proposed by Miss 
Lord was established in the basement of 
the Congregational Church in the winter 
of 1889 and 1890, under the care of Miss 
Lord and Miss Mary Bradley. The young 
girls were very well instructed as cooks, 
waitresses and house maids. 

In 1890 other names appear amongst 
the list of officers, Mrs. P. S. Shumway 
being made President, Mrs. Hugh R. Wil- 
son Vice-President from the Methodist 
Church, Mrs. W. E. Stockton from the 
Presbyterian, Mrs. Fred Washburn from 
the Congregational, Mrs. Morse from the 
Baptist, Mrs. David Cooke from the Epis- 
copal, Mrs. Charles Haskins from the Im- 
manuel. Miss Lindgren from the Swedish 
Methodist, Mrs. Magill from the Catho- 
lic ; Secretary, Miss Maud Wycoff, and 
Treasurer, Mrs. Whitely ; and Miss Boutell 
the chairman of the Flower Mission. On 
December i, 1890, the Treasurer reports 
the treasury empty and in debt, but a lit- 
tle later in the month she reports $72 in 
the treasury and Mrs. Stockton for the 
Presbyterian Church reports a collection 
of $105, so the response to the solicitors 
was always to be depended upon. Mrs. 
Wilder, the visitor, reported at this same 
meeting that she had provided nineteen 
families with Thanksgiving dinners. This, 
of course, was in addition to many such 
dinners provided by individuals and 
churches. By the last day of the year 1890 
the Treasurer reported $527 on hand, a 
part of which was given by the Business 
Men's Association of the town and part by 
the collection taken at the union services 
on Thanksgiving day. About this time 
the Society begins to recognize the work 



4o8 



CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS 



of the King's Daughters, who are reported 
as making garments for the Benevolent 
Society and acting as visitors to some 
poor famihes. 

Another reference to the need of an Ev- 
anston hospital is found in the minutes of 
April 6, 1891, when Mrs. Butler reports 
upon a plan of founding a small hospital. At 
the meeting of October 14, 1891, Mrs. Wild- 
er suggested that, as the amount in the 
treasury ($367) was unusually large, a 
part of it be appropriated for hospital pur- 
poses : and in accordance with this sug- 
gestion, $300 was set aside for that pur- 
pose. By this time the attempt to divide 
the sewing hitherto done at the afternoon 
meetings among the churches was tried, 
although the cutting was still done by the 
cutters appointed by the general society. 

The annual meeting for the year 1891 
shows total receipts of $734 and disburse- 
ments $666. The Flower Mission report- 
ed that year having sent 70 crates of flow- 
ers to the Chicago hospitals. The Kitch- 
en Garden seems to have served its pur- 
pose and, for a time, it was thought wise 
to abandon it. The work for the Relief 
Committee had increased so much by 1891 
that it was found necessary to hire a cab 
for its use, although the number of cases 
visited is not enumerated. 

At Christmas time of 1892, Mrs. But- 
ler reported that she had provided twelve 
families with Christmas baskets, and it is 
interesting to see that the names of the 
same families appear, year after year, 
amongst the poor and needy, although 
sickness and drunkenness in the head of 
the family seem to be the prevailing 
causes of this poverty. 

At the annual meeting of 1892, Mrs. 
Walworth was made President, with 
V^ice-Presidents Mrs. P. B. Shumway, 
from the Methodist, Mrs. H. L. Boltwood 
from the Congregational, Mrs. W. B. Top- 



liff from the Presbyterian. Mrs. L. K. Gil- 
son from the Baptist, Mrs. H. W. Hins- 
dale from St. Marks, Mrs. W'm. Cowper 
from St. Lukes, Mrs. Herman Poppen- 
husen from the Presbyterian South, Mrs. 
J. O. Foster from the Methodist South, 
Mrs. F. M. Forrey from Wheadon, Mrs. 
M. J. Boomer from the Central, Mrs. H. 
W. Brough from the Unitarian and Mrs. 
Robert Magill from the Catholic Church. 
Buying Committee, Mrs. Wilder ; Visiting 
Committee, Mrs. A. D. Sanders. 

It was at this meeting that it was de- 
cided to change the name of the Society 
to the Associated Charities of Evanston, 
and an amendment was added to the con- 
stitution to this effect, the number of vice- 
presidents increased, as is to be seen by 
the foregoing list of ofificers, and all char- 
ities in the three parts of the city were 
represented on the board. The following 
quotation from the report of the Relief 
Committee of this year shows how the 
work of the Benevolent Society had in- 
creased from the time of the informal 
meeting in Mrs. Blanchard's parlors to 
October 3, 1892: 

"During the past year we have cared for 
one or more members of thirty-two differ- 
ent families. These have been furnished 
food, medicine, fuel, clothing, nurses, hos- 
pital services, and in a few cases, funeral 
expenses. We have had surgical cases, 
partial blindness, consumption, diphtheria, 
typhoid fever, scarlet fever, inflammatory 
rheumatism, erysipelas, deformities, con- 
finement cases. We have furnished work 
of all varieties for both sexes. We have 
provided all sorts of things, from a nurs- 
ing bottle to a load of hay, the last being 
given in order that the father of eight chil- 
dren — one of whom, together with the 
mother, had been sick eight weeks with ty- 
phoid fever — should not be obliged to sell 
his cow which provided the greater part of 
food for the sick and little ones. One of 
the greatest difficulties met with has been 
that of procuring nurses willing to go into 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



409 



the homes of these famiHes. But the com- 
pletion of the hospital now near at hand, 
will, we trust, obviate the necessity.^' 

This report of Mrs. Butler's pointed 
forward not only to the necessity for a 
hospital in Evanston, but to the need of a 
visiting nurse. This need was soon met 
as will be see further on in this chapter. 

The Flower Mission reported that fall 
a distribution of 49^^ crates of flowers, 
three baskets of bouquets and 5^-2 crates 
mostly of hot-house roses, the gift of Mr. 
Weiland. The Kitchen Garden reported 
a class of twenty-four, the Sewing School 
reported an attendance of ninety scholars 
and eleven teachers. The receipts for that 
year were over $800. 

Change of Name. — The change from 
Benevolent Society to Associated Char- 
ities made it desirable, and even necessary, 
to seek a permanent place of meeti^ng, and 
Mrs. Whitely and Mrs. Tallmadge volun- 
teered to see the Mayor and ascertain if a 
small room in the new City Hall could be 
secured. The report of the next meeting 
shows that the Mayor readily acceded to 
the request. At this time the Society had 
been meeting in the dififerent church par- 
lors instead of in the individual homes as 
at first. The room in the City Hall was 
not yet finished in November of 1892 and 
it continued to be necessary to meet in dif- 
ferent churches. At one of these meetings 
the minutes relate that a large clothes 
basket was heaped with new garments 
made during the day. By Dec. 19, 1892, 
the room in the City Hall was furnished 
and was made the depot for garments old 
and new. and it was announced in the city 
press that the room was open to all 
comers. 

The relief committee of this year volun- 
teered to distribute Christmas dinners to 
those needing them, which were promised 
by Sunday schools and private parties. It 



was reported at this meeting that Mr. Mc- 
Mahon had received $100 from an Evan- 
ston gentleman to invest in chickens and 
turkevs, and that they would be distribut- 
ed from one of the markets on Christmas 
eve. 

.A^t the annual meeting of 1893, it was 
reported, among other benevolences, that 
an Evanston gentleman had offered to fur- 
nish new shoes to any one recommended 
by a committee from the Associated Char- 
ities. The annual report of this year 
(1893) speaks of the difficulty a stranger 
experiences in believing that there can be 
want and destitution in so beautiful a 
place as Evanston. The report says the 
poor are usually in that condition because 
of shiftless habits, lack of training as to 
the use of money, spending freely when 
not earning, not laying by for winter, but 
adds: "It is hard to refuse coal and food, 
even to the shiftless, when they are found 
suffering." Another large gift of coal 
from Mr. Wilson and help from the gro- 
cers in the matter of discount is grateful- 
ly acknowledged. It is reported that 265 
new garments vvere made and given out 
from the City Hall in this year. The re- 
ports of the Society show a constant im- 
provement in organization, investigation 
and discrimination, and new names are 
constantly being added to the lists of of- 
ficers and visitors. This increased care 
in the distribution of charity was gradual- 
ly reducing the relief formerly given from 
door to door and the claim that the charity 
of the kindly disposed was abused by the 
unworthy poor was being surely under- 
mined. It was in 1893 that the ladies de- 
cided to interview the ministers of the 
town and seek to have the entire collec- 
tion of the union Thanksgiving service 
given to the Associated Charities. By this 
time the Society recognizes the gifts of 
the Needle Work Guild, an organization 



J.IO 



CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS 



whose work will be referred to later. The 
generosity of the merchants of Evanston 
is constantly noted, and the distributing 
station was made available for the distri- 
bution of the donations from the grocery 
stores and bakeries as well as for clothing. 
Auxiliary Organization. — In 1894, when 
Mrs. J. E. Scott was President of the As- 
sociated Charities, a Mothers' Sewing 
School was organized as an additional 
means of helping mothers to clothe their 
children. A careful record was kept in 
1894 and 1895, not only of the officers, 
visitors and committees, but also of the 
pastors of all churches and the represen- 
tatives from each church on the Execu- 
tive Board of the Associated Charities. 
The boundaries of the wards are given 
and the visitors are named according to 
their wards. October i, 1894, Mrs. H. L. 
Boltwood was elected President ; Mrs. J. 
E. Scott, Vice-President; Mrs. C. J. 
Whitely, Treasurer; Mrs. L. G. Wescott, 
Secretary; Mrs. A. D. Sanders, Chairman 
of the Visiting Committee, and Mrs. J. E. 
Scott, Superintendent of the Sewing 
School. Out of the sewing class for moth- 
ers had come a sewing class for children, 
and Mrs. Strawbridge, a teacher of sew- 
ing, came out from the city on Saturday 
afternoons to teach them. A regular sys- 
tematic course of instruction was given, 
which secured the interest of the children 
and uniformity in the work. The chil- 
dren were required to come with clean 
hands, faces and aprons. The receipts for 
the year 1894 are reported at $1,630 and 
the work of visiting the poor was much 
more efficiently carried on because of the 
division of labor. No help was given until 
the homes had been visited and great 
pains taken to ascertain the exact state of 
the family. 

The work of the different wards is in- 
teresting as showing where the greatest 



needs were. In the First Ward 20 fam- 
ilies were helped ; in the Second, 6; in the 
Third, 11 ; in the Fourth, 24; in the Fifth, 
45 ; in the Sixth, 32 ; in the Seventh, 67 ; 
and in North Evanston, 47. 

At the meeting of November 21st, in 
order to have some uniformity in the dis- 
tribution of groceries, the following rule 
was adopted : "The following articles can 
be ordered by the visitor: beans, potatoes 
by the peck or half peck only, cheap cof- 
fee or tea in small quantities, sugar in 
small quantities, corn-meal or oat-meal, 
rice, salt, flour, laundry soap by the bar ; 
no meat, except in the case of sickness." 

In 1895 occurs the last mention of the 
Kitchen Garden, when it was decided to 
donate the material used in the instruction 
to the Northwestern University Settle- 
ment of Chicago. At the annual meeting 
it was reported that there had been re- 
ceived $831 and that $795 had been dis- 
bursed. The President reported over 1,500 
garments, the value of which is not in- 
cluded in the money receipts. Of these, 
the new garments were contributed by the 
Needlework Guild. At this meeting Mrs. 
Brewer was elected President, Mrs. Bolt- 
v/ood, Vice-President, Mrs. Sanders, Sec- 
retary, and Mrs. Whitely, Treasurer, with 
representatives from each of the churches. 

In 1896 the German Catholic Church re- 
ported that it would care for all its poor 
and needy, and any Catholics applying to 
the Associated Charities were almost sure 
to be unworthy. This lessened the field 
for the society. At the annual meeting of 
1896 Mrs. J. E. Scott was made President 
and Mrs. Cragin, Secretary, with Vice- 
Presidents representing the different 
churches as usual. The winter of 1896 
opened early and the women began cast- 
ing about for means to employ the men 
and women who applied for aid that they 
might earn the relief that was granted 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



411 



them. October 28th, at a meeting in the 
Congregational Church, Rev. Mr. South- 
gate was asked to be present and he spoke 
of the possibiHty of arranging such work 
for both men and women. A wood yard 
was proposed for the men where they 
could saw and split wood and a work room 
for women, where, under a superinten- 
dent, they could be instructed in repairing 
and making garments, receiving either 
clothing or provisions as compensation. 
After this talk a committee was appointed 
to see the city officials, and to ask them to 
help in establishing a wood yard. The 
report of this committee was given at the 
next meeting and was very favorable. The 
Mayor offered to furnish work and a su- 
perintendent to supervise it, the wood be- 
ing obtained by cutting oiif the piles of the 
old Davis Street pier. A great deal of 
cleaning was secured in the public schools 
during this winter for the women, an ar- 
rangement which worked well in both di- 
rections — making the recipients of the 
city's charity feel that they had earned it, 
and making the schools much more sani- 
tary and wholesome for children. Twen- 
ty-eight men were employed on the 
streets of Evanston. The new plan in- 
stituted this year, of requiring work from 
all the able-bodied who had been assisted, 
proved very successful, the records show- 
ing that only three persons refused to 
work, and that many had expressed their 
satisfaction at being allowed to do so. 
This year it is recorded that over 1,200 
visits were made by the visitors of the 
Society. 

At the annual meeting of 1897, Mrs. 
AMlliam M. Green was made President; 
Mrs. J. L. Whitlock, Vice-President ; Mrs. 
S. G. White, Secretary: and Mrs. Joseph 
Lyons, Treasurer. It was decided to give 
no assistance to the able-bodied this year 
without its equivalent of work, and two 



rooms in the City Hall were given to 
ladies for their use as a distributing 
center. 

From this time on the work of the As- 
sociated Charities runs in regular grooves, 
well organized, systematized, and admir- 
ably accomplished. The next year Mrs. 
Whitlock was made President and has 
served in that capacity up to the present 
writing. The records show the increasing 
use of the plan of no aid without services 
rendered, and the number of unworthy ap- 
plicants has been reduced to almost noth- 
ing. With the aid of the visiting nurse, 
the sick poor have been cared for; the 
homeless old people have been put into 
proper institutions or sent to their own 
people in more or less distant places ; chil- 
dren have been clothed and fed and kept 
in school ; and any one who wishes to 
give to the relief work in the city can do 
so with every assurance that his contri- 
bution will be wisely and carefuly ad- 
ministered. The work of the Associated 
Charities has shown an increasing co-op- 
eration with the other forces of the town 
that make for the comfort of the needy 
and for righteousness. The Supervisor, 
the Chief of Police, the Officer of the PIu- 
mane Society, the Probation Officer, the 
Associated Charities, the Hospital, the 
Visiting Nurse, and the Needle Work 
Guild, have so interwoven their advice, 
their special knowledge of needs and their 
means of relief, that the best results have 
been obtained. The work of soliciting 
funds is still done by the representatives 
of different churches on the Board, and 
the successful efforts of the officers of the 
Society to secure work supplement these 
actual money donations. At the annual 
meeting of the twentieth anniversary of 
the founding of the Society ( 1903), the Sec- 
retary reported that the work of the So- 
ciety began early on account of the prev- 



412 



CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS 



alence of smallpox in the city. Nearly all 
the afflicted families were those of labor- 
ers who were necessarily kept from their 
work and, in some cases, the fathers were 
the only nurses for wives and children. 
The Society furnished an abundance of 
clothing suitable for the sick, and when 
this was destroyed upon the recovery of 
the patients, furnished still other outfits. 
But this is the only epidemic which the 
Society has had to contend with. Seven- 
teen hundred and sixty garments, old and 
new, were distributed this 3'ear. The re- 
port closed with these words: "If suc- 
cess is measured by activity and consci- 
entious efifort. this year deserves to be 
placed in line with those preceding it." 

St. Vincent De Paul Society.— In 1887 
the Evanston branch of the St. Vincent 
de Paul Society was organized and be- 
came auxiliary to the great Catholic So- 
ciety of the same name three or four years 
later. This society is composed of men in 
the Catholic Church who are devoted to 
the relief of distress, the care of the sick 
and the burying of the dead. It is unique 
in Evanston in being a society composed 
of men, aided, when necessary, by an 
auxiliary society of ladies. It is non- 
sectarian in its work, aiding any cases of 
distress, although later, after time for in- 
vestigation, if found to be non-Catholic, 
the case is turned over to the proper 
church or institution. 

It co-operates with the Visiting Nurse 
and the Associated Charities and the 
ladies of the auxiliary are members of the 
Needle Work Guild, their contribution to 
the Association being returned to them 
for distribution by this Society. It has 
raised in money about $4,700 in the last 
seventeen years, although one of its fun- 
damental principles is never to give 
money directly, preferring to furnish pro- 
visions and, if possible, to aid the recipi- 



ent in earning the assistance. In many 
cases the women so aided have been glad 
of the opportunity to pay for it by scrub- 
bing and cleaning in the parochial school 
and the church. This is a society which 
seldom makes public reports but prefers 
to do its work without the sound of trum- 
pets. The society has been served by the 
same officers since its founding: Mr. 
Daniel RIcCann, President; Mr. Cullen, 
Secretary. 

The Woman's Club. — Although the 
Woman's Club was founded in 1889 for 
social and literary purposes, the organ- 
ization was very early interested in phil- 
anthropic work, since so many of its 
members were interested in particular 
charitable enterprises and sought the op- 
portunity to lay them before the Club and 
seek its support. In 1891 before the Club 
was divided into departments (as it was 
later), there was a meeting well re- 
membered by the old members, when 
Mrs. A. L. Butler spoke on behalf of the 
need of a hospital in this community. 
Her plea for the sick amongst the poor 
and helpless and the strangers in our 
midst was so touching, that it was im- 
mediately determined by the Club to en- 
deavor to raise money to help found a 
hospital. A committee was appointed 
with Mrs. Joseph Hubbart Chairman, 
and it was determined to give a kirmess, 
the plans for which were minute and, at 
the same time, elaborate and kept the 
ladies of the town busy the entire sum- 
mer preparing for it. A most successful 
kirmess was held, continuing for five 
afternoons and evenings and netting a 
sum of $3,500, which was handed over to 
the Hospital Board, which had already 
acquired a small property, for hospital 
purposes. 

Later Mrs. H. W. Rogers made a plea 
in behalf of the Kindergarten of the 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



413 



Northwestern University Settlement, and 
$100 was appropriated from the club 
funds to apply on the rental of better 
rooms for the children. When, after eight 
years of service as President of the Club, 
Mrs. Harbert refused a renomination, it 
was decided by the Executive Board to 
recognize her long and faithful service 
to the Club by making some gift in her 
name which should be a source of comfort 
and blessing to humanity. A drinking 
fountain, properly inscribed, was erected 
on Grand Avenue, near the corner of 
Union Street, in a neighborhood where 
no such convenience existed and where 
thousands pass every day. While this 
token of appreciation was not erected in 
Evanston itself, it is none the less one of 
the expressions of brotherly love that 
Evanston feels for the great neighboring 
city. 

About this time the records show the 
formation of a separate department in 
the Woman's Club to be called the Phil- 
anthropic Department, the purpose of 
which was to give the members special 
opportunities for the study of philan- 
thropy and sociology and to enable them 
to work more directly in the interests of 
any charitable project that they chose. 
The very first record of this department 
showed an appropriation of $150 for the 
benefit of the Kindergarten of the North- 
western University Settlement, the Vaca- 
tion Schools, Probation Officer, and Vis- 
iting Nurse. These appropriations vary 
in amount, but invariably they result in 
an empty treasury which was refilled by 
entertainments, lecture courses, readings, 
and various such methods of raising 
money, besides individual pledges and 
dues of the members. Alany noted speak- 
ers and workers in charitable and phil- 
anthropic fields appeared before the de- 
partment, and its members were thus 



educated in the idea of scientific, organ- 
ized charity, and were made acquainted 
with the needs of all kinds of endeavor. 

One of the most interesting of the pur- 
poses for which this department has 
worked is that of the Probation Officer 
maintained by funds raised in Evanston 
through the eflForts of members of this 
department, from September i, 1900, to 
May r, 1903, under the chairmanship of 
Mrs. W. O. Dean. The records of Jan- 
uary 31, 1902, refer to a meeting held at 
the house of Mr. H. B. Kurd, where Mr. 
Hurd and Miss Clark, a probation officer 
in Chicago, related the history of the 
Juvenile Court Bill, told of the work of 
the court and of the probation officers. 
This bill was drawn by Mr. Hurd and 
went into operation July i, 1899. In three 
years previous to the opening of the 
Juvenile Court, there were 1,705 children 
(that is, boys) under sixteen vears of 
age in the county jail, while in the three 
years following the opening of the court, 
there were but forty-eight. Fourteen 
hundred and seven of the cases of delin- 
quent children, out of 2,854 heard in the 
year 1902, were placed in charge of a pro- 
bation officer, and these are the very pivot 
of the success of the law. The formation 
of the law itself removes children from 
the police stations and from jail ; but it 
is the faithful, patient work of the pro- 
bation officer wdiich makes this removal 
of real value to the child. These facts ap- 
pealed to the members of the department 
so strongly, that, after supporting an 
officer of the Children's Aid Society for 
a time, as a probation officer of this court, 
they finally took entire charge directly 
of one probation officer (Miss Clark) and 
paid her salary until it was necessary for 
her to resign her work. Up to the present 
time, the minutes of the Philanthropic 
Department show a constant interest in 



414 



CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS 



this work, and it is noted in one place 
that during that year seven children from 
Evanston had been taken before the Ju- 
venile Court. This care of neglected 
children is not only a charitable work but 
one of real economy. 

The visiting nurse has been aided di- 
rectly and indirectly in the discharge of 
her labors. The management of her 
work lies in the hands of a committee 
chosen from this department, and month- 
ly statements of her work, with detailed 
information about the individual cases, 
are regularly given. Any special need 
which the nurse finds for medicine, 
clothes, or delicacies for the sick are al- 
ways met on appeal to this department. 

The Needle Work Guild.— The Needle 
Work Guild of Evanston was organized 
in 1892 as a branch of the Needle Work 
Guild of America. Mrs. Charles Hamill. 
of Chicago, came to Evanston upon the 
invitation of Miss Nina Lunt, to meet the 
ladies of Evanston at the house of Mrs. 
Arthur Orr, and by her enthusiastic pre- 
sentation of the work of this society, 
persuaded the ladies present to organize. 
Miss Lunt was made Honorary President, 
Mrs. Frank Wilder President, and Mrs. 
C. F. Bradley Secretary, but no records 
were kept of the work of the first two 
years. The purpose of the Needle Work 
Guild is to collect and distribute new, 
plain, suitable garments to meet the great 
need of hospitals, homes, and other char- 
ities, and permits each branch to elect 
its own beneficiaries. At the annual 
meeting of the Guild in November, 1896, 
the following officers were elected: Hon- 
orary President, Miss Lunt; President, 
Mrs. J. E. Scott; Treasurer, Miss Sarah 
W. Gillett; Secretary, Miss Ethel Grey. 
Sectional Presidents to the number of 
twenty-one were appointed, as follows : 
Mrs. Connell, Mrs. Chapin, Mrs. Shum- 



way. Airs. Clark, Mrs. Brooks, Mrs. 
Steven^, Mrs. Whitely, Mrs. Fabian, Mrs. 
W. J. Littlejohn, Mrs. Gallop, Miss Hoge, 
Miss Harrows, Mrs. Hanford, Mrs. Ward, 
Mrs. Isbester, Mrs. Magill, Mrs. Murphy, 
Mrs. O'Connell, Mrs. Howard Gray, Mrs. 
J. C. Connor, and Mrs. J. E. Scott. The 
number of garments gathered at this 
meeting is not stated in the records. 

At the meeting of 1897 the officers of 
the last year were re-elected. The gar- 
ments were distributed as follows : To 
St. Vincent de Paul Society, 152 ; Evan- 
ston Hospital, 187; Girls' Industrial 
School, 150; special cases, 266; Asso- 
ciated Charities, 1,053 — Total, 1,810. 

At the annual meeting in 189B, the 
garments were distributed as follows : To 
the visiting nurse, 398; Girls' Industrial 
School, 217; The Evanston Hospital, 
141; Old Ladies' Home, 67; Associated 
Charities, 944; special cases, 43 ; St. Vin- 
cent de Paul Society, 163 — Total, 1,973. 

At the annual meeting in 1899 the gar- 
ments were distributed to the same bene- 
ficiaries as the year before, with the addi- 
tion of the King's Daughters' Fresh Air 
Home, which, by that time, had been 
established in Evanston. At this time 
there were 1,560 garments completed. 
At the annual meeting in 1900, the same 
list of beneficiaries were maintained, and 
a total of 1,574 garments were distributed. 
In 1901, with the same board of officers, 
1.684 garments were distributed. At the 
election of officers in 1902, Miss Hemp- 
sted was elected Secretary and Mrs. C. T. 
Connell was made Honorary Presirent. 
This year the total number of garments 
collected was 1,256. At the annual meet- 
ing of 1903, Mrs. T. P. Stanwood was 
elected President, the other officers re- 
maining the same. The number of gar- 
ments collected this year was 1600. 

The total money receipts during these 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



415 



years was $198, and it has been the annual 
custom, after deducting the dues for 
membership in the National Society for 
the Needle Work Guild, to contribute 
nearly the balance to the Visiting Nurse 
fund. 

Mother's Club of Noyes Street. — In 
1896 a group of mothers and teachers 
gathered in the rooms of the Noyes Street 
School House, to talk over the needs of 
the neighborhood. It was found that 
there were many children attending that 
school who were poorly clothed and whose 
mothers, from illness or poverty, were 
not able to provide as they would for their 
children. An informal sort of a neighbor- 
hood society grew up, which, at first, de- 
voted itself to supplying those needs of 
the people which were evident to the 
eyes of the teachers, and all mothers of 
the neighborhood were invited to join. 
The club met by permission of the School 
Board in the school building and made 
over and renovated all garments that 
were contributed. There developed a 
feeling of friendliness and neighborliness 
which carried the work of helpfulness into 
the homes, and at the occasional evening 
meetings which were held in the school 
house, entertainment in the form of music, 
readings, and lectures was freely given 
and enjoyed by the fathers, mothers, and 
young children of the neighborhood. 
Christmas trees were contributed and 
decorated, and from year to year it was so 
managed that the gifts on the tree were 
largely the manufacture of the children 
for each other and for their fathers and 
mothers. 

From the first the desire to help others 
has been a conspicuous characteristic of 
this neighborhood club, and for seven 
years it has been the custom of the 
women to invite from 300 to 350 women 
and children from the city, from the least 



favored quarters, to an all-day's picnic on 
the lake shore in Evanston. These 
mothers and children have been brought 
out, entertained, fed and returned to their 
homes in entire safety and at the expense 
of the treasury of the Mother's Club. 

A knitting machine owned by the 
Woman's Club of Evanston has been for 
several years in the home of one of the 
members of this Mothers' Club. On it 
she has knit the legs of nearly 500 pairs 
of stockings which have been footed by 
the mothers who knew how to knit, at the 
regular meetings of the club. In one 
year this Club has distributed 1,000 gar- 
ments, including these stockings. 

Visiting Nurse Association. — In the 
year 1897 a mother, who had been recent- 
ly bereaved, felt that she would like to do 
something in the name of her daughter 
for other mothers who were trying to 
care for sick children. She called a few 
women who were experienced in the 
charity work of the city into consulta- 
tion, and asked their advice as to the 
need of a visiting nurse among the sick 
poor of Evanston. The women were 
unanimous in believing that there was 
much suffering and sickness which could 
be relieved by the visits that such a nurse 
could give, and upon their advice Mrs. 
McMullen offered a sum of money suffi- 
cient to keep a nurse at work for four 
months, as a memorial to her daughter. 
Miss Faltz, a trained nurse, was chosen 
to inaugurate the work and, going about 
the town from north to south and far 
out on the prairie, she found plenty of 
work to keep her busy. 

So impressed were the women who had 
been consulted in the matter with the 
success of the experiment, that they de- 
cided that this beautiful work must not be 
allowed to stop, and there was organized 
the Visiting Nurse Association of Evan- 



4i6 



CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS 



ston. Mrs. C. H. Chandler was made 
President and served in this position until 
her death in 1903. Mrs. P. C. Lutkin was 
made Secretary and Treasurer, and is 
still serving in that capacity. I\Irs. C. F. 
Grey, Mrs. R. B. McMullen, Mrs. R. H. 
Wyman, Mrs. J. C. Bundy, Mrs. T. P. 
Stanwood, Mrs. O. F. Carpenter, Mrs. T. 
K. Webster are among those who have 
served on this Association, but the de- 
voted, intelligent, increasing attention paid 
by Mrs. Chandler and Mrs. Lutkin have 
been the real backbone of these years of 
its work. It would be a beautiful thing 
if the Visiting Nurse could be endowed 
in memory of Mrs. Chandler. 

Only one nurse has been employed and 
she has been maintained by friendly gifts 
of money. She visits among the sick 
poor, carrying out the orders of the phy- 
sician, if one is employed, bathing and 
caring for mother and babe in maternity 
cases, dressing wounds, cuts, burns and 
bruises, making poultices for pneumonia, 
and giving instructions in cleanliness and 
sanitation. Where a case proves too 
severe for care at home, she recommends 
it to the hospital where the response has 
been most generous. 

Besides this care of the actual sick, the 
services of this nurse are invaluable in 
the prevention of the spread of infectious 
diseases. Many families, feeling unable 
to call a physician, will ask for the ser- 
vices of the Visiting Nurse, and she is 
often able to decide that a case, which 
seems simple to an ignorant father and 
mother, is really a danger to the com- 
munity. Several cases of scarlet fever, in 
different years, have been so discovered 
and isolated and the possibility or prob- 
ability of the spread of these diseases 
through the schools, where other chil- 
dren of the same family were in attend- 
ance, has been avoided. 



Besides rendering assistance as a 
trained nurse, the endeavor is made to 
treat each individual case as its peculiar 
necessities seem to demand, giving help 
in time of greatest need and saving the 
small wage-earner, so far as possible, from 
the worry of debt and discouragement 
consequent upon severe illness. It is 
just at this point that co-operation be- 
tween the Associated Charities and the 
Visiting Nurse Association has been most 
valuable. This sympathetic aid is looked 
upon as the larger part of the nurse's 
work. The nurse goes everywhere within 
the limits of Evanston free of charge, ex- 
cept where patients prefer to pay a small 
fee. At first the nurse was able to go 
about on her bicycle during the large 
part of the year, but it was found that 
this mode of conveyance exhausted her 
strength and unfitted her for much of the 
arduous labor that she is called upon to 
perform. The necessity for providing a 
carriage of some sort has increased the 
cost of maintaining this charity some- 
what. The Visiting Nurse Association 
is made up chiefly of members of the 
philanthropic department of the Wo- 
man's Club, and monthly reports of its 
work are given this department, but the 
department is not able to maintain the 
charity, and aids it only so far as its 
funds make it possible. 

Miss Faltz was the Visiting Nurse in 
Evanston from November i, 1898, to 
November i, 1902. In the year 1898 she 
made 2.105 calls, and the expense for 
the year was $661.62. In 1899 she made 
1,710 calls at an expense of $915.23. In 
1900 she made 2,035 calls and the expense 
was $1,293.90. On November i, 1901, 
Miss Brown took Miss Faltz's place and 
continued the work until December i, 
1902. In 1901 there were 2,361 calls, cost- 
ing $1,274.80. December i, 1902, Miss 



1 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



417 



Warren took up the work and, in that 
year, made 2,505 calls, and the expense 
was $1,341.85. In 1903 the Nurse made 
2,554 calls and the expense was $1,312.50. 
In 1904 the Nurse made 2,608 calls and 
the expense was $1,350.75. 

In cases of protracted illness, which for 
any reason cannot be carried to the hos- 
pital, the Association sends a special 
nurse to take charge of the case. The 
money is solicited by means of a little 
circular, which is issued each year and 
sent by post to the people of Evanston. 
Kindly disposed friends have many times 
given special entertainments for the 
benefit of this fund, and some particularly 
fme dramatic entertainments have been 
given by the dramatic department of the 
Country Club. The little circular bears 
on its face the significant words: "I was 
sick and ye visited me." "Inasmuch as 
ye have done it unto one of the least of 
these, my brethren, ye have done it unto 
me." 

King's Daughters. — The Evanston 
King's Daughters Society was founded 
by Mrs. Daniel B. Gardner in 1893, the 
first membership consisting of ten young 
women of Evanston who wished to de- 
vote some time to charity work. Mrs. 
Lucian Harding was the first President, 
and the first work undertaken was the 
support of a bed in the Burling Street 
Half Orphan Asylum, which is still main- 
tained by the King's Daughters. A few 
years later it was decided to open a fresh - 
air home in North Evanston for the poor 
working girls of Chicago, and this has 
continued to be the chief work of the 
Circle up to the present day. 

The King's Daughters own their home 
at 2339 Hartzell Street, North Evanston, 
for which they paid $3,000. This money 
was raised chiefly by the management of 
a golf club during several years, and 



also by donations from generous friends. 
About one hundred girls from Chicago 
are given a two weeks' outing every sum- 
mer, the home being open generally four- 
teen weeks at an annual expense of about 
$500. The money to carry on the sum- 
mer's work in the home is raised each 
winter by the King's Daughters in vari- 
ous ways. The receipts for the last year 
show a candy sale and musicale as sources 
of income, as well as the membership fees 
from active and associate members. 

The society is now incorporated and 
the active membership is limited to fifty. 
There is an associate membership of 123 
well known citizens of Evanston, who 
pay one dollar annually for the support 
of the home. The annual report just 
published at this writing shows the elec- 
tion of the following board of officers: 
President, Miss Mary Manson ; Vice- 
President, Mrs. George Peaks ; Corres- 
ponding Secretary, Miss Alma McDon- 
ald; Recording Secretary, Mrs. Elmer 
M. Scott; Treasurer, Miss Hoge; with 
Mrs. Fred P. Vose and Miss Daisy Pansier, 
Directors. The receipts for the year have 
been $757 and the disbursements $505, 
which leaves the society in a good finan- 
cial condition. 

Camp Good 'Will. — A meeting was held 
in the rooms of the Young Alen's Chris- 
tian Association on Monday evening, 
March 12, 1900, to listen to Mr. Charles 
F. Weller, Superintendent of the West 
Side District of the Bureau of Associated 
Charities of Chicago, who called attention 
to the great benefit of giving to the poor 
mothers and children, living in the un- 
sanitary and crowded parts of the city, 
some relief during the hot summer months. 
Mr. Weller explained the purpose and 
method of the Camp Good Will at Oak 
Park, which has been in successful opera- 
tion for three years. Three members of 



4i8 



CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS 



the executive committee of that Camp 
were present and gave interesting details. 

The meeting manifested hearty interest 
in the work, and it was tliought that, if 
this humane enterprise were fully brought 
to the attention of the people of Evan- 
ston, it would be supported and carried 
through to complete success. According- 
ly it was voted to issue a call for another 
meeting, to be held at the rooms of the 
Young Men's Christian Association on 
Monday evening, March 26th, at 8 o'clock. 
Mr. Weller was present with stereopticon 
views of life in the congested wards of 
Chicago, and contrasting views of the 
Summer Camp at Oak Park. Mr. A. H. 
Standish, Secretary and Treasurer of the 
Camp, was present and furnished infor- 
mation. 

All the Churches, the Clubs and the 
Associated Charities of Evanston were 
invited to attend, with a view to definite 
action and organization, if, upon consulta- 
tion, the work was approved and under- 
taken. The call for this meeting was 
signed by the following: J. F. Loba, D. D., 
B. A. Greene, D. D., J. L. Whitlock, Julia 
M. E. Hintermcister, Committee; with 
W. L. Cobb, Chairman and C. B. Foote, 
Secretary. 

The different aspects of country and 
city life for the poor were brought vividly 
before an audience by Mr. Chas. F. Weller 
in 1900. After some informal discussion, 
on motion of A. W. Kimball, it was 
voted that "this meeting is cordial in its 
support of this movement, and enthusias- 
tically recommends it." 

It was voted to begin the organization 
of a summer camp by appointing a Gen- 
eral Council to consist of two from each 
of the churches there present, and further 
that each of the Evanston Churches be 
asked to send two representatives to a 
meeting to be held on Monday evening. 



April 2(1, to complete this organization. 
Mr. A. W. Kimball and Mr. F. H. McCul- 
loch were appointed members of the Ex- 
ecutive Committee from the First Con- 
gregational Church ; Mr. D. D. Thomp- 
son and Mr. C. O. Boring from the Em- 
manuel M. E. Church ; Mr. C. K. Pittman 
and Mr. J. R. Guilliams from the Church 
of all Souls. The First Baptist Church 
was represented by two members who 
promised delegates to this committee for 
the next meeting, and communications 
were reported from the pastors of the 
First Presbyterian and South Presby- 
terian Churches, expressing sympathy 
with the work and a desire to help. Votes 
of thanks were given Mr. Weller and Mr. 
Standish, and also to Prof. Nichols of 
South Evanston, who furnished and oper- 
ated the stereopticon. 

Those who were interested in the pro- 
ject of establishing Camp Good Will in 
Evanston were glad to learn that its suc- 
cess was assured. At a meeting held 
Monday evening a permanent organiza- 
tion was effected, with A. W'. Kimball as 
Chairman; F. D. Raymond, Treasurer; 
and C. B. Foote, Secretary. The follow- 
ing committees were also appointed : 
Grounds — A. W. Kimball, F. P. Crandon, 
J. R. Guilliams ; Plans — J. R. Guilliams, 
Dr. B. A. Greene, Dr. J. F. Loba, Rev. 
J. W, Francis, Louis S. Rice ; Finance — 
C. K. Pittman, J. L. Whitlock, F. D. 
Raymond, F. E. French, C. Poppenhusen. 
The following announcement was made: 

"The camp will be opened in July and 
will continue for several weeks. It is 
hoped that, in that time, as many as 
500 tired mothers with their children will 
have enjoyed a week of fresh air and sun- 
shine, coming in sections of 100 at a 
time. 

"The Bureau of Associated Charities of 
Chicago, through its friendly visitors, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



419 



selects need}' and deserving people, and 
experience has shown that their visit 
brings as much blessing as it gives. This 
was proved at Oak Park by the fact that 
the work was continued for three years 
and is still going on. It is an enterprise 
that will enlist the sympathy of the peo- 
ple of Evanston and all will have an op- 
portunity to co-operate." 

A meeting of the General Council was 
held at the rooms of the Young Men's 
Christian Association, Tuesday evening. 
May 8th, with Mr. A. W. Kimball in the 
chair. Nine members were present. Mr. 
C. Poppenhusen was appointed Secretary, 
pro tem., and minutes of the previous 
meeting were read and approved. Mr. J. 
Guilliams, Chairman of Committee on 
Selection of Grounds, reported they had 
in view a tract of ground which seemed 
to his Committee very desirable for the 
use of the Camp. The property belongs 
to the Northwestern University, and the 
.chairman thought it would probaljly be 
available. A meeting of the Trustees of 
the University was to be held May 21st, 
at which time this matter was to be con- 
sidered. This selection was approved. 

The Finance Committee through Mr. 
C. K. Pittman, its chairman, advised hav- 
ing a union meeting of the churches on 
Sunday evening, May 27, if practicable, 
at the First Methodist Church, to be 
addressed by Franklin Mac\'eagh. Presi- 
dent of the Chicago Bureau of Charities, 
and Mr. Charles F. Weller, Superinten- 
dent of the West Division of the Chicago 
Association. The plan was approved and 
Mr. Kimball was appointed to arrange 
for a public meeting as outlined. 

The following plan of organization for 
the summer camp was presented by Mr. 
Guilliams: "We recommend the follow- 
ing additional committees, to have special 
executive duties, but under the instruc- 



tion of and reporting to the Executive 
Committee: Commissary Committee; 
Entertainment Committee ; Committee 
on Grounds and Tents (sanitary, etc.) ; 
these committees to be appointed from 
among the members of the General Coun- 
cil. 

"There shall be an auditor of accounts 
appointed by the General Council, and 
that auditor shall not be a member of the 
Council. 

"A resident superintendent, man or 
woman, satisfactory to the executive com- 
mittee, shall be appointed, who shall have 
general supervision of all affairs of 
the camp, such as the cooking, laundry 
work, all needful sanitary rules and rules 
of behavior, etc., etc. And this super- 
intendent shall be paid and shall engage 
the other paid servants, such as the cook, 
laundry workers, and any others found 
necessary ; and the superintendent en- 
gaging these servants shall also discharge 
them, if need be, for any reason. But 
the superintendent shall report any such 
matters to the executive committee, if 
requested to do so. The superintendent 
also shall be under the authority of any 
committee having special executive func- 
tions, such as Committee on Tents and 
Grounds, Commissary Committee, etc. 
But these committees shall deal with the 
superintendent, and not witli the serv- 
ants and employes direct. 

"The several churches shall each as- 
sume charge of the special needs of the 
camp, under the superintendent, or under 
any special committees that may be ap- 
pointed — such needs as waiting on the 
table, pleasant social service and as- 
sociation and entertainment for the 
pleasure of the guests ; and this re- 
sponsibility shall be apportioned among 
the several churches according to their 
ability and willingness, so that one 



420 



CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS 



church may assume the special duty 
for one week, another for three days, 
and another for two days, etc. ; and the 
manner in which each church shall dis- 
charge this responsibility, by committees, 
or in whatever way. shall be left to the 
arrangement of the church itself. It shall 
be the duty and power of the General 
Council to apportion and appoint the serv- 
ice and time of duty for each church, and 
the special time for each church shall be 
arranged and appointed in the beginning. 

"AH donations of food must be sent to 
the Commissary Committee, and not to 
the guests direct. This is a point that 
shall be exclusively under the daily con- 
trol of the Superintendent acting under 
the Commissary Committee. 

"The Executive Committee shall de- 
termine what, if any, shall be the order 
of the day in the Camp on Sunday, and 
what, if any, shall be the meetings held 
for religious purposes; but no one of the 
guests shall be obliged, or even urged be- 
yond a kind invitation, to take part in any 
meeting or take part in any religious 
form, or assembly, or service. 

"The General Council to have supreme 
power, except as to any limitations pro- 
vided herein, and except that it must not 
take away or abridge the responsibility of 
any individual church once assumed and 
appointed, at the beginning or thereafter, 
without the consent of the church being 
first secured." 

Promoters of Camp Good \\'iH, which 
was to be established on the lake shore 
north of Sheppard field this summer, were 
more than pleased with the result of the 
appeal for funds made at a union mass 
meeting of all local churches, held in the 
First Presbyterian Church. More than 
$1,400 was raised by subscriptions. This 
amount was made more conspicuous to 
the camp enthusiasts by the fact that the 



Oak Park outing camp, which has been 
so successful the last three years, started 
out with only $23 to back it. 

The church was well filled when Dr. 
J. F. Loba, of the First Congregational 
Church, introduced C. F. Weller, Super- 
intendent of the West Division office of 
the Chicago Bureau of Associated Chari- 
ties, who gave an interesting talk about 
the slum districts on the West Side of 
Chicago. Stereopticon views of the 
wretched dwellings called home, the foul- 
smelling play-grounds of the children 
about garbage boxes in the ill-kept streets 
and alleys, and also of the transformation 
which takes place when the children are 
given fresh air and freedom in the Camp 
Good Will at Oak Park, were thrown 
upon the screen. He told of the methods 
which the different churches employed in 
caring for their charges when they as- 
sumed control. Each church would have 
charge of the camp for a week. The 
women of the church would wait on the 
Chicago mothers and children and do all 
the necessary work. The Evanston camp 
planned to follow the same plan, and 
hoped to do much more with such a bank 
account and the ideal location of the lake 
front. Dr. William Macafee and Rev. 
J. H. Boyd made short addresses, saying 
that the opportunity of showing practical 
Christianity had been offered to Evan- 
ston people in their joining in and push- 
ing forward this new charitable move- 
ment. 

A blackboard,. with a number of small 
squares, each representing a subscription 
ranging from $5 to $50, was placed upon 
the platform. Dr. Loba auctioned these 
squares oft' until $1,000 was raised. Then 
slips were passed through the congrega- 
tion and $400 more was promised. The 
committees and officers held meetings 
during the week and organized a plan of 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



421 



procedure. The camp was to open in 
July. 

Camp Good Will is Open. — (July 11, 
1900.) — "Evanston Camp Good Will 
opened this afternoon when the two char- 
tered cars of the Chicago Street Railway 
company unloaded the 100 women and 
children, selected from the poor districts 
by the Bureau of Associated Charities. 
Those who will take part in this week's 
outing at the Camp gathered from the 
different poor districts at Madison and 
Halsted Streets, and were taken directly 
to Evanston. 

"Camp Good Will is situated just north 
of the University grounds, and is on the 
lake shore, with the woods stretching to 
the north open for the children to romp 
in. One of the Evanston local Commit- 
teemen will have charge of the camp and 
will be assisted by members of the com- 
mittees from the Evanston churches, who 
are the founders of the camp. The camp 
will last for five weeks, and each week 
100 more women and children will be 
taken out to take the place of those who 
have had their week. Tents have been 
provided for the use of the campers. Each 
tent is supplied with two double-decked 
beds, making each tent capable of hold- 
ing eight persons." 

Report. — "Babies hold Sway. With 
the 120 guests who arrived yesterday af- 
ternoon at 5 o'clock at Camp Good A\'ill, 
came sixteen children in arms. Baby car- 
riages and high chairs are now in great 
demand. There is no time in the day 
when the babies' presence is not made 
well known, and these very young camp- 
ers constitute the main attraction to the 
church women. Exclamations as (too - 
cute for anything), (how cunning!) and 
(the little dear) were heard on all sides. 

"That's a pretty good speech." This 
was the opinion of a ten-year-old camper 



advanced to Superintendent Riddle, when 
the latter had tried to impress some 
salient point of good conduct upon the 
little fellow. The culprit is inclined to 
be tough, it is said. 

"It was announced in the local churches 
Sunday, that more blankets were neces- 
sary for the comfort of the Camp Good 
Will visitors. The result of the appeal 
has not been so favorable as wished. The 
hospital loaned many coverings, but came 
after them today. This leaves the "Good 
Willers" subject to the cold breezes from 
the lake on stormy and chilly nights. 

"The First Methodist Church assumed 
control of the camp this week. The Con- 
gregationalists are ready to receive con- 
gratulations on their efficient and pains- 
taking management of the initial week's 
camp. Dr. W^illiam Macafee will lead the 
song service in the assembly tent tonight. 
The usual program of kindergarten and 
mothers' meeting in the morning, and the 
carriage riding and bathing in the lake 
in the afternoon, was carried out today. 

"Charles F. Weller, Superintendent of 
the West Side Division of the Chicago 
Bureau of Associated Charities, had a 
narrow escape from an infuriated mob of 
Italians yesterday. Mr. Weller selects 
the most deserving families to be given 
an outing in the summer camp and, in 
the course of his rounds, takes down the 
number of members in each family. In 
the Italian district he had chosen enough 
families to aggregate twenty-five per- 
sons according to their own count, but 
when they made their appearance for 
transportation the surprised Superinten- 
dent counted forty expectant persons. He 
asked an explanation and soon found that 
the mothers had failed to name all their 
children for fear they would not be se- 
lected. Some of the families had to be 
sent home again, and the fathers became 



422 CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS 

angry. They threatened all kinds of van- erosity of the Trustees of the North- 

geance, and it looked as though a mad rush western University, the use of the 

would be made for Mr. Weller. but the lat- grounds had last year is to be had again 

ter succeeded in quieting the foreigners and for the camp this year. 

a possible riot was averted. "On next Sunday, June i6, at 7:45 

.„ r . ^ o'clock in the evening, a general mass 

Report of the Treasurer. . . 1 , 1 • ,t .. ^ c ^u- 

meetmg will be held m the mterest of this 

Promotion: prospectus, expense of union meeting.! 52.15 ,.,_,. n i • --11 

General Expense: stationery, printing, postage... ll.to WOrk 111 tlie rirSt PreSOVtCnan CllUrch 

Preparing Camp: sewerage, plumbing, tent floors 2S'>.47 . ' 

Hire of tents, cots and bedding 3i!i..jii in h-vaustou. i he Rev. Frofessor Gra- 

Equipment, utensils, towels, bathing suits G-l.*!8 ry^ 1 r 1 /^i • ^r-i 1 

Transportation: car fares 74.95 ham 1 aylor. Of 'the LhlCagO 1 llCOloglCal 

Superintendence and Labor: wages of Superinten- „ . t 1 • 1 ■ 1 r 1 

dent, cook and help; Superintendent's travel- Scmiliary, and who IS head resident of the 

ing expenses 148.75 -n , 1 ., 

Entertainments, stereopticon, etc 16.00 LhlCagO CommOUS, Will addreSS the ITleet- 

Incidental expenses, lighting supplies, etc 42.45 

Provisions; tea, coffee, sugar, butter, eggs, po- illg. 

tatoes, soap, ice, bread, milk 309.95 \ a -it -n 1 

'An illustrated lecture will be given bv 

Total expenses, paid from general fund $1,320.75 tvtt ^r-'ir- • 'r 

Subscriptions, paid $1,16.5.80 Mr. |ames JNlinnick, Superintendent of 

Subscriptions, unpaid 25.00 " .,-^. . . . , /--1 ■ 

Discounts on bills 40.15 the W cst Side Divisiou oi the Chicago 

Plumbing returned ' 34.00 .,„,.. , . 

Lumber sold 50.00 l.ureau of Associatcd Chanties, during 

Deficit .5.80 , . , . , ■ ■ , , ,-r J 

$1,320.75 which Views depicting the home life and 

F. D. R.WMOND, ^, ,. ^ ., r nu- 

Treasurer. the surroundiugs of the poor of Chicago 

"Camp Good Will, which was such a ^'■'" ^^ shown. 

feature for good in Evanston last summer, "It is hoped that all of Evanston's cit- 

is to be continued. During July and izens who did not join in the work of last 

August last year, five hundred and eighty- year will do so this year, and through 

five mothers and children enjoyed a the undersigned, the organization having 

weeks' vacation — a bright spot in many a the matter in hand extends an invitation 

weary life — in Camp Good Will. to all to attend the meeting." 

"The eminent success of last year's The appeal is signed by J. R. Guilliams, 
work, the ease with which it was done. First Vice-President; Charles B. Foote. 
the liberality and interest of many cit- Secretary; Joseph F. Ward, Treasurer, 
izens, and the unbounded joy of both The result of this appeal was so en- 
guests and hosts make it a pleasure again couraging that, on June i8th, an an- 
to undertake this noble work. Much nouncemeiit was sent to each church 
property has been left over which will stating that the camp would open on 
materially reduce the cost of inaugura- Wednesday noon, July loth, anr[ continue 
tion, and, with the same generous sup- for five weeks. Permission to use the 
port and effort, it is certain that this same beautiful grounds was granted by 
year will be a far greater success than the Trustees of Northwestern University, 
the first attempt." and the Superintendent of the preceding 

"Moved by a deep conviction that this years, Mr. J. R. Riddle, who had proved 

work is building where needed, and that most wise and efficient, agreed to act 

its report is not alone to be found in bene- again in the same capacity. The exper- 

fit to the present, but also to future gener- ience of former years was repeated in 

ations, those people who carried it for- giving rest and joy to groups of many 

ward last summer are to engage in it women and children and the money col- 

again this summer, and through the gen- lected through the churches was entirely 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



423 



adequate for all purposes. The cost of 
maintenance was practically the same as 
that of the preceding 3'ear — i. e., $1,320. 
The camp has now become a regular feat- 
ure of the summer life of Evanston, and 
those who participate in its service feel 
that those residents who are in the habit 
of spending their summers elsewhere lose 
a privilege and satisfaction that they can 
hardl}' estimate. The past three sum- 
mers have seen the work conducted in the 
same systematic and hearty way as at 
first, although since every church now 
contributes service, the period that each 
church serves is shorter than it was dur- 
ing the first year. In 1903, Mr. Crosby 
was the Superintendent, but in 1904. Mr. 
J. B. Riddle resumed the task for which 
he is so admirably fitted. 

In 1903, at the request of Miss Addams 
of Hull House, the camp was kept open 
one week longer and boys' clubs of Hull 
House and Northwestern University Set- 
tlement were entertained. This increased 
the cost of that year to $2,124. The same 
plan was carried out during the summer 
of 1904, and everyone interested in the 



work of the camp rejoiced in helping to 
extend its services for this additional 
week. It is easy to maintain discipline 
where the privilege of living in the camp 
is so highly esteemed, and the experience 
of a few unruly boys in being sent home 
has been sufficient to hold any temptation 
to waywardness in check. The Evan- 
stonians who have waited on their guests 
of Camp Good Will at table, entertained 
them in the evening, talked to the mothers 
in the informal Mothers' meetings, led 
the children in kindergarten games, 
songs and occupations, or given personal 
service in any way, have received far 
more of blessing than they have given. 
We cannot all go to Chicago to work in 
the neglected and forlorn places for the 
downtrodden and hopeless, but Camp 
Good Will brings them to us, and the 
cordial response that has been given to 
appeals for money and service to main- 
tain this summer outing proves that Ev- 
anston welcomes the opportunity. "Thou 
shalt be served thyself by every sense of 
service that thou renderest." 



I 



CHAPTER XLI. 



SOCIAL LIFE IN A UNIVERSITY TOWN 

(By EMILY HUNTINGTON MILLER) 



Transitions of a Half Century — Social Life 
as It Existed in Early Days — The Build- 
ing up of a Great Christian Institution as 
Its Dominant Motive — Reminiscences of 
Sonic of Its Early Factors — Influence of 
Hospitality on Student Life and Charac- 
ter — Sonte of Those Who Were Influen- 
tial in Establishing Evanston's Reputation 
as a Hospitable Center. 

It would be a difficult, if not an impossible 
thing, to present from individual impres- 
sions the spirit of social life in the L^niver- 
sity to-day. Society is no longer a unit, 
but broken up into a multitude of groups ; 
and its aspect, as in any community, will 
differ with the point of view held by the 
observer, or the special development noted. 

But looking back to the early days of the 
L^niversity, one finds, among the witnesses 
who shared and helped to create its social 
life, a practical unanimity of sentiment. 
To some extent most of them agree in the 
opinion expressed by oneof their number — 

"I am reminded of the sentence with 
which the writer of an encyclopjedic article 
on 'Owls in Ireland' introduced his disqui- 
sition : 'There be no Oivls in Ireland.' " 

Social life as an end certainly did not 
exist in those first strenuous days, when the 
University was Evanston, and the noble 
ambition which dominated every other pur- 



pose, and united all her citizens in a bond 
of brotherhood, was the hope of building up 
a great Christian institution that should be 
an opportunity, an invitation, and an incen- 
tive to a multitude of young men whom the 
older universities could never reach. 

Naturally, in the days of its small begin- 
nings, when faith and courage and energy 
were taxed to the utmost, many things 
seemed of more vital consequence than any 
special provision for the social instincts. 
But the greatest charm of that early fellow- 
ship was its purely instinctive character; 
the shining out of a spirit of friendliness 
that took little thought for any formal ex- 
pression. 

Making reasonable allowance for the 
mellowing effect of distance, and for the 
happy illusion through which memory 
shows "the days that are no more," there is 
still sufficient testimony to the idyllic char- 
acter of that early life to justify the decla- 
ration of one who shared it : 

"No doubt there were hardships and dep- 
rivations and necessary crudities, but, as 
I look back upon it, it seems to me like 
Eden, in its peace, and simplicity, and good- 
fellowship ; people of every denomination 
worshiping together in one church, and 
living like one family ; old and young meet- 
ing in friendly intercourse by hearth and 
fireside, and counselling together for that 



425 



426 



SOCIAL LIFE IN A UNIVERSITY TOWN 



which most concerned us all, the welfare of 
the students and the prosperity of the Uni- 
versity." 

There seems no more effective way of 
presenting the salient features of a society 
that was only impressive because of its 
spirit, than by employing the old class-meet- 
ing methods of that day, and calling up 
individual testimonies. 

The University owes to its comparative 
youth the happy possibility of summoning 
a few such witnesses, even for its very 
earliest times, though year by year the call- 
ing of the roll brings fewer responses, and 
much that might have' illuminated this rec- 
ord has passed beyond our reach. 

The writer is especially indebted for val- 
uable material to Mrs. Harriette S. Kidder, 
whose clear and comprehensive recollection 
of the time is fortunately supplemented by 
her diary, and who, to-day in her eighty- 
fourth year, is a beautiful example of spir- 
itual and mental vigor. 

"Of course I knew largely what was pass- 
ing in Evanston in its earliest days, and was 
deeply interested in all that concerned it. 
It seemed to me there never was a better 
opportunity offered to build up 'a model 
community. As the families that settled 
there came from different localities, and 
were strangers to each other, they were 
ready to respond to any movement that 
would bring them into closer social rela- 
tions. I was deeply impressed with the 
idea that, in this rural place, we need not 
take for our standard all the customs that 
were perhaps best suited to city life and a 
more mi.xed society. Since we were gen- 
erally intelligent Christian people, we 
might be really fraternal in our social rela- 
tions. So, for myself, I made it a rule to 
call upon every new family that came to 
Evanston, and to invite them, as opportu- 



nity offered, to a place at my table and a 
share in our social intercourse. 

"Many of us who were connected with 
the University went to Evanston because 
of our deep interest in the training of the 
young people who were to be drawn there 
by these schools, founded for" their benefit, 
and we felt that, away from their own home 
influences, congregated in clubs or scattered 
through the village, they needed to be 
brought under the influence of our homes 
and such home-association as we could give 
them. As their number was for several 
years comparatively small, we could invite 
them in a social way, providing rational 
entertainment, and thus a strong bond of 
union between students and citizens was 
formed that was valuable to both parties. 

"The instructors of the young men who 
were to mingle among the people as minis- 
ters of the gospel, felt it specially important 
that they should share the social life of the 
community, as a necessary part of the train- 
ing for their work. So there were gather- 
ings in the homes of the professors, bring- 
ing together, in a social way, students, 
teachers, trustees and citizens. At these 
gatherings, after a substantial supper was 
served, there was singing, sometimes short 
talks, and always prayer before separating. 
In all the social gatherings of that day we 
met early, and generally left before eleven 
o'clock. I doubt if any community ever 
enjoyed a more delightful social life. The 
si.x or eight families of the professors often 
took dinner together in each other's homes, 
and, as each of us had frequent visitors 
whom we wished others to enjoy, they were 
introduced into our social circle in this 
neighborly way. This simple form of so- 
cial life was a striking feature of our com- 
munity for several years, and people out- 
side of our church, who had only known 
more formal society and more elaborate en- 



tl 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



427 



tert^inments, seemed greatly to enjoy this 
friendly sort of home visiting." 

Dr. Daniel Bonbright, whose memories 
cover the whole existence of the University, 
adds some vivid touches to the picture of 
its early days. 

"In those first years, when the University 
counted in its catalogue scarcely fifty stu- 
dents, collective social life could hanlly be 
said to have existed. There were, to be 
sure, two literary societies, and Greek let- 
ter fraternities in germ. These, in their 
way, must have been centers of association, 
but I doubt if they counted for much in the 
life of the student body as a bond or spur. 

"There were no athletic games ; public 
entertainments of any sort were rare and 
unimpressive. I recall the Cantata of 
Queen Esther. It was gotten up by the 
Sunday School as an event of pomp and 
circumstance. One can judge, from this 
example of the extraordinary, what must 
have been the average quality of the social 
satisfaction of the epoch. 

"The families of the faculty were 
thoughtful of the students, as were also a 
good number of families in the village. 
One may hear from the older graduates 
grateful reference to hospitalities and cheer 
which they enjoyed from those sources dur- 
ing their student life. But housed as the 
students were at hap-hazard, in a commu- 
nity itself scattered and struggling, there 
could ha\ebeenamongthembut feeble col- 
lective consciousness, and sense of a mu- 
tual life. I suspect there was little escape 
from lonely isolation, save in the self-for- 
getfulness of harfl work, a recourse more in 
honor in that primitive age than in these 
piping times of merry-go-round, cigarette 
and song. 

"As for social life in the faculty itself, 
including that of the Biblical Institute, there 
was nothing characteristic which would not 



be implied by its constituent elements. 
The families were nearly all from Kew 
England, and brought with them the quali- 
ties of their birthright. They were people 
of education, intelligence and Christian 
sobriety. As your letter reminds me, cards 
and social dances were not yet ; neither were 
P>rowning Clubs nor other idolatry. I 
remember only one coterie: I forgot what it 
called itself. (See Chapter XLII., on "So- 
cial and Literary Clubs," in this volume.) 
It was composed of gentlemen from the fac- 
ulties of the University and Institute. They 
met, perhaps, once a fortnight, for the dis- 
cussion of questions in religious philosophy. 
But they took their separate convictions 
too seriously for controversy. In the in- 
terest of good-will and harmony it was 
found safest to disband. The immediate 
occasion of the disruption, I believe, was 
the introduction of some explosive specu- 
lation by Dr. Dempster on the subject of 
the 'Eternal Nozi.'.' 

"But the peaceful unity that prevailed, 
both in the schools and in the community 
around them, is illustrated by the tact that 
the entire Protestant population worshipped 
together, Sunday after Sunday, in the same 
church. Methodists, Baptists, Episcopa- 
lians, and the rest, they all listened to the 
Gospel proclaimed from the same pulpit ; 
each, as in Apostolic times, hearing the 
word, as it were in his own tongue, wherein 
he had been born." 

Probably no individual is more closely 
associated with memories of the University 
davs in the thought of a great majority of 
its graduates, than Dr. Oliver Marcy. One 
can scarcely recall the older or the newer 
Evanston, the shaded streets, the class- 
room, or the campus, without seeing his 
fine patrician face, and his dignified figure 
with its impressive bearing of genial cour- 
tesv. The Marcv home was srenerouslv 



428 



SOCIAL LIFE IN A UNIVERSITY TOWN 



opened for the hospitalities of the Univer- 
sity, and many of the early classes could 
testify to the readiness with which their 
attempts at class entertainment were helped 
out by placing its resources at their service. 

Mrs. Marcy has furnished some recol- 
lections, beginning with the time of their 
coming to Evanston in 1862, a date at which 
it must have required a vivid imagination 
to speak gravely of the existing school as a 
University. 

"When we came to Evanston things were 
in a very primitive condition, though about 
seven years before there had been a 'boom' 
in the settlement of the town. Dr. Kidder 
had built a commodious house, near what 
was then the center of the town, and his 
family had occupied it five or six years. 
They were leaders in hospitality, and no one 
came to town who was not soon made the 
recipient of their cordiality. Garrett Bibli- 
cal Institute was well established, but 
though Dr. Dempster was its official head, 
there was no doubt Dr. Kidder's open doors 
were the magnet that drew the student 
body, as well as others who came to town, 
for Evanston itself is indebted in no small 
degree to the L^niversity for its early social 
life. 

"I think it had been the habit of Mrs. 
Kidder to entertain, and she continued the 
practice so that, sooner or later, every mem- 
ber of the schools then in operation had 
been included. Some of the young men 
who underwent this initiation into society 
were, of course, not exactly up to date in 
matters of etiquette, and while appreciating 
the courtesy, sometimes dreaded the ordeal ; 
but the hearty good-will with which they 
were received by old and young soon re- 
moved any sense of discomfort. 

"The 'Female College' was then in the 
hey-day of its popularity, under the man- 
agement of Professor Jones, who did his 



part to make it conspicuous in social hap- 
penings, making the most of his anniver- 
saries, and inviting the '400' with a very 
liberal inclusiveness. 

"Bishop Simpson lived here at that time, 
the greatest of our living preachers, a most 
genial and lovable man in his prime. Gov- 
ernor Evans was with us the first years, but 
soon left for Colorado. They were quite 
distinctive features of Evanston society in 
those early days. ]\Irs. Evans was a woman 
of superb presence, and the daughter, Jose- 
phine, a favorite among young people. Her 
wedding, which took place on the lawn be- 
tween the house and the lake, was a notable 
event of the time. 

"On the Ridge Were Mr. Hurd, Mr. 
Kedzie and other families of position and 
character, who gave entertainments as they 
had probably been accustomed to do, and 
helped to maintain the cordial spirit of 
friendly interest and co-operation between 
the town and the University, although in 
that day no such distinction was ever 
thought of : we were all 'University people.' 
"Mrs. Bragdon, at that time struggling 
with the effort to 'college her boys,' did 
not forget that her calling and election had 
been the care of the churches as a minis- 
ter's wife, and interested herself in a sister- 
ly way in every social scheme or kindly 
project. 

"The history of our social life would be 
incomplete without reference to Professor 
Bonbright, who from thebeginningwatched 
over these interests in a most tactful man- 
ner, and without whose presence in those 
days no social function would have seemed 
complete. He not only made himself agree- 
able, but, in some sense, responsible, that the 
University influence should be brought to 
bear even in its social affairs, and nothing 
overlooked that might contribute to tone 
and popularity. I remember the brotherly 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



429 



way in which he used to discuss with me 
matters great and small, making the most 
valuable suggestions in his courteous def- 
erential manner that always carried convic- 
tion with it. 

"A score of worthy names arise in my 
memory of those whom the University 
might well delight to honor, because of their 
early ministry to its social well-being, but 
they had their reward in 'having served 
their day and generation,' and most of them 
have 'fallen on sleep.' " 

Mr. Andrew J. Brown, the Secretary of 
the University's first Board of Trustees, 
and now the only surviving member of 
that board, brought his family at an early 
date to the little community and took an 
active interest in its development. Mrs. 
Brown adds to the history of the time some 
reminiscences : 

"I should like to begin with my first im- 
pression of the village, that in 1866 formed 
the nucleus of the University, and was 
scarcely in thought separated from it. \Ve 
were sitting upon the piazza at Dr. Ban- 
nister's, just at twilight, and the sweet 
sound of a hymn came to us. It was the 
hour of family prayer, and the melody was 
soon mingled with that from another home, 
until from the whole circle of firesides went 
up the voice of praise and prayer, the spir- 
it of social fellowship giving a new power 
to individual worship. These two charac- 
teristics. Christian devotion and Christian 
fellowship, were the strong and impressive 
features of University life at that day. 

"Though the number of students was 
comparatively small, we soon found that 
there were many lonely young men in town, 
and it was our practice, for many years, 
to invite to our tea-table on Sunday as 
many as chose to join us. There were many 
families where the students were most hos- 
pitably received, besides their own class 



gatherings and receptions, and our inge- 
nuity was sometimes taxed to the utmost 
to provide amusement for young people who 
might not indulge in card-playing or danc- 
ing. But, however strong may be the pro- 
test against church rules to-day, I do not 
think there ever was a happier time than 
when we were all held to their strict ob- 
servance. 

"We had at that time a most delightful 
society. Governor and Mrs. Evans had a 
beautiful home on the Lake Shore, always 
open to the young people. Dr. and Mrs. 
Bannister, Professor and Mrs. Godman, 
Professor Bonbright, Professor Blaney and 
his charming family, Colonel and Mrs. 
Eaton on the Ridge, the Pearsons with their 
unfailing interest in the students. Bishop 
Foster and his family so genial and gra- 
cious in their hospitality, Mr. and Mrs. 
Greenleaf, and Dr. and Mrs. Marcv — it 
seems invidious to mention names where the 
spirit of hospitality was universal. We 
were one great family whose highest aspira- 
tion was to build up this school, which was 
to rival Harvard in its literary standard, 
but set above all other learning, that knowl- 
edge of God which is the beginning of wis- 
dom." 

It would be interesting, as well as en- 
lightening, if one could set beside these tes- 
timonials from what might perhaps be con- 
sidered the governmental side of social life, 
the unbiased confessions of the party of the 
second part, now happily removed from the 
pressure of fear or favor, and learn exact- 
ly how things looked from the student 
point of view. It would, perhaps, be in- 
structive to know whether the young man 
of that day felt the deep necessity of rec- 
reation, and yearned, though in a half 
conscious, unenlightened way, for foot-ball 



430 



SOCIAL LIFE IX A UNIVERSITY TOWN 



and track athletics.' One would like to 
discover what relief they themselves con- 
trived for the social instincts, and what 
were the delights of class-socials and kin- 
dred dissipations. Snch things there must 
have been even in the days when the sim- 
plest entertainments gave pleasure, and 
the young people were not burdened with 
bills for flowers, music and carriage-hire at 
their social parties. 

One would like for the benefit of coming 
generations, to know how it was done, and 
how it was found practicable to maintain a 
rational balance between the pleasures of 
life and the serious duties of University 
work. But a mist seems to have gathered 
over the memories of those who might tes- 
tify, and nothing definite is available. One 
of them indeed declares : 

"In the days which I remember, it seems 
to me few persons had any respect for 
social functions as a part of any earnest 
life. I remember that President Foster had 
receptions, and Professor Noyes, Dr. Kid- 
der, and others had 'evenings' — especially 
for married 'Bibs' — and that all the town 
seemed to swing about the students. But, 
so far as I know, the students themselves 
did nothing but grind and haunt the Female 
College." 

Co-education, with its far-reaching com- 
plications, had not yet presented itself to 
trouble the placid counsels of trustees and 
faculty. Possibly some wise women already 
saw its Star in the East, but they dreamed 
only of a related college after the pattern 
that Radcliffe has since so successfully 
adopted. But the feminine nearness, even 
in purely unsympathetic institutions, is too 
intimately related to Dr. Dempster's "Eter- 
nal Xozc" to be lightly ignored. 

The friendly homes that welcomed the 
students held daughters to whose pres- 
ence thev owed their attractions and human- 
izing influence, quite as much as to the 



hospitable tea-table and the courtesies of 
more formal receptions. And the home so- 
ciety was amply supplemented by the 
Northwestern Female College, from whose 
incongruous title the Woman's College in- 
herited its designation of "Fem. Sem." 
The students were ready to avail them- 
selves of its friendly overtures for all estab- 
lished ceremonials, and, it may be surmised, 
found further opportimity in its halls and 
laurel groves, for which human nature was 
the only authority consulted. 

The University, from the very outset, 
took its students as a trust, and made it- 
self responsible for them in a measure far 
beyond the mere furnishing of opportunity 
for learning. In the days of its poverty 
nothing made this possible but the bond of 
sympathy and mutual interest between the 
L^niversity and the community outside of 
it. It is not easy to say how far the influ- 
ence of an individual or an institution may 
have been effective in the shaping of com- 
niunitv life, so many obscure and apparent- 
ly unrelated forces go to determine its char- 
acter. But looking back to those earliest 
days it seems reasonable to claim that Ev- 
anston owes much to the direction given its 
development when the L^niversity. laying its 
own foundations, laid those of the village 
also. Social fraternity, civic responsibility, 



lAn interesting reminiscence of this period of the 
history of the University is that of Melville C. 
Spaulding, of the class of 1860, who relates the 
origin of athletics in the college : 

"When we had about sixty students in tlie old 
building ('Old College") I solicited 10 cents each 
from the students — on the co-operative plan — and 
with the $0.00 in hand, created an out-door gym- 
nasium (the first), the uprights, parallel bars, etc.. 
being placed in the northwest corner of the college 
lot, and much use was made of the simple ap- 
paratus. This diminutive beginning or 'Commence- 
ment" — outlay, .$(1.0l» — sounds strange when con- 
trasted with the proposed .$50.(XtO gymnasium." — 
(Letter to the editor. May '••, l!tO-t.1 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



431 



and that broad religious sympathy which is 
far nobler than toleration, were fruits of the 
spirit springing naturally from seed sown in 
that day of small things. 

The deep religious spirit that was so 
marked in its beginnings when one church 
sufficed for the whole community, found its 
natural outgrowth in later years, when the 
denominations had gathered each one into 
its own fold in practical Christian unity. 
Its spirit of brotherhood still survives in a 
disregard of social distinctions ; its teach- 
ing of civic responsibility long held citizens 
of all persuasions to alliance for the public 
good irrespective of party politics, and the 
unwritten law which made brain and cul- 
ture the stamp of its aristocracy rather than 
money and birth, has never been revoked. 

It was inevitable that, with the expansion 
of the little rural village into the suburban 
city, its residents should become absorbed 
in diverse interests, and the prosperity of 
the University cease to be the ever present 
motive and ambition. The growth of the 
University itself from feebleness to strength 
tended to this change of sentiment, since the 
personal interest one might feel for a small 



body of students and instructors, with 
whom individual acquaintance was pos- 
sible, could not exist when, in place of 
a little coterie of friends, one had to consid- 
er that vague impersonal thing — an institu- 
tion. 

But while it would be impossible to re- 
store the simplicity and unity of early 
social life, it is most desirable for both 
town and University that the bond of 
sympathy between them should, in every 
wa}-, be guarded and strengthened. 

And in closing this chapter it may not be 
out of place to say, that to accomplish this 
end and re-establish this active interest in 
promoting University interests with a gen- 
eration to which the earlier history is only 
an uncertain tradition, was the purpose for 
which the University Guild was organized, 
and which it seems, in some encouraging 
measure, to be attaining. 

(The foregoing cliapter is copied by permission 
of the publishers from the "Northwestern Uni- 
versity, A History, 1855-1905," edited by Arthur 
Herbert Wilde, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of 
History in The College of Liberal Arts, North- 
western University.) 



CHAPTBR XLII. 



SOCIAL AND LITERARY CLUBS 

(By PROF. HOMEK H. KINQSLEY) 



A Reminiscence of Noah's Ark — Social 
Instincts of Evanstonians — Philosophi- 
cal Association — Its Founders and Their 
Favorite Topics — The "O. R. Circle" 
Blossoms Out as the "Legensia" — Bry- 
ant Circle — Pierian Club — IVoman's 
Clubs — The Fortnightly Succeeds the 
"Wo)nan's Reading. Circle" — Its Serv- 
ice in the Field of Charity and Philan- 
thropy — The Coterie — Ticcntieth Cen- 
tury and Present Day Clubs. 

It is said that the coat of arms of the 
Montmorency family contains the picture 
of a servant with a box unde^ his arm run- 
ning after Noah's Ark, while a legend is- 
sues from his mouth expressing these 
words : "Make room for the archives of 
the Montmorency family !" Evanston is 
yet so young that the organization of all 
of her clubs is a matter of history. They 
are not like Melchizedec, "without father 
or mother, or table of descent." Fortu- 
nately in all of them we have official rec- 
ords of origin, purpose and. in many, of 
their final dissolution. This history can 
touch only the more pretentious clubs. 
An attempt to define the scope and to give 
the history of all the various church so- 
cieties, neighborhood circles, social and 
card clubs, would use up the limits of this 
paper largely in their simple enumeration. 

The social instincts of Evanstonians 



are much like those of any community. 
As soon as any neighborhood discovered 
that it contained a band of congenial 
spirits, it generally desired to form a club 
in order to give these instincts play and 
development. In the early days, when 
Evanston was smaller and when outside 
interests attracted less of the attention of 
business men and professional men; when 
the people on the Ridge knew the people 
on Forest Avenue ; before the Evanston 
Club, the Boat Club, the Country Club, or 
any of the various whist clubs were or- 
ganized ; in the days when people took 
time to read and think and discuss, and 
not simply prophesy smooth things; back 
in the early '60s, in the days when the 
names of Bannister, Willard, and Kidder 
were household words in Evanston, a club 
of young women was organized known 
as the Iota Omega Club. The symbolic 
letters were believed to signify Inde- 
pendent Order ; at least, the motto of the 
club — "No others need apply" — would 
seem to make it capable of that interpre- 
tation. This club was organized in i860 
and during its various vicissitudes and 
ramifications, it developed into, or was 
absorbed by, the Eclectic Society, the So- 
cial Club, and finally by the well known 
club CI the present day, the Evanston 
Club. As this club is to have a separate 
chapter in this History, it is not necessary 



433 



434 



SOCIAL AND LITERARY CLUBS 



to go more into detail in this account. 
Intellectual improvement and social en- 
joyment were the fundamental features 
of all of these clubs. 

Perhaps the most pretentious club in 
Evanston's early days was the 

Philosophical Association.- — This club 
had enough importance to be incor- 
porated, and received a charter from the 
Secretary of State, bearing date, Feb- 
ruary 28, 1867. Dr. Bannister was the 
father of the society, and a study of the 
list of subjects discussed shows that they 
were of no trifling nature, and were 
handled in no inferior manner. The rec- 
ords show that papers were discussed 
bearing such formidable titles as the fol- 
lowing: "The Relation of the Uncondi- 
tioned, the Absolute, and the Infinite to 
Human Faith and Knowledge"; "Is a 
Science of History Possible?" "Science, 
Religion and Theology" ; "The Nature 
and Province of Instinct" ; "Religious 
Controversy between Deism and Chris- 
tianity." The foregoing are not specially 
selected subjects, but are taken at ran- 
dom from the records, and illustrate the 
fact that, in those early days, the men 
who discussed subjects did much original 
work, and did not rely upon the encyclo- 
paedia to inform them as to what some 
one else had said or done upon the sub- 
ject in hand. Economics, Sociology, Po- 
litical Economy, Electricity, Astronomy, 
Physics, Chemistry and pure Mathe- 
matics came in for a fair share of the dis- 
cussion; in fact, it is not impossible to 
find men today who think the society 
might be still living if it had not been for 
its sensitiveness about having the tariff 
discussed. If this is a matter of history, 
it serves to show that the tariff is not 
entirely an unmixed good ; for ther" ought 
to be a place in Evanston for a club \'hich 
would discuss the more serious things of 



life. It is, however, hardly to be ex- 
pected that another club like this will ever 
exist in Evatiston. The changes in theo- 
logical thought and discussion in the last 
twenty-five years, perhaps a certain lack 
of seriousness in the present day life, the 
demands that are made on professional 
and business men, make it quite impos- 
sible to get together a set' of men who 
could give time and energy to such sub- 
jects as the old Philosophical Association 
used to consider. The society had an 
existence of sixteen years, and finally dis- 
banded after its meeting of February 13, 
1882. During its period of prosperity, the 
society kept up, for a time, a course of 
free public lectures, and the public were 
frequently invited to hear papers of the 
members when such papers promised to 
be of more than ordinary interest or merit. 
The successive Presidents of the society 
were : Henry Bannister, Oliver Marcy, 
Francis Bradley. L. H. Boutell. F. D. 
Hemenway, Andrew Shuman. D. H. 
Wheeler, N. S. Davis, Miner Raymond, 
N. C. Gridley, J. G. Forest, H. S. Carhart, 
C. W. Pearson, H. F. Fisk. 

Legensia Club. — Perhaps the next most 
important club in Evanston was "Legen- 
sia." The original name of this club was 
the O. R. Circle. This was the abbrevi- 
ated way of writing "Our Reading Cir- 
cle." It had its origin January 30, 1880. 
On that date a few congenial friends met 
at the home of Mr. and Mrs. H. B 
Cragin and formed a club whose object, 
as stated in its call, should be "the form- 
ing of a club for literary exercises, having" 
in view both the profit and pleasure of its 
members." In a short time the name of 
the club was changed to "Legensia"— a 
name which was compounded b}- Pro- 
fessor J. Scott Clark from the last three 
syllables of Collegensia and the syllable 
leg from the Latin word lci;o, to read. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



435 



The development of this club was much 
like that of a child. It passed through its 
years of infanc}', youth, maturity and de- 
cline. A study of its successive programs 
shows clearly the working out of those 
lines of work and thought which char- 
acterize childhood, youth and maturity. 
Its first notion was to meet and read 
something serious, then something light 
and humorous, and to have each program 
interspersed with some descriptions of 
people or places by members who might 
be qualified to speak along these lines. 
The club soon gave up this desultory 
work, and took up a line of work which 
had continuity and serious purpose in it. 
The Life and Works of Daniel Webster 
formed the theme of reading for the first 
year, and the Life and Letters of Ticknor 
the second year. At the beginning of 
the third year, Legensia began to show 
precocity by writing its own composi- 
tions. The biographical spirit was still 
rampant and strongly impressed the so- 
ciety, and accordingly all of the essays 
were biographical. No system obtained 
in the selection of authors, and there was 
a frisky skipping from Holmes to John 
Adams. Then Legensia took a run down 
to the sixteenth century, to Martin Luther, 
and then back to the nineteenth century to 
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, with an 
alacrity of disconnectedness which would 
have been the envy of the promoters of 
the International Sunday School Lessons. 
The novelist, poet, statesman, historian, 
essayist, philosopher, and philanthropist 
were made, in succession, the subjects of 
Legensia's praise and criticism. During 
this year a famous debate arose as to the 
relative merits of Webster and Sumner 
as statesmen. The debate was as hot 
and as protracted as any in which those 
famous statesmen ever engaged in the 
halls of congress. Cufiously enough, all 



of the women of the club sided with Sum- 
ner, while all of the men yielded their 
allegiance to Webster. Finally one mem- 
ber was won over to the side of the 
Webster camp, and the question was set- 
tled in this way, and never disturbed the 
dreams of the club thereafter. In 1883, 
Legensia thought it was old enough to 
forego writing essays upon persons whose 
lives had been carefully and thoughtfully 
written beforehand by competent histor- 
ians, and it took up the matter of writing 
about things. American History became 
the theme of this year's work. The fol- 
lowing year was spent in a study of the 
English poets from Chaucer to Words- 
worth. By 1886, the society thought it 
could wrestle with the deep problems of 
life, and so took up the discussion of the 
mysteries of the protective tariff, with the 
usual result, that after a year of discussion, 
everyone understood it perfectly, but no 
two persons had the same understanding 
about it. In 1887-88, the Victorian Reign, 
and the next year French History from 
Julius Caesar to that date, were con- 
sidered. In 1889, nothing in the old lines 
was quite satisfactory to the society. 
Several programs were suggested, but 
were all thrown out, and the club spent 
a year on the study of "Socialism." This 
proved to be one of the most interesting 
years in the history of the society. After 
1890 the club had an existence of four 
years during which it discussed art, archi- 
tecture, Alaska, Australia, Africa, Aid- 
rich, Agassiz, and numerous problems of 
government, ethics, schools, and also 
the practical problems of life. In fact, 
the latter subject was frequently a 
matter of discussion in the club, and 
the manner in which it took hold 
of the subject was an ample testi- 
mony to the witticism of the bright 
Evanston woman who said she was sick 



436 



SOCIAL AND LITERARY CLUBS 



and tired of hearing about her soul, but 
wanted to know how to keep her kitchen 
drain clean. The last year of Legensia 
was devoted to a consideration of Bryce's 
American Commonwealth. Whether or 
not this proved too severe a task, or 
whether other attractions abbreviated 
the membership, the club never got be- 
yond December, 1894. This club never 
attempted the solution of the deep things 
of life, as did the old Philosophical As- 
sociation. It never had soarings after 
the infinite nor divings after the unfath- 
omable, nor did it ever attempt Brown- 
ing. 

The annual banquets of Legensia 
were meetings of great enjoyment. The 
first one was a complete surprise upon 
the gentlemen of the club, having been 
secretly prepared in advance by the la- 
dies. It consisted of a fine collation of 
chicken salad, celery, cheese - sticks, 
cream, candy, and numerous other at- 
tractive articles of diet, and when the 
business of this evening was over, the 
gentlemen were ushered into the pres- 
ence of the feast. As a literary feature 
of the evening, each man was asked to 
give his favorite author and a quotation 
from his works, and also to name his na- 
tive State. As this was entirely im- 
promptu, it led to some embarrassment, 
and men who had never quailed before 
the cannon's mouth were suddenly struck 
dumb at the audacity of the ladies, and 
their natural eloquence was abated. One 
of the most eloquent members of the 
club could only repeat the first verse of 
Genesis, while one of the most learned 
members of the faculty of Northwestern 
University could only describe his favor- 
ite state — into which he shortly after- 
ward entered. Fourteen banquets in all 
were held, and it would be impossible to 
recount all of the bright things that were 



said and done on these occasions. One 
of the most unique was where each mem- 
ber was required to bring in an original 
poem, or at least alleged poetry; and 
these poems varied in length from four 
lines to one which took two rolls of wall 
paper to contain it. From the latter epi- 
sode Mr. Dorr A. Kimball earned the 
title of poet laureate of the club. It 
would be impossible to speak in detail 
of the personnel of the club. There were 
in all about three hundred members dur- 
ing its fourteen years of history, includ- 
ing every class of society except the 
crank ; all degrees of wealth, one Gov- 
ernor, three members of the Legislature, 
one Attorney-General of the State, busi- 
ness men, bankers, professional men, col- 
lege Presidents and Professors unnum- 
bered. One of the early members of the 
club made it a point, at every meeting, to 
have on hand the autograph or some for- 
mer personal belonging of the person 
under discussion, and succeeded in every 
case except in the case of Julius Caesar. 
When Martin Luther was under consid- 
eration this member is said to have had 
with him ink-stained samples of ingrain 
wall-paper, which he declared were taken 
from the room where Luther threw the 
ink bottle at the Devil. The higher crit- 
icism was not rampant in those days, but 
in spite of that fact, some members were 
so incredulous as to doubt the identity 
of this particular paper. 

The papers of Legensia were always 
of a dignified nature. The flippant never 
entered into its discussions, and even the 
discussion of the protective tariflf never 
precipitated any lifelong animosities, and 
the club will ever remain in the memo- 
ries of older Evanstonians as a pleasant 
recollection of fourteen years of earnest, 
profitable, wholesome and most enjoy- 
able work, coupled with a spirit of hos- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



437 



pitality, generosity and friendship, which 
have become a permanent part of many 
lives made sweeter by the privileges of 
this association. 

The following persons have acted as 
Presidents of Legensia : C. A. Flanders, 

F. P. Crandon (two terms), H. B. Cra- 
gin, W. S. Harbert, H. H. C. Miller, O. 
E. Haven, C. W. Pearson, Dorr A. Kim- 
ball, H. H. Kingsley, C. B, Atwell, L. 
K. Gillson, R. B. McMullen, J. Scott 
Clark and Fleming H. Revell. 

Bryant Circle. — The Bryant Circle can 
claim the distinction of having had thus 
far the longest life of any literary society 
in Evanston, it now being in the twentv- 
first year of its existence. It was or- 
ganized in 1885 as a "Chautauqua Lit- 
erary and Scientific Circle." In the win- 
ter of 1883-84 several ladies of Evanston 
were pursuing independently the studies 
as laid down by the Chautauqua Asso- 
ciation. Realizing, however, the benefit 
that would come from united action, the 
regular meeting together of those inter- 
ested in the same line of study, both 
from the information each would impart 
to the other and from the stimulus that 
would be aroused by such union, they 
resolved to call a meeting of the ladies of 
the village interested in forming an after- 
noon circle for the following winter. Ac- 
cordingly, there appeared in the "Evans- 
ton Index" of September 19, 1885, a no- 
tice calling such a meeting, the result of 
which was seen in the coming together 
of ten ladies, meeting with Mrs. Carse- 
well at the Avenue House Cottage. The 
charter members of the society which 
was organized were Mrs. Carsewell, Mrs. 
H. H. Gage, Mrs. George Bancroft, Mrs. 
H. J. Edwards, Mrs. W. H. Crocker, Mrs. 

G. H. Thompson, Mrs. W. H. Lewis, 
Mrs. Baskin and Mrs. Balding. New 
members were constantly added and in- 



terest continued unabated. The name 
"Bryant" may possibly be something of 
a misnomer to those not familiar with 
the beginnings of the society. When a 
name for the circle was under discussion 
at one of the early meetings the name 
Bryant seemed especially fitting, that 
day being the birthday of the poet, and 
also one of the memorial daj-s in the 
Chautauqua calendar; hence it was 
chosen. As no study of that poet has 
ever been pursued by the circle, it has 
been thought by many, during late 
years, that it is misleading, and there 
has been an attempt made to change the 
name, but, possibly from the sentiment 
of long association, the vote of the circle 
decided to retain its original name. The 
Chautauqua outline of work was strictly 
followed for four years, at which time 
(1889) the course was completed. The 
Circle then departed somewhat from the 
prescribed line, and for three years fol- 
lowed the outline pertaining to History 
and Literature, leaving out the sciences. 
At the end of that time it discontinued 
the Chautauqua study and a program 
committee from the club has, each year, 
presented a program which met the ex- 
pressed desires of the Circle — the prefer- 
ence being generally given to literary and 
art studies. During the winter following 
the World's Fair papers were prepared 
on the various exhibits, more especially 
pertaining to the arts, crafts and indus- 
tries, each paper being the result of per- 
sonal observations. Various countries 
have been studied, and altogether the 
Circle's work, during its long career, has 
touched upon many branches' of culture 
— intellectual, aesthetic, moral and re- 
ligious. The fact that every member 
has contributed her share of the written 
papers, and taken part in the discussions, 
has been a distinctive and pleasing fea- 



438 



SOCIAL AND LITERARY CLUBS 



tiire of the society. The active member- 
ship of the Circle is Hmited to thirty. 
There is an associate Hst, limited to ten, 
containing the names of those who, hav- 
ing been active members, are for good 
reasons unable to be constant attend- 
ants at regular meetings ; these, how- 
ever, are expected to participate, as far 
as possible, in the programs of the Cir- 
cle. There is usually a number of names 
on the waiting list ready for election into 
the Circle whenever a vacancy occurs, 
thus showing the sustained interest and 
popularity of the society. These names 
must be presented by some member of the 
society. The election is by ballot, and a 
imanimous vote is required to gain admission. 
The Circle holds its meetings on alternate 
Monday afternoons at the homes of its mem- 
bers, and not the least delightful feature of 
the exercises is the social one — the cup 
of tea and the friendly chat which fol- 
low the more formal program. During 
the last few years it has been the custom, 
each winter, to hold one evening meeting 
to which the husbands and friends of the 
members have been invited, and an ad- 
dress has been given by an invited 
speaker on some topic kindred to the line 
of study of the year. A number of 
clergymen of Evanston and University 
professors have favored the Circle ; also 
delightful, musical numbers have been 
given by Evanston artists. 

The following persons have acted as 
Presidents of the Circle: Mrs. G. W. 
Candee, Mrs. W. H. Whitehead, Mrs. A. 
F. Townsend, Mrs. L. D. Norton, Mrs. 
H. R. Wilson, Miss Mary Harris, Mrs. 
E. A. Dawson, Mrs. H. H. Kingsley, 
Mrs. Thomas Balmer, Mrs. W. A. Smith, 
Mrs. C. S. Raddin, Mrs. F. M. Bristol, 
Miss Alice Houston, Mrs. Howard Field, 
Mrs. P. L. McKinnie, Mrs. J. C. Turner. 

Pierian Circle. — The Pierian Circle 



was organized February 27, 1891. It 
was the outgrowth of a porch reading 
circle, which had been enjoyed by a few 
ladies in the same neighborhood during 
the preceding summer. As they wished 
to continue the pleasant custom, and also 
to widen the scope of this little circle, 
they decided to make it a regular organi- 
zation, under as informal a rule as possi- 
ble. For this purpose, a meeting was 
called at the above date at the home of 
Mrs. P. L. McKinnie, 108 Davis Street. 
Twelve ladies were present, and after 
freely discussing the matter, a study club 
was formed, the object of which should 
be to stimulate, in an enjoyable way, the 
intellectual development of its members, 
and combine the advantage of literary 
and social culture. The name "Pierian" 
was chosen for the Circle with much 
hesitation as being rather ambitious for 
a circle of learners, the suggestion com- 
ing from Pope's Essay on Criticism : 
"Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian 
Spring." This objection was counter- 
acted somewhat by the motto selected 
for the Circle: "Let Knowledge grow 
fiom more to more." The number of 
members was limited to thirty, to be 
elected by vote of the club after having 
been considered by a membership com- 
mittee, the meetings to be held twice a 
month at the homes of its members. 
The subject selected for the first season's 
study was American History, and cur- 
rent events were given at roll call. The 
President elected at the initial meeting 
was Mrs. C. E. Thayer, one of the orig- 
inal porch circle. 

While early in its history some philan- 
thropic work was done by the club, its 
main object has been of a literary nature. 
The regular afternoon meetings have 
been occasionally varied by evening 
meetings, with invited guests and lee- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



439 



tures by those outside of its own mem- 
bership. 

The interest in the Pierian Club has 
been steadily increasing and warmly 
maintained. Its list of membership has 
always been full, with several on the 
waiting list. The subjects which have 
been studied during the years succeeding 
the first one already mentioned are as 
follows: Ruskin for three seasons; 
Magazine Reviews ; The Victorian 
Reign ; London ; France ; The English 
Colonies; The Industrial Arts. 

The office of President has been held 
by the following named persons : Mrs. 
P. R. Woodford, Mrs. R. P. Hollett, Miss 
Mary Harris, Mrs. J. A. Battle, Mrs. Nel- 
son De Golyer, Mrs. J. M. Bond. 

The Fortnightly. — Preparatory to the 
ascension of the great White City on the 
shores of Lake Michigan, a thousand 
fantasies possessed the imaginations of 
the people, anticipating the marvelous 
phantasmago;"ia soon to be practically 
realized. It is not surprising that the 
highly favored inhabitants of Evanston 
should have shared in the general enthu- 
siasm to the extent of seeing visions by 
night and dreaming dreams by day. 
Hence it so happened that the genesis 
of the "Fortnightly" was the product of 
a revelation communicated to a few 
friends with mutual sympathies and 
common aims, who entered into an infor- 
mal partnership for higher education, di- 
versified by friendly chat and the con- 
sequent attrition of many minds. On 
this purely unconventional basis, the 
Fortnightly Club commenced business 
nearly fourteen years ago. This chrysalis 
of inexperience was destined to mature 
beyond the stage of the ephemeral fledg- 
ling, and while building better than it 
knew, to earn an enviable reputation for 
stabilitv and intelligence second to none 



of its kindred societies. The first women 
to extend a helping hand to this union 
were, in order, as follows: Mrs. Lucre- 
tia Morgan, Mrs. Henrietta Day, Mrs. 
Alexander Clark, Mrs. Sereno Norton, 
Mrs. Thomas L. Fansler and Mrs. George 
Graley. These few founders stand for 
charter members of an unincorporated 
club which has never formed any alli- 
ance with State or National Federations. 
It was originally christened as the 
"Woman's Reading Circle," and made its 
initial bow to the public with the assist- 
ance of a single official, Mrs. Alexander 
Clark acting as Director, and filling the 
position most acceptably and efficiently. 
With the lapse of years this infant indus- 
try grew in stature and in grace. Hav- 
ing an increased membership, it natur- 
ally drifted with the tide into broader 
thought expressed in more conventional 
channels, and became, like all well-regu- 
lated associations of the time, governed 
by parliamentary rules, selecting regu- 
lar presiding officers, and finally adopt- 
ing the more dignified title of the Fort- 
nightly Club of Evanston. As any trust- 
worthy narrative must include a definite 
list of topics for study, the various sub- 
jects are appended herewith : History of 
Spain; Arts and Industries; Countries of 
the World ; Celebrated Historians ; Par- 
liamentary Law and Socialism ; Miscel- 
laneous Program in 1896-7 — History of 
Chicago; Cuba and the Philippine Is- 
lands ; Russia, Customs and Manners ; 
Holland and Her Dykes; Fiction and 
Philosophy. 

These topics were interspersed with 
current events of interest, discussions on 
higher education, the amenities of home 
and fireside, with the practical solution of 
vexed problems and the burning issues 
of the hour. 

The life of the Fortnightly has not, 



44° 



SOCIAL AND LITERARY CLUBS 



however, been one of serious contempla- 
tion. It has frequently had brought to 
mind the old adage, that "All work and 
no play makes life dull every day"; so, 
metaphorically speaking, the club has 
taken up the "fiddle and the bow," while 
resting from the exertions of the "shovel 
and the hoe." As comparisons are odi- 
ous, it may not be well to chronicle any 
of the gay larks indulged in by this clique 
of sober and serious matrons. Let it 
suffice that the Fortnightly has held dig- 
nified receptions, listened to lectures and 
addresses, played hilarious games galore; 
has been feted and feasted at the hospita- 
ble homes of its members, and last, but 
not least, has disported gaily in honor of 
Saint Valentine, where, if not wined in 
this prohibition town, the club has cer- 
tainly dined to its heart's content. As 
this is a many-sided club, it has never 
turned a deaf ear to appeals for philan- 
thropic and charitable enterprises. Dur- 
ing the winter many a fire has been kept 
burning, and the wolf diverted from the 
doors of the sick and needy. Money has 
been contributed for the collection of 
books, a room furnished in a public insti- 
tution, and last year all moneys were 
turned into the general fund of the As- 
sociated Charities. 

At the commencement of the fourteenth 
year of the history of the Club, it has a 
full roster of thirty members. Good fel- 
lowship has always been its aim. On the 
solid rock of the sacredness of home and 
family ties, the Club stands as a unit. 
Births and deaths and burials have been 
fitly commemorated alike in kind words 
and loving deeds, and the fragrant min- 
istry of flowers — the pink carnation be- 
ing the floral emblem of the Club. In 
the flight of time but one member has 
been gathered by the unrelenting scythe 
of death. Many changes have occurred 



in the roll call, but vacancies are speedily 
filled, while some of the original mem- 
bers and a little of the old leaven still 
remain intact. 

Thirty daughters under one roof-tree 
have inevitably held different opinions, 
yet uniformly agreeing to disagree in a 
spirit of tolerance, the general weal be- 
ing the paramount consideration. Col- 
lectively the Fortnightly Club is com- 
posed of wide-awake, intelligent, pro- 
gressive women living up to the spirit of 
the motto of the Club, "Whatever the 
subject, it deserves our pains." 

The Club has a very promising future, 
and it is enthusiastically hoped that it 
may attain to that spirit of high idealism 
expressed by one of its members : "That 
the coming years may bring to all its 
members a still larger charity and greater 
loving kindness, forming an indissoluble 
union of heart and hand, a loyal copart- 
nership that shall abide 'for better or 
worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness 
and in health, till death do us part.' " 

The Coterie. — In 1893 ^^^ invitation 
was sent to the ladies living on Michigan 
Avenue between Kedzie and Keeney 
Avenues, to come together for the after- 
noon, and bring their sewing and chil- 
dren, if necessary, while one lady would 
read to them from some recently pub- 
lished book. "The Prince of India," by 
General Lew Wallace, was chosen ; and 
each week a few chapters of the book 
were read, after which a social hour was 
passed and light refreshments were 
served. 

The afternoon was much enjoyed, and 
the ladies decided to meet every week 
at their various homes. There were 
present at each meeting ladies of musi- 
cal talent who pledged themselves to 
furnish either piano or vocal music. 
Several books were read during 1893-4. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



441 



October 5, 1894, it was decided to organ- 
ize a society with the understanding that 
the closing hour for conversation and 
social pleasure be not infringed upon. 
Accordingly, a constitution was pre- 
sented and unanimously adopted. Mrs. 
E. L. Waddell was elected President, 
and she has retained the office up to the 
present time, 1902. With no desire to 
be called a literary club, it was decided 
to call the Club "The Coterie." The so- 
cial requirements form a large part of 
the afternoon entertainment. As the 
members are, for the most part, too busy 
to prepare papers, the literary features 
of the afternoon have consisted largely in 
reading from books, magazines and va- 
rious other sources. 

The later history of The Coterie em- 
braces a study of foreign countries, and 
an annual program is followed every 
year, in which pleasure, entertainment 
and culture, as well as social enjoyment, 
are the leading characteristics. The lit- 
erary features of the afternoon have 
never been a burden to the Club, and 
once a year there is an annual dinner and 
a children's party, which are not the least 
pleasing features of this very delightful 
and enthusiastic club. 

The Coming Century Club. — The Com- 
ing Century Club of Evanston was first 
suggested February 18, 1894. It origi- 
nated in a meeting of eight men ; W. E. 
Wilkinson, H. L. Tolman, D. D. Thomp- 
son, F. W. Nichols, C. O. Scudder, W. 
H. Webster, E. O. Blake and A. E. A. 
Shinner. It was proposed to form a so- 
ciety of gentlemen to discuss the live 
topics of the day. 

A meeting was called by this gather- 
ing, and over a supper at the home of 
H. L. Tolman, the Club was organized. 
The name, "Coming Century Club," was 
suggested by Mr. J. J. Flinn, and the 



following is Mr. Scudder's record of the 
meeting: 

"Coming Century Club. — On Monday evening, Feb- 
ruary 2oth, Messrs. Adair, Blake, Flinn, Graham, Hibben, 
Knox, Milhening, Nichols, Rowe, Scudder, Thompson, 
Tolman. Webster, and Wilkinson, met at the home of 
Mr. Henry L. Tolman and organized the above named 
club for the free discussion of current questions, on the 
following basis : 

Negations. 
No Accounts nor 

nor 

nor 

nor 

nor 

nor 

nor 

nor 



No By-Laws 

No Club House 
No Debts, Dress Coats 

No Fines 
No Long Speeches 

No Officers 
No Preaching 



Axes, 

Bores nor Business, 
Constitution, 
Dudes nor Dues, 
Formality, 
Late Sittings, 
Organizations, 
Profanity. 

"Messrs. Nichols, Scudder, Tolman, Thompson, and 
Wilkinson were made an Executive Committee with power 
to do all business, with Mr. Tolman as Chairman and 
Mr. Scudder as Secretary. 

"The Club meets on the second and fourth Monday 
evenings of each month ; on the second Monday evening at 
eight o'clock sharp, at the house of some member; on the 
fourth Monday at six-thirty P. M., for dinner, discussion 
afterward, at some place hereafter designated, the same 
to cost not to exceed seventy-five cents. 

"The Club adjourns at ten o'clock. The introductory 
speakers are allowed twenty minutes each, with five 
minutes additional to close. Other speakers are limited 
to five minutes. The next meeting will be held at the 
residence of Mr. Nichols, 932 Hinman Avenue, Monday 
evening, March 11. 

"Question : Should the United States adopt the bi- 
metallic standard? 

"Affirmative — Mr. Adair. 
"Negative — Mr. Tolman. 

"C. O. SCUDDER, Sec." 

The membership was at first limited 
to thirty-five, and meetings have always 
been held at the homes of members. The 
early popularity of the Club came from 
its unique constitution, all business be- 
ing transacted by the Executive Com- 
mittee without coming before the Club 
to distract from its social and literary 
character. Its continued vitality has also 
been due to the freedom given to all mem- 
bers to take part in the discussions, 
which have frequently been wise as well 
as witty. 

Meetings have been held twice each 
month during the winter months of each 
year ever since the organization. Ban- 
quets have been held two or three times 
each year, generally served by church la- 
dies. 

In 1897 the membership was doubled 
by the admission of ladies, and has sev- 
eral times been enlarged to accommodate 
the demand for admission of new mem- 



442 



SOCIAL AND LITERARY CLUBS 



bers. The present membership is one 
hundred and the homes are often taxed 
to accommodate the meetings. 

At the opening of the year 1898 it was 
thought best by the committee to adopt 
a constitution, which embodied mainly 
the past practices of the Club. The first 
printed annual programs were used in 
1896 and have been printed each year 
since. 

Of late years there have been a few 
meetings each year, when outside talent 
has been called in to entertain the Club. 
Perfect harmony has prevailed in the 
meetings and the discussions have set- 
tled nearly all the questions of the day — 
political, religious, literary and scientific. 

With the opening of the season of 
1901-2 the name of the Club became 
"The Twentieth Century Club" and will 
probably remain so during the present 
century. 

Present Day Club. — The Present Day 
Club, while one of the youngest clubs in 
Evanston, is thoroughly an up-to-date 
club. It was organized about 1899 by 
six women living in the vicinity of Sheri- 
dan Road and Lee Street, for the purpose 
of discussing the best news of the day, 
and keeping in touch with the literary 
world. The Club, which is limited to 
fifteen members, meets every two weeks 
in the homes of its members. The an- 
nual fee is used for a book fund. The 
leading works of the present day are pur- 
chased, read and discussed, and distrib- 
uted, pro rata, to the members at the close 
of each club year. Among the works of 
fiction discussed during the first year 



were "Janice Meredith," "When Knight- 
hood Was in Flower" and "Richard Car- 
vel." In connection with the reading of 
the last-named book, which was valuable 
for its wholesomeness as well as for its 
historical worth, a scholarly lecture on 
the Revolutionary Period was given by 
one of its members. All the points of in- 
terest were traced on the map, and com- 
parisons were drawn with the characters 
and events depicted in the book. "Eben 
Holden" served as a pleasant dessert to 
the year's literary menu. Tolstoy's life, 
country and works were studied during 
the second year, his last work of fiction 
being considered a strong work for peo- 
ple of mature years who are studying the 
sociological questions of the day. The 
work of fiction which found greatest fa- 
vor among the members of the Club was 
"The Crisis," and it was especially no- 
ticeable that the literary criticisms of the 
Club were frequently at wide variance 
with those of the professional reviewers. 
The program for the present year in- 
cludes current events, lives of editors, 
magazine articles and late works of fic- 
tion. After reading such books as "La- 
zarre" and admiring Gilbert Parker's 
strong literary strokes in his "Right of 
Way," rest and refreshment are to be 
found in turning to Van Dyke's "Little 
Rivers," or reading his "To Be Glad of 
Life, because it gives you the chance to 
love and to work, and to play and to look 
up at the stars ; to be satisfied with your 
possessions, but not contented with your- 
self until you have made the best of 
them." 



I 



CHAPTER XLIII. 



THE EVANSTON WOMAN'S CLUB 

(By MRS. RICHARD H. WYMAN) 



Origin of Evanston Woman's Club — Julia 
Ward Howe's Advice — Organization 
and First Officers — Club Programs — • 
Auxiliary Organizations — Work of the 
Traveling Library Committee — Field 
Day at Lake Genez'a — Object of the 
Club Defined in Its Constitution — Club 
Motto. 

All great and successful org-aniza- 
tions have their origin in consecration of 
thought and purpose. The seed-thought 
of the Evanston's Woman's Club flick- 
ered into existence deep in the heart of 
a woman whose desire was for the activ- 
ity of all women striving for the good of 
all women. The thought was cherished 
and confided to a few kindred spirits. 
Nourished by their sympathy, strength- 
ened by their zeal, it grew into an im- 
pulse to reach out for co-operation. 

Early in 1889 Mrs. Elizabeth Boynton 
Harbert invited to her home a little 
group of earnest women, to take counsel 
together as to how they^ might unite in 
promoting a Woman's Club. For inspi- 
ration they read with interest and profit 
Julia Ward Howe's address on the "Or- 
ganization of Women." That great and 
wise leader, desiring to help others, says : 

"Deliberation in common, mutual in- 
struction, achievement for the whole, 
should be the spirit of associations ; work 



faithfully, fervently and in sincerity with 
the motto, 'The good of all, the aim of 
each.' Question: What are the most 
pressing needs of society? What can we, 
as a body corporate, do to meet and an- 
swer them? Learn to act in the light 
of experience. Work with the conviction 
that the possibilities of Women's Clubs 
are as broad as the land, as diverse as are 
the requirements of mankind." 

Pondering these sentiments and en- 
couraged by the enthusiasm of their 
hostess, who proved herself in every 
sense a leader, these women continued to 
meet informally until in March, 1889, 
when they associated themselves to- 
gether to form "The Woman's Club of 
Evanston." 

Mrs. Harbert was made President and 
Mrs. Thaddeus P. Stanwood Secretary. 
Early in 1890 the membership had grown 
to a dignity requiring a constitution and 
regular officers. This form of organi- 
zation continued until March, 1898, when 
the club was duly incorporated in accord- 
ance with the laws of the State of Illi- 
nois. 

Mrs. Harbert was the Mother of the 
Club in the deepest and broadest sense 
of the relation expressed by the word. It 
has been well said that what Alice Cary 
accomplished in Sorosis, Mrs. Harbert ac- 
complished and amplified in Evanston. 



443 



444 



THE EVANSTON WOMAN'S CLUB 



To her personal inspiration and wise di- 
rection the Club owes its early activities 
and its healthful development. She was 
its President for eight years, when, at 
her own instance, the honor was trans- 
ferred to another. Mrs T. P. Stanwood 
was then elected to the office. Being a 
woman of exceptional ability, keen per- 
ception and rare graciousness, she was 
well qualified to guide the Club through 
a critical period and to thoroughly estab- 
lish its prosperity. 

At the end of two years she was suc- 
ceeded by Mrs. Richard H. Wyman, 
who, after two years' service, was fol- 
lowed by Mrs. H. H. Kingsley, a char- 
ter member and loyal worker. With 
charming tact and grace she conducted 
the affairs through a very successful 
year, when, positively declining re-elec- 
tion, she was succeeded, in April, 1902, 
by Mrs. C. A. Goodnow. These Presi- 
dents have always been splendidly sup- 
ported by fellow-officers and a Board of 
Managers showing ability and devoted 
zeal. Every department and branch of 
the club work have received the special 
attention of women who have devoted 
heart and hand to the attainment of high- 
est standards. 

The program of the earlier years, 
though not thoroughly systematized, was 
profitable and enjoyable. It consisted 
usually of a special topic with prepared 
essay, which was followed by two short 
speeches on the subject, supplemented 
by informal discussion. This method 
furthered one of the primary objects of 
the Club — to train women to become easy 
speakers ; to help them to acquire the habit 
of thinking and speaking readily and 
connectedly on their feet before an au- 
dience. 

An indication of one of the early-time 
interests and activities, which has since 



grown to importance, is given in the fact 
that a large reception was tendered the 
teachers of Evanston at Mrs. Harbert's 
home, where an address was made by 
the late Colonel Parker on the Relation 
of the Home to the School. 

During the time from 1891 to 1894 the 
Club sustained a World's Fair Depart- 
ment, for the purpose of study and in- 
vestigation in the various lines of inter- 
est connected with the World's Colum- 
bian Exposition. This was under the 
leadership of Miss Mary Harris, and 
proved a marked success. 

A Household Economic Department 
was organized at about this time, at 
whose meetings, held twice each month, 
papers on Domestic Science, previously 
read at the World's Fair Congresses, 
were presented. This department 
merged into the Department of Philan- 
thropy, which has led the Club into the 
line of broader work and great achieve- 
ments. 

From this time the work of the Club 
developed into departments, serving as 
channels for each member to pursue in- 
vestigation and to derive pleasure, ac- 
cording to her taste and desire — all unit- 
ing in one general club meeting each 
month ; all serving loyally any cause for 
the general good. 

The Art and Literature Department was 
formed in September, 1894, and the Child 
and Home Department in 1897. The 
Press Department was organized a lit- 
tle later. A French Study Class, under 
Professor Oudshorn, was formed in 1897; 
a class in German, under Miss White, in 
1899, and a class in Civics, under Miss 
Childs, in 1902. Also a class in singing, 
under Professor Niedlinger, was carried 
on during the winter of 1902. 

The first, and one of the greatest ef- 
forts of the Club in outside work, was 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



445 



the impetus which it was the means of 
giving to the Evanston Emergency Hos- 
pital. At a meeting held in November, 
1891, the words of Mrs. A. L. Butler 
stirred the members to form a Hospital 
Committee with Mrs. Joseph Hubbart 
as Chairman. It was resolved to give a 
festival and kirmess. The enterprise met 
with the cordial and generous support 
and efficient co-operation of citizens, 
both in and out of the Club, and was a 
brilliant success, netting $3,600 for the 
hospital fund. 

A course of lectures was given during 
the winter of 1895, by Professor Charles 
G. Moulton, which afforded means to as- 
sist the Convalescent Home at Lake 
Geneva and to support a teacher for a 
sewing school. As a mark of apprecia- 
tion of the hospitality of the Evanston 
Boat Club in ofifering the use of its 
rooms, a complimentary lecture by Pro- 
fessor Moulton, followed by a reception, 
was given. 

Among other good deeds, the Wom- 
an's Club has extended substantial aid 
to the Northwestern University Settle- 
ment ; it has placed a beautiful drinking 
fountain in the vicinity of the Chicago 
Commons ; it has contributed to the For- 
ward Movement and the Vacation 
Schools of Chicago; the local charities 
have received generous co-operation ; a 
Day Nursery was established and sus- 
tained for a time, and several successful 
Mothers' Clubs have been conducted at 
the homes of members and at school 
houses. 

Sewing classes and housework classes 
for young girls were, during one season, 
conducted by members at their own 
homes. At Thanksgiving and Christmas- 
tide the overflowing spirit of giving and 
doing has been directed in proper chan- 
nels by a Club Committee, who thor- 



oughly canvassed the town and knew 
just where the bounty was most needed 
and would be best appreciated. The pur- 
pose was that there should not be a child 
within reach who should not know the 
blessings of the season. Over two hun- 
dred families have thus been reached, 
while over one thousand public school 
children have been carefully examined 
to ascertain and assist those suffering 
from defective sight or hearing. The 
teeth of the children have also received 
attention. 

A successful entertainment, in the 
form of a children's operetta, "The House 
That Jack Built," was given under the 
auspices of the Child and Home Depart- 
ment, which netted a substantial sum for 
the benefit of the Domestic Science De- 
partment of the Evanston Public 
Schools. As a memorial to a beautiful 
young daughter, one of the prominent 
mothers of the Club installed a Visiting 
Nurse to minister to those needing, but 
not able to pay for, such service. This 
noble work has been sustained through 
the Philanthropic Department. The 
bright face, untiring devotion and ready 
skill of the Club's representative. Miss 
Galtz, in this beautiful charity, has been 
appreciatively welcomed by scores of suf- 
ferers. 

In response to an earnest talk from 
the President, much of personal service 
was undertaken and accomplished during 
Mrs. Stanwood's administration. It was 
interesting to note the varied character 
of the responses. Some offered the use 
of their carriages to those who might 
especially need them ; others, a view of 
their pictures ; still others, their time to 
read, to tell stories, to mend, to make 
over clothing, to teach some common or 
unusual branch of home accomplish- 
ments. One of the tangible results of 



446 



THE EVANSTON WOMAN'S CLUB 



this movement was the purchase by the 
Club of a knitting-machine for the use 
of the clififerent Mothers' Chibs, where the 
call for stockings was constant and im- 
perative. 

A letter, sent through Mrs. Grey, ap- 
pealed to Marshall Field & Company for 
a guarantee of garments manufactured 
under sanitary conditions. Thus was a 
beginning made towards one of the great 
objects aimed at later by the Consumers' 
League. One of the members skilled in 
bird lore gave a series of interesting 
talks upon her favorite subject. An- 
other member led a course in parliament- 
ary law, which was very profitable and 
enjoyable. A Legislative Committee has 
watched and reported bills and legisla- 
tive matters of importance and interest 
to the women, and the proper influence 
has been used to further them. A course 
of lectures and demonstrations in cook- 
ing and housekeeping, by Mrs. Hiller, 
was managed by the Child and Home 
Department. These were attended by 
over a hundred women, both mistresses 
and maids, who gave their enthusiastic 
approval. 

In May, 1900, the Club invited the Il- 
linois Congress of Mothers to meet un- 
der its auspices in Evanston. An ex- 
ceedingly interesting series of meetings 
was held, lasting over three days. These 
meetings were addressed by eminent 
men and women, and were attended by 
delegates from all parts of the State. 
The conference closed with a beautiful 
reception given by Dr. and Mrs. McKin- 
ney, at their palatial home on the lake 
shore. Baroness Schimmermann, the 
German philanthropist, gave an interest- 
ing talk during her stay in Chicago con- 
cernihg herself and her work among sail- 
ors. Committees are maintained to pro- 
mote the work of the Juvenile Court and 



support a probation ofificer; also to assist 
the Vacation Schools and to guard and 
enforce the ordinances of the city of 
Evanston. 

The Traveling Library Committee 
sent out its first library in 1900. This 
was the first library in the world to be 
taken in charge by the Rural Delivery. 
Since that time ten libraries of fifty books 
each, packed in a complete case, have 
been sent on their way to cheer the bar- 
ren places where books are unattainable. 
Magazines and periodicals are constantly 
being sent in packages to various insti- 
tutions and hospitals, for both adults and 
children. 

For several seasons the privileges of 
the Club have been extended to all the 
teachers of Evanston, and during the 
past season the husbands of members 
and gentlemen "connected by marriage" 
have been invited to attend the meetings. 
Those who have been able to avail them- 
selves of the opportunity have expressed 
their approbation and enjoyment, as 
they have lingered to chat over the cup 
of tea or coffee which is always served 
at the close of the meetings. 

The Club is affiliated with the Illinois 
Federation of Woman's Clubs, the Illi- 
nois Congress of Mothers, the Illinois So- 
ciety for Child-Study, the Chicago Art 
Association and the Cook County League, 
and in the Club rooms is a tempting sup- 
ply of books and current magazines. 

A word as to the local habitation of 
this organization. It was born in the 
home of Mrs. Elizabeth Boynton Har- 
bert, and there it was carefully watched 
through its young and tender years. As 
it grew the members realized that this 
charming home had its limitations in 
space, though never in hospitality. The 
mention of this hospitality brings to the 
minds of the early members the vivid 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



447 



memory of the devotion of Arthur Har- 
bert, who so cordially assisted in provid- 
ing for the comfort and entertainment of 
his mother's friends. With the greatest 
reluctance to leaving the environment 
around which so many associations clus- 
tered, the Club gratefully accepted the 
generous offer of the Evanston Boat 
Club, in December, 1894, and for two 
seasons occupied its attractive assembly 
hall. The membership at this time was 
about two hundred. 

During the two following seasons the 
Club enjoyed the hospitality of the Coun- 
try Club, but in the autumn of 1898 the 
members entered upon the occupation of 
a suite of rooms of their own in the 
new Young Men's Christian Association 
Building. These rooms, furnished com- 
pletely and in excellent taste, have been 
the Club headquarters for five years. 
With the truest instinct of women and 
the best spirit of a club, the members 
look forward with longings and hope to 
the vague future, which may hold for 
them a home of their own. Surely, with 
entire possession and complete control of 
the premises, this ideal club would make 
an ideal home. 

The first and only "Field-Day" of the 
Club was celebrated at the charming 
home of Mr. and Mrs. Harbert, at Lake 
Geneva, in July, 1894. Fifty members 
made up the happy party, and they will 
ever cherish the memory of the occasion 
with keen pleasure and a consciousness 
of fresh inspiration. 

The programs of the twelve years of 
the Club's history contain many names 
illustrious in art, literature, education, 
music, philanthropy and science. The 
very best to be obtained in professional 
and practical lines has been brought be- 
fore the members, both in the depart- 
ments and in the general meetings. 



The membership numbers over three 
hundred and fifty, and includes many 
prominent women, among whom are the 
President of the Illinois Federation of 
Clubs, the President of the Illinois Con- 
gress of Mothers, the President of the Il- 
linois Suffrage Association, the Dean of 
Woman's Hall, the Musical Director of 
the Northwestern University, and Presi- 
dents of several smaller clubs. There 
are a lawyer, a doctor, a librarian, teach- 
ers, wives of judges, editors, professors, 
clergymen, and — honor be to them — 
scores of women who are devoted to that 
most exalted sphere of woman — the 
Home. 

Twenty members have passed beyond 
the activities of this life to the higher 
life Beyond. Their memories are a bene- 
diction to those who knew them here. 

"There is no death 
To the living soul, nor loss, nor harm." 

In 1898 a Club pledge, color and pin 
were adopted. The pin is in form of a 
shield, with emblems of heart, distaff 
and torch, above a scroll bearing the 
words, "Unity, Charity, Liberty." The 
colors are green and gold. The Pledge 
voices unfailing loyalty and active de- 
votion to the Club and its interests. 

There is no better way to epitomize 
the cause of the existence and the course 
of the vitality of the Evanston Woman's 
Club than to quote, in closing, its own 
words, taken from its Constitution : 

"The objects are mutual helpfulness in 
all affairs of life, and united efforts to- 
ward the higher development of human- 
ity." 

Surely there could be no higher stand- 
ard than that expressed in its motto : 

"In essentials, unity; 
"In non-essentials, liberty : 
"In all things, charitv." 



CHAPTER XLIV. 



THE EVANSTON CLUB 

(By N. C. GRIDLEY) 



Promoters and Organisers of "The Green- 
ivood Club" — First Members and Offi- 
cers — Name Changed to "The Evans- 
ton Club" — Club Building Erected — 
First Reception — Changes in By-Lazvs 
and Membership — Value of Club Prop- 
erty — List of Officers. 

On the 24th day of November, 1888, 
at the request of Marshall M. Kirkman, 
the following-named citizens of Evans- 
ton met in the Committee Room of the 
Hotel Richelieu, in the city of Chicago, 
for the purpose of organizing a Club in 
Evanston, namely: Curtis H. Remy, 
Daniel H. Burnham, Marshall M. Kirk- 
man, Nelson C. Gridley, Francis A. 
Hardy, James K. Armsby, Frederick W. 
Clarke, Milton W. Kirk, Edward P. Wil- 
son, David B. Dewey, John B. Kirk, Wil- 
liam E. Stockton, Josiah J. Parkhurst, 
George E. Gooch and Frank M. Elliot. 

Mr. Kirkman stated the object of the 
meeting, and, on his motion, Mr. C. H. 
Remy was elected Chairman ; and, on 
motion of Mr. D. B. Dewey, Mr. C. G. 
Phillips was elected Secretary. There- 
upon it was— 

"Resolved, That measures be at once 
taken to incorporate the Club under the 
laws of the State of Illinois," and on the 
26th of November, 1888, a certificate of 
incorporation of "The Greenwood Club" 



was duly issued by the Secretary of State 
of Illinois. 

Subsequently, at a meeting held in the 
Grand Pacific Hotel, Chicago, November 
28, 1888, the following-named gentlemen 
were duly elected as the ofificers and Di- 
rectors of "The Greenwood Club :" 
President, Marshall M. Kirkman; First 
Vice-President, Daniel H. Burnham ; Sec- 
ond Vice-President, Milton W. Kirk; 
Treasurer, David B. Dewey; Directors — 
Hugh R. Wilson, Charles W. Deering, 
Nelson C. Gridley, Curtis H. Remy, Wil- 
liam E. Stockton, James K. Armsby and 
Charles F. Dwight. 

Thereupon the ofificers and Directors 
adopted By-Laws and House Rules for 
the government of the Club, and elected 
Frank M. Elliot as Secretary. 

The By-Laws provided that "The ob- 
ject for which this Club is formed is the 
promotion of social, athletic and aesthetic 
culture; its immediate purpose the recre- 
ation and amusement of its members and 
their families; that the membership 
should be limited to one hundred mem- 
bers of the age of twenty-one years; that 
the initiation fee shall be $300 and the 
annual dues $50; that junior members, 
between the ages of sixteen and twenty- 
one years, and the sons of or related to 
members, may be admitted to all the 
privileges of the Club except voting ; that 



449 



45° 



THE EVANSTON CLUB 



the ladies of every member's family, and the 
males between the age of sixteen and 
twenty-one years, shall be entitled to the 
privileges of the club; and that no 
liquors shall be allowed in the Club 
House or upon the premises, nor any 
gambling or betting — the purposes of 
the Club being to afford its members and 
their families a place where they may go 
to seek the recreation and amusement 
that are commonly to be found at clubs." 
The following named gentlemen, resi- 
dents of Evanston, were duly elected 
members of the club, each of whom paid 
the initiation fee of $300, and to each of 
whom was subsequently issued a certifi- 
cate of membership : 



James K. Armsby 
Daniel H. Burnham 
Hugh R. Wilson 
Curtis H. Remy 
George E. Gooch 
Milton W. Kirk 
Francis A. Hardy 
Arthur Orr 
William Holabird 
William D. Hitchcock 
Frederic T. Peabody 
Nelson C. Gridley 
Josiah J. Parkhurst 
Augustus A. Buell 
Aaron N. Young 
James H. Deering 
Marshall M. Kirkman 
William Blanchard 
Simeon Farwell 
Nelson De Golyer 
George A. Foster 
William B. PhilHps 
George M. Sargent 
Henry R. Pearsons ^ 
William T. Rickards 
Edward H. Webster 



William E. Stockton 
Frederick W. Clarke 
Charles W. Deering 
David B. Dewey 
Charles F. Dwight 
Edward P. Wilson 
Morris R. Eddy 
John B. Kirk 
Nicholas G. Iglehart 
Arthur S. Kirk 
Thomas A. Balding 
Henry M. Kidder 
Richard L. Dakin 
Frank M. Elliot 
Hugh A. White 
William D. Porter 
Charles G. Fuller 
Volney W. Foster 
Harry S. Farwell 
Charles P. Mitchell 
David S. Cook 
Harold Smith 
Martin M. Gridley 
Birney J. Moore 
H. H. C. Miller 
Richard W. Lynch 



At the meeting of November 28, i 



a committee, consisting of Messrs. Dew- 
ey, Burnham and M. W. Kirk, were ap- 
pointed to investigate as to the most de- 
sirable location for the Club, which com- 
mittee, on the 17th day of December, 
1888, reported the selection of the "Lud- 
1am" lots (on which the Club House now 
stands) situated on the northwest corner 
of Chicago Avenue and Grove Street, 132 
by 210 feet, and which could be purchased 
at $11,000; and thereupon the Executive 
Committee were authorized to make the 
purchase of said lots. The money for the 
purchase of said lots was obtained by the 
issue of the bonds of the club, of $500 
each, secured by mortgage, all of which 
bonds were purchased by members of the 
club. There was situated upon said lots 
a frame dwelling house, which had been 
occupied by Mrs. Ludlam and family for 
many years, and which was removed by 
her as a condition of the purchase of said 
lots. 

At a meeting of the members of "The 
Greenwood Club," held at the Avenue 
House, Evanston, January 14, 1889, it was 
unanimously 

"Resolved, That the name of this cor- 
poration, 'The Greenwood Club,' be, and 
the same is hereby changed to 'The Ev- 
anston Club." 

And, thereupon due proceedings were 
taken for the change of same in compli- 
ance with the laws of the State of Illinois. 

On the 15th of March, 1889, the Board 
of Directors adopted plans and specifica- 
tions for the building of a Club House, 
which had been prepared by Holabird & 
Roche, architects, under the supervision 
of a committee consisting of F. \\\ Clarke, 
D. H. Burnham and William Holabird, 
and thereupon a building committee, con- 
sisting of D. H. Burnham, D. B. Dewey 
and N. C. Gridley was duly appointed, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



451 



and instructed to proceed with the erec- 
tion of a Chib House. 

"The Evanston Club" Chib House was 
practically completed, and a meeting of 
the Board of Directors was first held in 
the Club House on September 24, 1889. 

In consequence of the cost of the build- 
ing and its appurtenances exceeding the 
estimates therefor, it became necessary to 
raise funds for the furnishing of the Club 
House, whereupon twenty-three members 
of the Club voluntarily subscribed $ioo 
each, for that purpose, which money was 
subsequently repaid by the Club. 

A committee consisting of Mr. and Mrs. 
Charles F. Dwight, Mr. and Mrs. William 
Holabird, and Mr. and Mrs. Frederick W. 
Clarke, was appointed to select and pur- 
chase furniture and fixtures for the Club 
House. The opening party of the Club 
was given on the evening of Tuesday, Oc- 
tober I. 1889. The guests, consisting of 
members and their wives, sons and daugh- 
ters of members over the age of sixteen, 
and invited guests, in all about 600, were 
received by a Reception Committee con- 
sisting of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall M. Kirk- 
man, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel H. Burnham, 
Mr. and Mrs. Milton W. Kirk, Mr. and 
Mrs. Frank M. Elliot, Mr. and Mrs. 
Hugh R. Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. Charles 
Deering, Mr. and Mrs. James K. Armsby 
and Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Dwight. 

On August 28, 1890, the By-Laws were 
so amended that "The membership of 
this Club shall be limited to one hundred 
and sixty (160), and shall consist of sixty 
(60) charter members, or those having 
paid $300 membership fee and holding 
certificates of membership, and one hun- 
dred (100) Associate Members without 
any ownership in the property of the 
Club." Subsequently, on November 2, 
1891, the By-Laws were again amended 
so as to increase the membership to 200, 



to consist of sixty (60) charter and one 
hundred and forty (140) Associate Mem- 
bers. 

In July, 1896, the distinctions thereto- 
fore existing in the membership of the 
Club were abolished, and all members 
were granted equal rights in the govern- 
ment and property of the Club. This was 
accomplished by the charter members 
surrendering their certificates of member- 
ship and releasing all interest in the proper- 
ty of the Club, in consideration of new cer- 
tificates of membership providing that the 
dues of each holder of a certificate shall 
not exceed $25 per annum. 

During the fall and winter months in 
each year from the opening party in Oc- 
tober, 1889, to and including 1894-5 — the 
Club took the lead in the social amuse- 
ments of Evanston in providing for its 
members, their wives and children, con- 
certs, vocal and instrumental ; musicales 
and theatricals by members; sociables, 
with music, dancing and cards; children's 
entertainments, card parties, dancing 
parties, lectures, readings, song and vio- 
lin recitals, and, in many of the entertain- 
ments, the Club hired artists of national 
and international reputation. 

In consequence of the organization of 
other social clubs in Evanston, as "The 
Country Club" and "The Boat Club," the 
general features of social entertainment 
by "the Evanston Club" were curtailed, 
and have been limited, since the fall and 
winter of 1895-6, to bowling, billiards and 
cards, with bi-monthly card parties or 
"Ladies' Nights," for the special enter- 
tainments of the wives and daughters of 
members of the Club. 

The property of "The Evanston Club," 
consisting of real estate and the Club 
House with its furnishings and fixtures, 
is of the value of about $50,000, with a 



452 



THE EVANSTON CLUB 



bonded indebtedness of only $12,000, and Treasurer, on January i, 1902, of about 
having a balance in the hands of the $1,000. 

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF THE EVANSTON CLUB FROM ITS INCEPTION 



Year 


President and 
Director 


First 
Vice-President 
and Di i-ector 


Second 

Vice-President 

and Director 


Secretary 


Treasurer and 
Director 


Director 


1S88 


M. M. Kirkman 


D. H. Burnliam 


M. W. Kirk 


F. M. Elliot 


D. B. Dewey 


C. W. Deering 


1889 


M. M. Kirkman 


D. H. Burnham 


M. W. Kirk 


F. M. Elliot 


D. B. Dewey 


C. W. Deering 


1890 


M. M. Kirkman 


D. H. Burnham 


M. W. Kirk 


F. M. Elliot 


D. B. Deney 


C. W. Deering 


1891 


IVI. M. Kirkman 


M. W. Kirk 


N. C. Gridley 


F. M. Elliot 


W. T. Rickards 


F. A. Hardy 


1892 


M. M. Kirkman 


M. W. Kirk 


N. C. Gridley 


F, M. Elliot 


W. J. Fabian 


F. A. Hardy 


1893 


M. M. Kirkman 


W. H. Bartlett 


J. B. Kirk 


F. M. Elliot 


W. J. Fabian 


F. A. Hardy 


1894 


M. M. Kirkman 


W. H. Bartlelt 


J. B. Kirk 


N. G. Iglehart 


W. J. Fabian 


F. A. Hardy 


1895 


M. M. Kirkman 


W. H. Bartlett 


N. C. Gridley 


G. M. Sargent 


G. R. Jenkins 


F. A. Hardy 


1896 


M. M. Kirkman 


N. C. Gridley 


W. Holabiid 


W. T. Rickards 


G. R. Jenkins 


F. A. Hardy 


1896 


N. 0. Gridley 


W. Holabird 


F. A. Hardy 


W. T. Rickards 


G. R. Jenkins 


M. M. Kirkman 


1897 


N. C. Gridley 


W. Holabird 


F. A. Hardy 


W. T. Rickards 


G. H.Jenkins 


M. M. Kirkman 


1898 


N. C. Gridley 


W. Holabird 


F. A. Hardy 


W. T. Rickards 


G. R. Jenkins 


M. M. Kirkman 


1899 


N. C. Gridley 


W. Holabird 


F. A. Hardy 


W. T. Rickards 


G. R.Jenkins 


C. H. M'Farland 


19(X) 


A. N. Young 


a. K. Jenkins 


W. T. Rickards 


A. Millard 


C. H. Harbert 


C. H. M-Farland 


1901 


G. R. Jenkins 


B. F. Adams 


G. S. Marsh 


N. G. Iglehart 


N. G. Iglehart 


C. H. M'Farland 



Year 


Director 


Director 


Director 


Director 


Director 


Director 


1888 


J. K. Armsby 


H. R. Wilson 


W. E. Stockton 


N. C. Gridley 


C. F. Dwight 


C. H. Remy 


1889 


J. K. Armsby 


H. R. Wilson 


W. E. Stockton 


N. C. Gridley 


C. F. Dwight 


C. H. Remy 


1890 


J. K. Armsby 


H. R. Wilson 


W. E. Stockton 


N. C. Gridley 


C. F. Dwight 


C. H. Remy 


1891 


N, G. Iglehart 


H. K. Wilson 


W. E. Stockton 


W. Holabird 


A. C. Buell 


A. N. Young 


1892 


N. G. Iglehart 


H. R. Wilson 


W. H. Bartlett 


W. Holabird 


A. C. Buell 


W. D. Hitchcock 


1893 


N. G. Iglehart 


N. C. Gridley 


H. A. Pearsons 


W. Holabird 


A. C. Buell 


W. D. Hitchcock 


1K94 


N. G. Iglehart 


N. 0. Gridley 


H. A. Pearsons 


W. Holabird 


D. A. Mudge 


0. H. Remy 


1895 


N. G. Iglehart 


W. J. Fabian 


C. J. Connell 


W. Holabird 


G. M. Sargent 


C. H. Remy 


1896 


N. G. Iglehart 


W. J. Fabian 


C. J. Connell 


W. H, Bartlett 


a. M. Sargent 


C. H. Remy 


1896 


N. G. Iglehart 


W. J. Fabian 


C. J. Connell 


W. H. Bartlett 


G. M. Sargent 


C. H. Remy 


1897 


N. G. Iglehart 


K. S. Lacey 


C. T. Boynton 


W. H. Bartlett 


G. M. Sargent 


H. S. Stevens 


1898 


N. G. Iglehart 


E. S. Lacey 


C. T. Boynton 


W. H. Bartlett 


G. M. Sargent 


H. S. Stevens 


1899 


N. Q. Iglehart 


K. S. Lacey 


R. C. Lake 


D. A. Kimball 


W. T. Rickards 


H. S. Stevens 


1900 


N. G. Iglehart 


F. W. Gerould 


J. A. Patten 


D. A. Kimball 


N. C. Gridley 


H. S. Stevens 


1901 


A. N. Young 


F. W. Gerould 


J. A. Lawrence 


D. A. Kimball 


N. C. Gridley 


H. S. Stevens 



CHAPTBR XLV. 



EVANSTON COUNTRY CLUB 



First Steps and Motives Proinpting Organ- 
isation — Names of Projectors — Or- 
ganization Effected in May, iSS8 — The 
Nezv Club Finds a Home — Memories 
of the "Old Shelter" and Its First Occu- 
pants — The Club Formally Incorpo- 
rated — First Board of Directors — Club 
Abandons the "Old Shelter" — Neiv 
Quarters Dedicated in October, igo2 — 
Nciv Years Receptions and Children's 
Day Chief Functions — Lady Directors 
— Promotion of Branch Associations — 
Dramatic, Cycling, Musical, Equestrian 
and Polo Associations — Banjo and 
Mandolin Association — Former and 
Present Officers — Present Membership 
800 — List of Life Members. 

To the minds of the older individual 
members of Evanston's representative so- 
ciety, that class which typifies the best 
achievement and highest aspiration of the 
city's social life, any reference to the 
"Country Club" has been suggestive, in 
other days, of a larger volume of pleasur- 
able thoughts, remembrances and antici- 
pations than were called forth by the men- 
tion of any other feature of that com- 
munity. This responsive sentiment, 
moreover, was not confined to those who 
made their home in the beautiful city with 
which the Country Club is identified, but 
extended to urban residents of the vicin- 



age, where dwelt congenial souls, who, as 
guests, were wont to partake of the enjoy- 
ment signalizing memorable gatherings 
within the hospitable portals of the Club's 
"Home." And thus, although its exist- 
ence is measured by less than a score of 
years, its name long since became a syn- 
onym in Evanston for all that is worthiest 
and best in an association of kindred spir- 
its, with the common purpose of fostering 
inspiriting diversions and wholesome 
sports, commingled with exercises of the 
mental faculties, and uplifting endeavors 
in the domain of music and art. The first 
conception of the projectors of the club 
was, doubtless, little else than as a medi- 
um for indulgence, on a more compre- 
hensive scale, in the popular sports of the 
day, such as basket ball, tennis, billiards, 
pool, and other games devoid of strenu- 
ous exertion, and as an opportunity for 
unconventional gatherings, in a "home" 
common to the membership, of those who 
sought to cultivate a wider and better ac- 
quaintance than occasional neighborhood 
visiting afforded. Almost in its infancy, 
however, the organization began to develop 
into a broader scope, and continued enlarg- 
ing its sphere of activities until it became 
the most conspicuous feature in Evanston's 
social life. 

Previous to the inception of "The Coun- 
try Club," many well-known gentlemen of 



453 



454 



EVANSTON COUNTRY CLUB 



Evanston, largely of the younger element, 
were wont to indulge their social inclina- 
tions for fellowship, by fraternizing in 
coteries of limited membership, under va- 
rious designations and for various speci- 
fied purposes. This manner of dividing 
into small groups led to a habit of invid- 
ious criticism, and the members of one set 
\vere not infrequently the objects of de- 
preciatory allusions by those of another, 
the basis of organization being narrow and 
the methods arbitrary. In none of these 
was the gentler sex eligible to member- 
ship, and public social functions of a com- 
prehensive nature were unknown. In 
1880 but two clubs of any pretentions 
were known in Evanston, viz.: the "Ev- 
anston Social Club," which was shortly 
afterwards disrupted, and the "Evanston 
Boat Club," devoted to a single purpose, 
and having an enrollment of two score of 
the stylish young men of the town. Some- 
what later, another organization of young 
men was formed under the title of the 
"Idlewild Club," for the promotion of ath- 
letic sports, chiefly indoor ball and tennis. 
The Idlewild Club was subsequently 
merged with the Evanston Boat Club. 
The "Evanston Club," of present high re- 
pute, had not then been ushered into ex- 
istence. 

The ladies of Evanston, to a certain ex- 
tent, were associated in those days in 
small, companionable bodies of their own 
sex, each comprising from a dozen to a 
score of members, designated by odd and 
enigmatic titles in the form of initial let- 
ters, such as the M. As ; the N. Gs ; the 
X. Ys ; and the J. Js. These feminine 
groups were quite out of social touch with 
each other, making no effort towards har- 
monious relations, and, as between clubs 
of the sterner sex, unseemly rivalry en- 
gendered petty jealousies and harsh as- 
persions, at times approaching animosity. 



Under the conditions which then pre- 
vailed in Evanston society, it was thus 
reserved for a new blending of social fac- 
tors, the necessity for which had long 
been tacitly recognized in various quar- 
ters, to mold into cordial harmony, upon 
a broad and enduring basis, all kindred 
spirits of both sexes, composing that ele- 
ment which was conceded to be truly rep- 
resentative of the better and more highly 
aspiring social life of the city, in which 
all felt a fond pride. 

The project of the Country Club of Ev- 
anston was first made a subject of discus- 
sion at a select social gathering at the 
residence of Frederick W. Clarke, on Hin- 
man Avenue, in April, 1888. The sugges- 
tion of such an idea touched a common 
chord of responsive sentiment in all the 
guests, prominent among whom were A. 
T. Cutler, George T. Judd, Frederick 
Arnd, George Lunt, E. A. Chapman and 
William L. Brown. One of the ladies 
present was Mrs. Thomas S. Creighton 
(then Virginia Hamline), who was em- 
phatic in urging an immediate movement 
toward organization. The gentlemen pres- 
ent withdrew into seclusion for a brief 
conference in regard to the practical fea- 
tures of the scheme, and their consulta- 
tion resulted in a decision to induce, if 
possible, one of Evanston's most promi- 
nent and popular citizens to take the in- 
itiative in formative eflfort. The particular 
patron on whom the minds of all in at- 
tendance centered, was Marshall M. Kirk- 
man, then, as now. a recognized leader in 
all worthy enterprises in Evanston. To 
Misses Hamline and Barlow, in conjunc- 
tion with Thomas S. Creighton, was in- 
trusted the mission of soliciting Mr. Kirk- 
man's co-operation as the principal or- 
ganizer of the new club. This committee 
and its proposition met with a cordial 
reception from that gentleman, who be- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



455 



came a ready sponsor of the movement, 
and at his residence, on the evening of May 
14, 1888, two committees were appointed, 
one to formulate a constitution, and the 
other to nominate officers, for the forth- 
coming organization. Their duties were 
accomplished on the spot. The nucleus 
of the present elaborate constitution was 
submitted to the assemblage and prompt- 
ly ratified, and the officials designated by 
the committee on nominations were con- 
firmed by vote, as follows : President, 
Marshall M. Kirkman ; First Vice-Presi- 
dent, Frederick W. Clarke ; Second Vice- 
President, Milton W. Kirk ; Treasurer 
and Recording Secretary, Thomas S. 
Creighton ; and Corresponding Secretary, 
Catherine Aishton. The original enroll- 
ment included a membership of 150, com- 
posed of persons representing the most 
reputable element in Evanston society, 
associated for the purpose of promoting 
a higher degree and wider range of socia- 
bility, and encouraging physical exercise 
in the practice of athletic games. The 
aim of the club was, as declared by one 
of its projectors, the "making of life in 
Evanston even more pleasant than it is at 
present," and in the by-laws adopted at 
the outset, the object was formally stated 
to be "the promotion of social, athletic 
and esthetic culture, and its immediate 
purpose, the recreation and amusement of 
its members." 

Formative details having been disposed 
of, the next step in the progress of the 
Country Club was, naturally, the estab- 
lishment of suitable quarters for its oc- 
cupancy. Its first "home" was built on 
Hinman Avenue, within an environment 
of most pleasant grounds. It was known 
by the quaint name of "The Old Shelter," 
and although of limited dimensions and 
* unpretentious aspect, well served its pur- 
pose during the inceptive period of the 



club's existence. A snug retreat, of rus- 
tic design with a generous fireplace and 
cozy veranda, it was uniquely decorated 
within and without, and, altogether, was 
keenly suggestive of ease and comfort. 
Delightful indeed are the recollections 
that cluster about "The Old Shelter." and 
the thoughts of early members of the 
club who frequented it often revert to its 
homelike attractiveness, with feelings of 
pleasure not unmingled with a tinge of 
sadness. Many of them, then in the fer- 
vid flush of youth, but now staid matrons 
or sedate sires, both smile and sigh as 
they recall the gayeties of old-time sum- 
mer gatherings there, under moonlit foli- 
age, or the mirthful hours of cider sym- 
posiums on long winter evenings. Of the 
familiar faces of yore that reflected cheer 
on the festivities of "The Old Shelter," 
not all remain. Some of them are now 
known in connection with new scenes of 
activity, while the earthly abodes of oth- 
ers will miss them evermore. The mem- 
ory of the early members who have van- 
ished from this world's habitations, not- 
ably, George T. Judd, George Lunt and 
E. A. Chapman, is sacredly cherished by 
their surviving contemporaries among the 
founders of the club. 

At a business meeting of the members 
held March 22, 1889, a committee was ap- 
pointed to secure the incorporation of 
The Country Club under the laws of Il- 
linois, and a petition for that purpose was 
drafted and forwarded to the State capi- 
tal, to which twenty-eight names were ap- 
pended. The gentlemen having charge 
of this matter were Martin M. Gridley, 
Harry P. Pearsons, J. Stanley Grepe, 
Thomas S. Creighton, Edwin F. Brown. 
Arthur Orr, Nicholas G. Iglehart, George 
Lunt, Harry S. Farwell and Freder- 
ick W. Clarke. A charter was issued, 
and the club was thus ushered into exist- 



456 



EVANSTON COUNTRY CLUB 



ence with the sanction of law. The first 
Board of Directors under the act of in- 
corporation was composed of William 
Holabird, William L. Brown, John H. 
Kedzie, Jr., Charles H. Matthews and 
John W. Scott. Applications for mem- 
bership were numerous from this period, 
and the strength of the organization rap- 
idly increased. At the outset its influence 
was chiefly manifest in widening the circle 
of pleasant acquaintance of worthy men 
and women, who had hitherto been kept 
apart by barriers of formality. While 
the rules regulating admission were care- 
fully administered, arbitrary restrictions 
were ignored, and the stiffness of mere 
conventionalism, in the better element of 
Evanston society, was soon materially 
relaxed under the genial sentiment domi- 
nating the club. The principal entertain- 
ment features under its auspices were in 
the form of select dancing parties, and 
the popular sports on its program were 
those then mostly in vogue — tennis and 
indoor ball. 

Early in its fifth year, the numerical 
strength of the organization had grown 
to such a degree, and the social and ath- 
letic activities projected had so far ex- 
ceeded the original plans, as to disclose 
the need of more ample accommodations 
as to space and convenience of arrange- 
ment, than "The Old Shelter" afforded. 
Measures were thereupon taken to pro- 
vide new quarters. Plans were drawn un- 
der the supervision of the management, 
and the task of construction was com- 
menced in the early summer of 1902. In 
the autumn of that year the present com- 
modious and inviting structure, at the in- 
tersection of Lake Street and Oak Ave- 
nue, was completed. On the evening 
of October 18, the new edifice was suit- 
ably dedicated. The cost of the house and 
grounds was about $40,000, which in- 



volved an issue of bonds to the amount 
of $33,500. The occupation of the present 
"home" signalized the inauguration of a 
more attractive series of social festivities, 
and a course of highly-interesting athletic 
competitions, which occasionally involved 
the participation of noted clubs from 
other localities. The Country Club "ger- 
mans" date from that period, as does also 
the Lady Directors' custom of New 
Year's Day receptions, which have since 
constituted the most elaborate and en- 
joyable society "affairs" known in Evans- 
ton. From the time of the club's incep- 
tion, one day has been set apart in sum- 
mer, and one in winter, as "Children's 
Day," devoted to childish merry-making. 
On these occasions, the little folk monop- 
olize the club house and its environs for 
a time of blithesome frolic. Music, re- 
freshments and youthful sports abound, 
and the periodical recurrence of "Chil- 
dren's Day" is awaited by the juvenile 
element in Evanston with eager anticipa- 
tion. 

During the period intervening between 
1892 and 1895, the Country Club played 
the part of host in many entertainments 
on an elaborate scale, in which its guests 
were well-known pleasure clubs, athleti'c 
organizations, and civic and military 
bodies. Among the prominent Lady Di- 
rectors of that time whose conspicuous 
charms and accomplishments lent peculiar 
dignity and grace to these brilliant func- 
tions, were Mrs. Thomas S. Creighton, 
Mrs. Frederick Arnd, Mrs. George R. 
Jenkins, Mrs. Charles G. Fuller, Mrs. David 
A. Mudge, Mrs. William A. Hammond, 
Mrs. John B. Kirk, Mrs. Christopher L. 
Williams, Mrs. Milton W. Kirk. Mrs. 
Andrew Hazelhurst, Mrs. Frank M. Elli- 
ot, Miss Cornelia G. Lunt, Mrs. William 
J. Fabian. Mrs. Milton M. Kirkman, Mrs. 
Benjamin F. Adams, Mrs. Nicholas G. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



457 



Igleliart, Mrs. Edwin F. Brown. Mrs. 
Stewart Clark, Mrs. A. C. Buell, Mrs. 
Harry P. Pearsons, Mrs. Charles J. Con- 
nell, Mrs. George Lunt, Mrs. Curtis H. 
Remy, Mrs. Henry R. Post, Mrs. William 
Holabird, Mrs. William H. Harper. Mrs. 
Daniel H. Burnham, Mrs. B. J. Moore, 
Mrs. Francis A. Hardy, and Mrs. Herman 
D. Cable. 

About the year 1890, was put into prac- 
tical operation the policy of promoting 
branch associations for the purpose of 
fostering the talent and skill of the club's 
membership in particular lines of accom- 
plishment. Between that year and 1895, 
seven flourishing subordinate branches 
were formed under the fostering care of 
the parent body, and whatever were the 
predilections of individual members as to 
esthetic culture, or their aptitude in the 
line of' popular sports, each found in one 
of these dififerent associations a satisfac- 
tory medium for the gratification of a pe- 
culiar taste, or the cultivation of a special 
talent. This policy of the club proved 
signally successful, and has done more to 
bring into prominent notice and stimulate 
to a high degree of development, the home 
talent of Evanston in musical and histrionic 
rendition, than all other local agencies 
combined. As early as 1895 the concerts 
given and the operas and dramas rendered 
bv the members, and under the auspices 
of The Country Club, were hardly inferior 
to professional presentations, and the new 
club house had become the musical and ar- 
tistic center of Evanston. 

In the winter of 1893-94 was formed 
the Dramatic Association of the club. 
Prominent among the organizers were 
Louis F. Brown, William J. Fabian, Arch- 
er Gififord, Henry Raeder and William L. 
Wells. In addition to these gentlemen, 
and the wives of the last four, the follow- 
ing were original members of the associa- 



tion, namely: Mr. and Mrs. Frederick 
Arnd, Mr. and Mrs. William H. Harper, 
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cobb Kennedy, Mr. 
and Mrs. William A. Hammond, Mr. and 
Mrs. Charles P. Spining, Mr. and Mrs. 
Harley C. Winchell, Messrs. Gardner 
Read, Charles H. Dalgleish, Edward Hurd 
Smith, Hugh Talbot, George Stanford, 
Frederick H. Tackaberry, Frank M. 
Gould, John W. Scott, Ernest H. Eversz, 
Louis A. Ferguson, Frank M. Savage, 
Hanson McDowell, William C. Evans, 
and Misses Bessie Fletcher, Lida Scott, 
Anna Ives Hotchkiss, A. Louise Redfield, 
Maria Reynolds, Flora Gardner, Louise 
Rice, Sarah Ward, Mae Talbot, Mary T. 
Wilson, Virginia Boteler, Alice Spaulding, 
Mae Dingee, Anna Jane Wilcox, Lily M. 
Parker, Mrs. Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, 
Rosella Ward, Jessie E. Eversz, Ruth Far- 
well, Catherine Aishton and Louise Hoge. 
The officers were as follows: William J. 
Fabian, Manager; Miss Jean McN. Matte- 
son, Secretary; and Mrs. Charles P. Spin- 
ing, Miss Mary W. Lord, Archer Gififord, 
Henry Raeder and Harvey Cobb Ken- 
nedy, Directors. The new "Shelter" was 
remodeled in 1895, in order to admit of 
an enlargement of the stage to meet the 
necessary requirements of the Dramatic 
Association, and after this was made suit- 
able, and the requisite mechanical ap- 
pointments were provided. the plays 
thereupon produced, with roles filled by 
association's members, were presented in 
a manner as complete, entertaining and 
artistic as many witnessed in the theaters 
of Chicago. 

The Cycling Association of the Coun- 
try Club, for the purpose of which the 
smooth and shady streets of Evanston and 
its environs afforded peculiar facilities, 
was formed in 1894. A special feature in 
its program of recreation was the club 
rides on Saturday afternoons, when the 



458 



EVANSTON COUNTRY CLUB 



members sallied forth from the club 
house, and wended their way to some ap- 
pointed destination in the surrounding 
countr}'. There they partook of refresh- 
ments and whiled away the waning day 
with pleasant converse in scattered 
groups, returning homeward in the dusk 
of evening, in jovial procession. The 
tasteful and variegated attire of the lady 
cyclists on these occasions presented a 
gay spectacle, the animated discourse of 
all, as they glided along in the twilight, 
giving evidence to throngs of interested 
observers, of the enjoyable hours they had 
passed. A large proportion of the early 
members of the club were enrolled in this 
association. It was managed by a Board 
of Directors, the regular excursions being 
under the conduct of Dr. Frank Dakin or 
Edwin C. Belknap. The association also 
included a body of cyclists composed ex- 
clusively of ladies organized for daily 
rides, under the guidance of Mrs. Freder- 
ick Arnd and Miss Bessie Chapin. 

The Country Club "Musical Associa- 
tion" was formed in 1894, its nucleus be- 
ing a singing society previously organized 
by a few of the members. Through the 
efforts of President Kirkman, who was 
ever on the alert to devise measures for 
broadening the scope and enhancing the 
usefulness and prestige of the club, this 
association received its first impetus. Mr. 
Kirkman was aided by the earnest co-op- 
eration of Walter M. Anthony, who had 
been prominent in the musical circles of 
Worcester, Mass., before establishing his 
home in Evanston. At the instance of 
these two gentlemen, a meeting of all the 
members interested in the project was 
convened on February 20, of the last men- 
tioned year. In that gathering The Coun- 
try Club Musical Association was 
launched into being, with the following 
board of Directors, namely : Mrs. George 



R. Jenkins, Miss Cornelia G. Lunt, Miss 
Annie W. Lord, John W. Scott, Prof. A. 
F. McCarrell, Ernest H. Eversz, and Wal- 
ter M. Anthony. Mr. Anthony was after- 
wards elected President, and Mr. Eversz, 
Secretary and Treasurer. The associa- 
tion was subsequently divided into two 
separate bodies — a woman's musical or- 
ganization, at first styled the "Friday 
Morning Musical Club," and a society of 
male vocalists, called the Country Club 
Maennerchor. The practice of the latter 
was under the direction of Prof. McCar- 
rell, and later, under that of Prof. P. C. 
Lutkin. In conjunction with Messrs. Mc- 
Carrell and Lutkin as founders of the 
Maennerchor, were William Richards, 
Charles Dickinson and John R. Lindgren. 
Mr. Lindgren, who had been an orchestra 
leader in Chicago, suceeded Mr. Anthony 
as its President. Associated with him as 
officers were Charles S. Burch, Vice-Pres- 
ident ; Albert D. Shaw, Secretary ; Thom- 
as Beard, Treasurer; and Robert Holmes, 
Librarian. The Maennerchor, whose first 
efforts were limited to college songs and 
old-time melodies, gradually attained pro- 
ficiency in a higher degree of musical art, 
and became one of the leading organiza- 
tions of its kind in the West. 

The Woman's Musical Association of 
The Country Club, at first known as the 
"Fridav Morning Club," was composed of 
about thirty active members, and consti- 
tuted the Ladies' Choir of The Country 
Club. Together with the Maennerchor, 
it formed the well-known "Evanston Mu- 
sic Club of that period. The original 
officers of the Woman's Musical Associ- 
ation were as follows: Mrs. William Hol- 
abird. President ; Mrs. Arthur W. Under- 
wood, Vice-President : and Mrs. Marshall 
M. Kirkman, Mrs. Daniel A. Mudge, Mrs. 
William L. Vance, Mrs. Charles P. Spin- 
ing, Mrs. Charles R. Webster and Miss 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



459 



Helen M. Ide, Directors. The member- 
ship represented a superior order of mu- 
sical talent, and acquired, by reason of dili- 
gent practice, an excellent artistic culture. 
It was recognized as the bright esthetic 
feature of Evanston society. 

A large number of members of The 
Country Club gathered in its reception 
rooms on May 28, 1894, and perfected the 
organization of the Equestrian Associa- 
tion, in which riders of both sexes were 
represented Francis A. Hardy was 
elected Director, with William C. Hoag 
as Secretary and Treasurer; and Francis 
O. Frazier, William B. Bogert and Ham- 
ilton E. Grepe were chosen as a board of 
managers. The event at once stimulated a 
new interest in horsemanship throughout 
the town. Many superb riding horses 
were purchased and brought to Evanston 
from Kentucky and Missouri, States noted 
for their fine grade of saddle horses, and 
scores of mettlesome steeds were soon 
seen prancing in the knightly sport which 
the association was formed to promote. 
Its members, mounted on chargers capar- 
isoned in saddle-blankets of blue broad- 
cloth with yellow bindings and showing, 
brightly embroidered in their corners, tlfe 
four-leaf clover emblematic of the club, 
presented a gay and imposing sight 
to the beholder. The riding parties were 
wont to meet for country-road excursions 
on Saturday afternoons, and to the prac- 
tice of graceful horsemanship acquired in 
many spirited jaunts, is attributable much 
of the skill for which Evanston society 
people have been noted in connection with 
this robust and exhilarating diversion. At 
the period of its inception, thirty-one gen- 
tlemen, all prominent members of The 
Country Club, joined in the regular riding 
parties of the Equestrian Association. 
Among the accomplished equestriennes 
who graced these occasions were Mrs. 



Louis F. Brown, Mrs. Charles Buckley, 
Mrs. Thomas S. Creighton, Mrs. Frederick 
E. French, Mrs. Francis A. Hardy, Mrs. 
Marshall M. Kirkman, Mrs. George W. 
Whitfield and Misses Katherine Buehler, 
Cora Cassard, Elizabeth Fletcher, Minnie 
Kirkman. Maude Parker, Kate C. Quin- 
lan and Mary T. Wilson. In the summer 
of 1895, as an off-shoot of the Equestrian 
Association, a number of its members or- 
ganized themselves for competition in the 
game of pony polo. This body acting in 
concert with the former, afterwards in- 
augurated what was observed as "The 
Country Club Field Day," on which polo 
matches, hurdle races, pony races and 
premium "turnout" exhibits constituted 
the attractions. Marshall M. Kirkman was 
the projector of The Country Club Polo 
Association,_ and its organization was ef- 
fected at his residence on the evening of 
April 12, 1895. Besides the host of the 
occasion, those in attendance were Albert 
Tracy Kirkman, Marshall Jay Kirkman, 
W. Bruce Kirkman, George H. Sargent, 
John H. Kedzie, Jr., Gabriel F. Slaughter, 
Henry W. Dakin, John M. Allen, Freder- 
ick S. Chapin and George K. Armsby. 
George S. Chapin was elected Captain of 
the Association, and Frederick S. Chapin 
was made Secretary and Treasurer. 
Grounds were leased and suitably pre- 
pared at the corner of Grant Street and 
Asbury Avenue, and an experimental 
game of polo was there played one month 
from the date of organization. 

A feature of instrumental music was 
supplied by the club in October, 1894, in 
the formation of a Banjo and Mandolin 
Association, each instrument being at first 
represented by a distinct organization, 
the former having fifteen members, and 
the latter, eleven. These were under the 
direction, respectively, of Ralph H. Smith 
and Signor Salvatore Tomaso. The two 



460 



EVANSTON COUNTRY CLUB 



societies were subsequently united under 
one leadership. Prominent among the or- 
iginal members were the Misses Mae Rice, 
Grace Hess. Lily Rice, Susanna Rowe, 
Lucy Pinney, Blanche Eversz, Elizabeth 
Boynton Harbert, Frances Rickards, Ter- 
esa Metcalf, Louise Rice, Emily D. Rowe, 
Mrs. Lucian E. Harding, and Messrs. 
Charles George Lewis, Thomas H. Lewis, 
William C. Gilbert, John W. Scott, 
Dwight Willing, Frank Savage, Winter 
D. Hess, Will Gilbert, William McCor- 
mick. Charles H. Matthews, Marshall Jay 
Kirkman and Benjamin Miller. Some of 
these "branch associations" were discon- 
tinued in after years. Among the most 
notable "functions" of the parent club 
which have been maintained ever since 
its inception, are the New Year's recep- 
tions and the Children's Day festivals, 
which are still characterized by undimin- 
ished vivacity and eclat. 

From the organization of the Country 
Club, on JMay 14, 1888, until and including 
the annual election of officers in 1898, its 
subordinate executive officials were as fol- 
lows: First 'Vice -Presidents — Frederick 
W, Clarke, Arthur Orr, William E. Stock- 
ton (who served two terms), and Freder- 
ick Arnd (who served seven terms) ; Sec- 
ond 'Vice-Presidents — Milton W. Kirk, 
Frederick Arnd (who served two terms), 
Frank M. Elliot, and Benjamin F. Adams 
(who served seven terms) ; Treasurers — 
Thomas S. Creighton and Nicholas G. 
Iglehart, of whom the latter served ten 
terms ; Secretaries — Catherine Aishton, 
Edwin F. Brown (who served seven 
terms), William B. Bogert, and John H. 
Kedzie, Jr., (who served two terms). In 
the course of time above mentioned, the 
following gentlemen were Directors of 
the club: Marshall M. Kirkman, Nicholas 
G. Iglehart, Edwin C. Belknap, Benjamin 
F. Adams, Thomas S. Creighton, Arthur 



Orr, Frederick Arnd, George Lunt, Ros- 
coe L. Wickes, Edwin F. Brown, Martin 
M. Gridley, William E. Stockton, William 
Holabird, Frank M. Elliot, Harry S. Stev- 
ens, Francis O. Frazier, Francis A. Hardy, 
E. A. Chapman, Milton W. Kirk, Hugh 
R. Wilson, John Scott, Hanson McDow- 
ell, Charles H. Matthews, William B. 
Bogert and Charles T. Boynton. 

Marshall M. Kirkman served continu- 
ously as President of the club from the time 
of its organization imtil the official term 
covering 1898. William Holabird suc- 
ceeded Mr. Kirkman as President and 
Francis A. Hardy became First Vice- 
President ; Francis O. Frazier, Second 
■Vice-President; Rufus C. Davis, Treasur- 
er; and Lucien E. Harding, Secretary. 
The directors then elected were : for three 
years — Frederick Arnd, John H. Kedzie, 
jr., John W. Scott and William W. Gates ; 
for two years — Hugh R. Wilson and Wal- 
ter W. Ross ; for one year — Marshall I\L 
Kirkman, Rollin A. Keyes and Edwin A. 
Sherman. In April, 1901, Judge Leroy D. 
Thoman succeeded Mr. Holabird as Pres- 
ident, serving in that capacity four years. 

The present President of the Club, 
Franklin C. Letts, was elected May i, 
1905, when the following officials were 
also elected, namely: First "Vice-Presi- 
dent, Charles E. Yerkes ; Second "Vice- 
President, Charles G. Davis ; Secretary 
and Treasurer, Charles N. Stevens ; Di- 
rectors — Murray B. Augur, Charles H. 
Barry, Marshall Clarke, David R. Forgan, 
George T. Kelly, William Holabird, Mar- 
shall M. Kirkman, C. F. Marlow, F. F. 
Peabody and William H. Warren. 

The present membership of The Coun- 
try Club numbers 800. Its sole honorary 
member is Nicholas G. Iglehart. The list 
of life members, a relation involving a fee 
of $400 for gentlemen and $83 for ladies, 
is as follows : William Blanchard, Charles 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



461 



T. Boyiiton, William L. Brown, John M. 
Ewen, William J. Fabian, Francis P. Fra- 
zier, Francis A. Hardy, William Holabird. 
John H. Kedzie, Jr., John B. Kirk, Walter 
W. Kirk, Marshall M. Kirkman, Richard 
C. Lake, Charles G. Lewis, Dr. Thomas 
H. Lewis, Benjamin W'. Lord, Uriah Lott, 
Arthur Orr, Henry P. Pearsons, Henry 
Raeder, George ^L Sargent, Roscoe L. 
Wickes, Hugh R. Wilson, Mrs. Charles T. 
Bovnton, Mrs. William L. Brown, Mrs. 



John M. Ewen, Mrs. William J. Fabian, 
Mrs. Francis P. Frazier, Mrs. Francis A. 
Hardy, Mrs. William Holabird. Mrs. J. 
W. Howell, Miss Margaret Kedzie, Miss 
Emma Kirk, Mrs. John B. Kirk, Mrs. 
Walter W. Kirk, Mrs. Marshall M. Kirk- 
man, Miss Ella Gates Kirkman, Miss 
Mary Lewis, Mrs. Uriah Lott, Mrs. 
Henry Raeder, Mrs. Martha C. Stockton, 
Miss Julia K. Watson, Mrs. Hugh R. 
Wilson and Miss Mary T. Wilson. 



CHAPTBR XLVI. 



BIOORAPOICAL 



ORRINGTON LUNT. 

"A man he seems of cheerful yesterdays, 
And confident tomorrows." 

Orrington Lunt, one of Chicago's pi- 
oneers and one of the founders of Evan- 
ston, attained to the very ideal of the 
public-spirited, patriotic citizen, without 
a blemish upon his record as a merchant, 
a gentleman and a Christian. He was 
born in Bowdoinham, Maine, December 
24, 181 5. He came of old New England 
stock. His first American ancestor, Hen- 
ry Lunt, who emigrated to this country 
from England in 1635, was a grantee in 
the original allotment of land in New- 
buryport, Mass., and, in 1636, was 
made a freeman of the colony. His 
grandmother was a daughter of Gen- 
eral Joseph Vose of Revolutionary fame, 
one of the founders of the Society of the 
Cincinnati and a direct descendant of a 
family noted for courage and prowess. 
His father, William Lunt, represented 
his county in the Maine Legislature and 
was everywhere recognized as a thrifty 
and enterprising man of affairs. He was 
a merchant in the little town of Bowdoin- 
ham and during a long life-time enjoyed 
the esteem and confidence of the com- 
mimity in which he lived. His mother, 
Anne Matilda Sumner, was of the same 
lineage as Governor Sumner of Massa- 
chusetts, and the distinguished Senator 



of that name. She was a woman of rare 
cleverness and beauty, and from her ap- 
parently her oldest child derived many 
of his principal traits. And the gifts be- 
stowed upon him at his cradle were 
among the best at God's command ; phy- 
sical strength and manly beauty, a sweet 
and simny temper, a quick strong mind, 
a rich quaint humor, a fearless spirit and 
a tender heart. Besides all these, a glad 
delight in natural beauty and a joy in 
human fellowship. 

When the lad was nine years old he 
sat one wintry afternoon watching his 
mother's face by the light of the fire. 
Her beloved features changed to such 
unutterable sadness that he burst into 
tears. Roused from her reverie she put 
her arms about him and tried to com- 
fort him. But the solemn sweetness with 
which she urged him to be a good boy 
and a good man, never to forget her, 
never to forget her counsels, revealed 
the truth, and ere many rnonths he stood 
beside her grave. After that, it was 
said, the neighbors seldom saw him 
smile. But he learned rapidly and eager- 
ly all that the village schools could teach 
him. The vigorous and ambitious boy 
was everywhere known as a hard worker 
and an apt scholar. Apparently a bright 
future opened before him as a student, 
but at the call of duty he went forth to 



463 



464 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



prepare for the great battle of commercial 
life, being then in his fourteenth year. 

On leaving school he entered his 
father's store, taking hold of his assigned 
tasks with the same hearty good will 
and high purpose that so distinctly 
marked his whole after career. He showed 
from the first the steady light of sterling 
integrity, of persistent efTort, and of un- 
weariedness in well doing. He remained 
in the store, a growing favorite with all 
who dealt there, until the attainment of 
his majority when he was taken into 
partnership. The character of Mr. Lunt 
was well established. He had attracted 
the confidence of his neighbors and was 
honored by them publicly. In his twenty- 
second year he was elected Clerk and 
Treasurer of the town, and was also ap- 
pointed Justice of the Peace. These po- 
sitions he held until he left the State. 

But Bowdoinham was too small and 
too slow a place for his active and enter- 
prising nature. He had married on the 
i6th of January, 1842, Miss Cornelia A. 
Gray, the oldest daughter of the Hon. 
Samuel Gray, a leading attorney in the 
village, who served as' Representative, 
Senator, and member of the Governor's 
Council of the State ; and as trade grew 
dull he and his young wife determined 
to try their fortune in the then distant 
and unknown West. 

He sold out his interests in Maine at 
a heavy sacrifice, realizing little more 
than enough to pay off his mercantile 
indebtedness. They started west on 
the first of November, 1842. and arrived 
in Chicago on the eleventh of that same 
month, it taking ten days of constant trav- 
el to make the journey. Chicago then, ac- 
cording to the census of 1840, had a popu- 
lation of less than five thousand, and it 
was then at its lowest ebb, real estate 
selling for less than at any time since the 



crisis of 1837. The condition of trade 
was at a standstill and it was impossible 
to embark in business during the winter, 
as navigation was closed. At that time 
there were no railroads in the Western 
State. To add to their discouragement, 
in the spring Mrs. Lunt became alarm- 
ingly ill, and during her partial convales- 
cence they decided to return to Maine. 
He was now thoroughly disheartened, 
but the spirit of the pioneer was not to 
be denied. He had looked upon the prai- 
ries and the Lakes, and the narrower hori- 
zon of New England robbed him of that 
new sense of liberty he had learned to 
value. He felt, with the intuition of a 
faith he never lost, that in the West was 
the seat of opportunity, and that Chicago, 
then a village of five or six thousand in- 
habitants, was to be the metropolis of 
that West. So about the last of July 
they again turned their faces westward, 
his entire capital consisting of letters of 
recommendation from Eastern firms, mer- 
cantile houses in Boston and New York. 
Mr. Lunt began his business career in 
Chicago as a commission merchant by 
purchasing a set of books on credit, and 
a*^ once started the shipments of such prod- 
uce as he could obtain. His first trans- 
action of any considerable magnitude was 
the buying of several hundred barrels of 
cranberries in lots, as they were offered 
at fifty cents per bushel, for a Boston 
house. He was soon busily at work pur- 
chasing almost anything that offered. He 
succeeded so well that, by the summer of 
1844, he was fairly started in the grain 
trade, which he began by receiving from 
Buffalo a small cargo of oats to sell for 
this market. After the ensuing harvest 
he began to purchase wheat from teams. 
At that time this product had to be hauled 
by the farmers in their wagons to Chi- 
cago, sometimes coming from the distant 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



465 



fields in Indiana and from the prairies of 
Central Illinois. At Chicago it was trans- 
ferred to boats and thence transported 
eastward by way of the Lakes. The 
business steadily increased, his operations 
became more extensive, his careful ener- 
getic management attracted confidence 
and esteem. In 1845 he leased a lot on 
the river front and erected thereon a 
warehouse having a storage capacity of 
100,000 bushels — no mean capacity in 
that "day of small things." \\'heat came 
in quite freely after the harvest, and with 
a brisk trade, on a continually advancing 
market, he had his house full by the close 
of navigation. He made one sale of fifty 
thousand bushels, which was a ver}' large 
transaction in those da3'S. 

In business Mr. Lunt was an honest 
man in the strictest sense of the word — 
not only honest in his personal dealings, 
but he never tolerated dishonesty in 
subordinates or employes. In those dajs. 
when grain was drawn to Chicago, sold 
to buyers on the street and weighed in 
at South Water street warehouses, the 
farmers who sent their boys to the young 
city repeatedly told the inexperienced 
youths to "wait for Orrington Lunt or 
one of his buyers," and it became known 
on the street that instructions were given 
that, even if he offered lower prices than 
any other buyers, "not to leave him, for his 
honest weights v^'ould more than make 
the difTerence." He was strong, self-re- 
liant and enterprising, and soon prosper- 
ity made him over-sanguine. He bought 
boldly and lest in a single season all that 
he had made. He took the lesson to 
heart. He never speculated again, and 
was ever afterward noted for his cautious 
and conservative sagacity. Frontier life 
is a severe test of character. Many a man 
has forgotteit, in the hurry and excite- 
ment of a rapidly growing town, his 



mural training and his religious experi- 
ence. Liut Orrington Lunt never neglect- 
ed his \'ows to God during the years of 
strenuous commercial activity, in which 
he laid the foundations of his success. 
His probity became proverbial. 

With the entry of railroads into Chi- 
cago, the conditions of trade materially 
changed, and, in the year 1853, Mr. Lunt 
leased his warehouse for a term of years 
and retired temporarily from the handling 
of grain, but in 1859 he again took charge 
and continued until 1862 handling as 
much as three and a half million bushels 
of grain annually. He always kept him- 
self familiar with all the transactions of 
the Boad of Trade, which had seen its 
first struggles into existence in 1848. He 
had joined with those who were taking 
the initiatory steps for its formation, and 
was at the first meeting called to pass res- 
olutions and adopt a constitution. He 
was a charter member, at one time a Di- 
rector on the Board, and was one of the 
noted pioneers in that period of its his- 
tory. In 185 1, at its third annual meeting, 
the official reports presented an extreme- 
ly discouraging aspect of affairs. Not 
only had the membership fallen off, but 
those in good standing who had paid their 
dues numbered only thirty-eight, and dur- 
ing the following year business transac- 
tions "on change" became so insignificant 
that attendance dropped at times to noth- 
ing. It is noteworthy that on the record 
for July 1 2th there was present one man. 
It was Orrington Lunt. And during nine 
days only five members had sufficient 
interest to put in an appearance at the 
place appointed for daily sessions. From 
that Board of Trade, to which he belonged 
from its organization, he never resigned 
his membership. 

Mr. Lunt was pre-eminently a builder 
v.'hose conservatism was only matched by 



466 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



his steady, persistent pusli in everything 
he undertook. He exercised a potent in- 
fluence in the city of his adoption. Every 
enterprise calculated to further its pros- 
perity deeply interested him. His zeal, 
conservatism, and strenuous endeavor 
made him an important factor during the 
formation period of the civic, railroad, 
educational, church and business life of 
Chicago and all the country tributary to 
it during that period. His geniality was 
as proverbial as his sterling honesty. His 
generosity was without narrowness. His 
hand and his home were open to all good 
men and all good causes, and the wisdom 
of his counsel was eagerly welcomed in 
all the varied interests connected with the 
growth of the Northwest. He early held 
many honorable positions. Rarely does 
it fall to the lot of one man to be equally 
wise in the Council Chamber and strong 
in executive action. Places upon boards 
of directors always came to him. He did 
not have to seek them nor did he shun 
them. He responded to every call upon 
his conscience and his judgment, and was 
ever ready to share in doing anything that 
would develop Chicago and the country 
about it. His love for his adopted city 
grew with its growth, and lasted all his 
life long; and the name of Orrington Lunt 
commanded respect, confidence and affec- 
tion in all Chicago. Men loved him for 
his gentleness, yet he knew how to 
achieve his purpose. His plans were 
pushed with tranquil energy, and none 
could swerve him where his conscience 
was involved. 

In 1853 Mr. Lunt was appointed a 
member of the Committee of the Board 
of Trade to visit Washington and urge 
upon Congress the improvement of 
Chicago harbor. In 1855 he was 
elected a \\'ater Commissioner for 
the South Division of Chicago, and con- 



tinued in that position for six years. At 
the end of his first term in office, he was 
re-elected for three more years, and during 
the last three, the City Department hav- 
ing been consolidated in the Board of 
Public Works, he held the position of 
Treasurer and President of the Board. 
He was often solicited by his friends to 
allow his name to be used as a candidate 
for Mayor and various high city offices, 
but his ambition never ran in that direc- 
tion. He was one of the most modest 
men that ever blessed the human family. 
He shrank from ostentation and from 
public applause. Like most men of that 
early period he made investments in real 
estate. He became interested in Fire and 
Life Insurance, and was a Director in the 
Chicago Fireman's and the Chicago 
Mutual Life Insurance Companies. He 
devoted much attention to railroad enter- 
prises, particularly to the Galena & Chi- 
cago L'nion, of which he was a director 
from 1855 until it became a part of the 
Chicago & Northwestern Railway Com- 
pany's System. He was also one of the 
Auditors of the Board of Directors and 
devoted close attention to the duties of the 
office for several years. During the last 
two years of his connection with the road, 
up to the time of its absorption by the 
Northwestern, he was its Vice-President. 
During all its years, until his resigna- 
tion a few months before his death, he was 
a member of the Board of Trustees of the 
Young Men's Christian Association : he 
was President of the Chicago Bible Soci- 
ty and one of its life-members, and worked 
earnestly and with decided success to es- 
tablish the Chicago Orphan Asylum, of 
which he was one of the builders and 
early benefactors. In connection with 
one other member of the Building Com- 
mittee, in the summer of 1854, he raised 
nearly twenty thousand dollars to com- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



467 



plete the edifice. In 1854 he also became 
a Trustee of Dearborn Seminary, which, 
after a trying struggle, succeeded in erect- 
ing its building in 1857. He was one of 
the original Trustees of Clark Seminary 
at Aurora, which was built by a private 
corporation but subsequently turned over 
to the church, the first holders transfer- 
ring their interest without compensation. 
He was one of the Board of Directors of 
the first Homoeopathic Hospital estab- 
lished in 1854, and a Trustee of the Hah- 
nemann College, whose charter was 
drafted in the office of Abraham Lincoln 
who personally exerted himself to secure 
its passage. Quinn Chapel was organized 
in 1847 to shelter a little congregation of 
colored people. With a quiet courage that 
never failed him, Mr. Lunt helped these 
unfortunates when they were the objects 
of much persecution. He had sold to 
them a lot at a minimum price, receiving 
a very small first payment. The passage 
and the approval of the Fugitive Slave 
Act in 1850 had caused great consterna- 
tion among the colored population of Chi- 
cago, and resolutions intensely antagon- 
istic to the bill were passed and even a 
Vigilance Committee appointed. In one 
of the journals of that period it is related 
that many of the little congregation fled 
to Canada to prevent the provisions of 
the bill being enforced upon them. A 
local historian describes their pastor as 
"having very strong lungs, and being 
well versed in the prophecies and Revela- 
tions, but with a weak heart and doing 
nothing for the church." He refused to 
sign any papers, nor would he do anything 
toward collections, or aid in any pay- 
ments on Queen Chapel lot. A commit- 
tee, therefore, waited upon Mr. Lunt to 
explain their indigence and inability, to 
whom he replied, "Give yourselves no 
uneasiness; you shall not lose the prop- 



erty,"' and immediately donated three hun- 
dred of the five hundred dollars due him. 
He purchased lots for the Swedes, Ger- 
mans and other church societies, and his 
name became a household word in all of 
them. A liberal man at the beginning of 
his Christian life when only twenty years 
of age and when his means were slender, 
his lienefactions increased in variety and 
magnitude with his enlarging fortune. 

When Mr. Lunt first came to Chicago 
he and his wife immediately connected 
themselves with the First Methodist Epis- 
copal Church, in which he became one of 
the Trustees and for a long time was the 
Secretary of the Board. In the counsels 
of the church his words were not many, 
but always wise and brave. For Orring- 
ton Lunt united shrewdness with senti- 
ment. He planned for others as well as 
for himself. He gave thought and toil as 
well as speech and song. It has been 
said of him that there is not a Methodist 
institution, general or local, in the city of 
Chicago, which is not, in one way or 
another, a beneficiary of his enthusiastic 
and invincible love for the Church and 
Kingdom. The State Street Methodist 
Episcopal Church originated with Orring- 
ton Lunt. In 1847, realizing the necessity 
of a church edifice further south, he 
bought a lot which he oiTered to the Clark 
Street at the purchase price less his own 
contribution, and held this ofi^er open for 
five years. The Wabash Avenue M. E. 
Church was the result of his foresight 
and generosity. To the church of his 
early love he gave unstinted energy and a 
thrifty and far-seeing wisdom. His piety 
was fraught with rare intelligence, and 
to him more than to any other man the 
Methodists in Chicago owe many of the 
plans that made their growth so rapid. In 
spiritual as well as financial affairs he was 
active. In the social meetings he was a 



468 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



conspicuous and beloved figure. When 
he sang in the prayer meetings he cap- 
tured all hearts. Not unfrequently in 
those early days he sang alone. His voice 
was rich and resonant, strong, with a 
supporting, inspiring quality that made 
the heart glad. "I believe," he wrote in 
his old age, "that if one sings so as to 
help the meeting he must have the spirit 
to sing."' And he sang, as he gave, with 
the spirit and desire to help. He had the 
keenest sense of righteousness without a 
tinge of bitterness toward anybody. Re- 
ligious faith wrought in him not so much 
to transform as to refine, to preserve, to 
illuminate and to perfect him. And the 
vital thing about Orrington Lunt was the 
divine atmosphere in which he moved for 
over sixty years. It clothed him with an 
invisible armor. It urged him on to secret 
prayer and open goodness. It strength- 
ened and perfected the virtues he inherit- 
ed. It guided him into large and generous 
enterprise. It made his home luminous 
and glorified his old age. His character, 
to many who thought they understood 
him, seemed quite simple. But it was. in 
realitv, a harmony of many qualities too 
seldom found together. There was noth- 
ing astonishing about him, and yet no 
human being in all Chicago taught more 
perfectly the dignity of manhood and the 
sweet magic of loving kindness. Other 
men have had more fame: no man was 
ever dearer to the hearts that knew him. 
Other men have made more money: he 
made enough to accomplish far more for 
the public good than most of them. True 
to every trust, eager to urge and swift to 
aid in e^•c^y work of mercy, the associa- 
tion of his name with a new project 
became almost a guarantee of its success. 
When the Civil War broke out Mr. 
Lunt consented to serve upon the Com- 
mittee of Safety and Finance, appointed 



at the Bryan Hall Meeting, held April 13, 
1861. That was a day long to be remem- 
bered in Chicago, a beautiful, cloudless 
spring day, such as seldom visits the West 
so early — and in the fresh April air, from 
spire and balcony, church and dwelling, 
floated the flag which had been lowered 
at Fort Sumter. To raise it once more — 
to preserve its honor as a priceless heri- 
tage — was the all-absorbing passion and 
purpose. He was a figure in the war 
meetings crowded with excited and patri- 
otic citizens, and he spent the first Sab- 
bath after the fall of Fort Sumter in rais- 
ing supplies and starting the first regi- 
ment to the front from Chicago. And this 
was but the beginning of his efiforts to aid 
the Union cause. His work was continu- 
ous, faithful and nobly generous. He 
threw himself into the arduous work of 
the committee with the zeal of an enthu- 
siast whose patriotism knew no more 
doubt than his religious faith. While the 
war lasted his devotion never flagged. And 
whatever Orrington Lunt did was not 
only sure to be well done, but it was done 
in a spirit of gentleness and cheerfulness 
that was a constant wonder and joy to 
his fellow-workers in those days of Na- 
tional trial. And four years after the com- 
mencement of the bitter struggle, he had 
the delight of seeing the old flag again 
flung to the breeze from the battlements 
of Sumter, and later, in company with 
distinguished generals and civilians, he 
visited Charleston and Richmond. His 
was also the proud privilege of witness- 
ing, at our National Capital, the never to 
be forgotten Grand Review of our vic- 
torious armies at Washington on May 
24. 1865. 

Travel had always been to ^Ir. Lunt 
a source of keen enjoyment, and he lost 
no opportunity to familiarize himself with 
large regions of his own country. In 1865 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



469 



he started with his family on a journey to 
the Old World. He visited the noted cities 
and countries of Europe and the East and 
traveled extensively for over two years. 
He loved nature and he loved art, and to 
the last moment of his stay abroad he 
showed for both a tireless interest. No 
one of his children, alert and active as 
they were, could keep pace with him. 
What he liked he remembered vividly and 
tenaciously, what he disHked he forgot. 
He had the rare quality of seeing quickly 
and passing by easily the trivial and un- 
pleasant, and he had a childlike happiness 
in the beautiful, the curious and the won- 
derful. Returning to Chicago he devoted 
himself to the care of his estate and to the 
enterprises that had become the central 
interests of his life. In 1877 he was 
elected President of the Trustees of the 
Care Fund for the lot owners of Rose 
Hill Cemetery, and was their Treasurer to 
within a short period of his death, render- 
ing, as was his wont, entirely gratuitous 
service. Under the skillful and faithful 
management of the Trustees $100,000 was 
collected and invested in city and Cook 
County bonds. Simply to mention the 
religious, philanthropic, and educational 
enterprises which were and are indebted 
to his munificence and foresight, is to 
make no inconsiderable catalogue. He 
displayed an enviable largeness of spirit, 
and a monumental lavishness in gifts. 

But the crowning activity of Mr. Lunt's 
public life was that in connection with the 
Northwestern University and the Garrett 
Biblical Institute, to which he gave more 
aiifection and gratuitous service than any 
other man who has been connected with 
them. It is a blessing rare and seldom 
paralleled that a man of large private 
interests should render, through so long 
a period and without pecuniary compen- 
sation, such painstaking, judicious and 



devoted service. And though responsible 
for many and extensive interests, which 
in the vicissitudes of business were often 
imperiled; and though in constant de- 
mand by important civic, philanthropic 
and religious enterprises for service which 
was alwaj^s ungrudgingly rendered, Mr. 
Lunt still gave to those institutions the 
richest treasure of his sagacity, his pa- 
tience, and his tireless devotion. As early 
as 185 1 Mr. Lunt, with two others, pur- 
chased the quarter of a block at the north- 
east corner of La Salle and Jackson 
Streets, Chicago, with a view to the pos- 
sible location there of a preparatory 
school for the projected LIniversity. But, 
after the University had been founded at 
Evanston, this property, of which they 
still held possession, as they had given 
their personal obligations for its full pay- 
ment, was leased to provide an income for 
the LTniversity which still owns it. It is 
the valuable land on which they have 
reared, as a permanent investment, that 
noble building occupied by the Illinois 
Trust and Savings Bank. Mr. Lunt's con- 
nection with the Board of Trustees of the 
University was continuous from the 
granting of the charter in 185 1, in which 
he was named one of the incorporators, 
until his death in 1897. For a time he 
was Treasurer of the Board, and he served 
for several years as a member of the 
Auditing Committee. In 1875 he became 
First Vice-President and Acting Presi- 
dent of the Board of Trustees, and 
continued as such until 1895, when he 
accepted the Presidency which had 
been repeatedly urged upon him. The 
LTniversity had frequently been the 
object of his generosity. It was char- 
acteristic of him that, at the time when he 
was planning for the special pleasure and 
profit of his family, he should also plan 
for the advancement of the institution he 



470 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



was wont to watch over almost as if it 
had been one of his children. Just before 
his departure for Europe he deeded to the 
University one hundred and fifty-seven 
acresofland.fifty-fourof which yet remain 
unsold and constitute an endowment fund 
for the Library. In 1855 he was one of 
the charter members of the Garrett Bibli- 
cal Institute, and was its Secretary and 
Treasurer and the Manager of its financial 
and business matters until his death. His 
policy was to sacredly keep intact the 
landed property willed by Mrs. Garrett, 
believing it to be the most permanent 
endowment. His was the steadfast, prac- 
tical wisdom that no booming prosperity 
or speculative enterprise could swerve 
from the principles of true conservatism, 
and that no financial disasters could waver 
or discourage. His unwearied and unre- 
mitting services, rendered with such judg- 
ment and power of prevision, gave him a 
unique place among the benefactors of the 
schools. Only those intimately associated 
with him in the development of that work 
could appreciate the laborious exactive 
management of infinite detail which he 
voluntarily assumed. Not only their ma- 
terial interests, but the selection of fit 
men for the Boards of Instruction, the 
framing of educational policy, and the 
fostering of the spirit of earnest evangel- 
ism were subjects of his constant care; 
and his sagacions counselling and liberal 
devising were resorted to as unfailing 
sources of light and inspiration. 

And his chief success was here at 
Evanston. A history of Evanston would 
have Mr. Lunt's name inscribed on its 
very first page, for to him more than to 
any other man is due the location of this 
city. He was the actual discoverer of the 
Evanston site and, therefore, the cause of 
the purchase of the magnificent location 
now owned and occupied by the Univer- 



sity. He helped to plant the Institute and 
University in the Grove that enchanted 
him. He helped obtain the charters that 
safeguard their endowments, and safe- 
guard also the children of this city from 
the dread destroyer worse than death. He 
lavished upon these Institutions an un- 
ceasing industry. He poured out for them 
his money and his time. The noblest 
building on the campus is a visible monu- 
ment of his generosity, but no architect 
that lives could frame a structure beauti- 
ful enough to symbolize the loving fidel- 
ity, the almost passionate afifection, with 
which Orrington Lunt fathered the prog- 
ress of these schools. They had grown 
fast to his heart. 

When the great fire of 1871 laid Chi- 
cago in ashes, and reduced multitudes to 
want, Mr. Lunt's home on Michigan Ave- 
nue went with the rest, and with it went 
all the buildings from which he derived 
an income. But there was that about 
this quiet man, with the smiling kindly 
eyes, that neither flood, war, fire nor fam- 
ine could daunt. He began amid the smok- 
ing ruins to lay the foundations for the 
restoration of his own fortune, as well as 
for the salvation of Garrett Biblical Insti- 
tute and the rebuilding of the Methodist 
churches. With the wisdom that always 
requires most of the busiest men, Mr. 
Lunt was chosen a member of the Relief 
and Aid Society which had charge of the 
distribution of the World's contributions 
for the relief of Chicago's destitute. The 
$150,000 collected from generous Metho- 
dists in all parts of the country passed 
through his hands and was disbursed to 
the satisfaction of all parties. 

In 1874 Mr. Lunt with his family 
removed to Evanston. He had first 
looked with the eye of a Seer on 
the beautiful grove. He had watched 
with pride the growth of the charm- 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



471 



ing suburb. His home in Chicago 
had melted under a fiery hand. His 
memory, crowded with past scenes, with 
happy visions of cherished plans accom- 
pUshed and noble enterprises started for 
centuries to come, made it natural for 
him to choose Evanston as the home of 
his old age. Yet, in one sense Orrington 
Lunt had no old age. His four-score 
years were not "labor and sorrow." His 
strength, his good cheer, his vivacity, his 
sagacity remained with him, so that his 
life at Evanston was an ideal existence for 
bim and his beloved. The home was the 
center of his heart's affection. He never 
forgot that a perfect human home is the 
joy and the triumph of human endeavor. 
A lover after half a century of wedded 
life : a father who was at the same time as 
elder brother to his children ; he never 
did, and ne\er could, live his life in any 
sense apart from those dearest to him. 
Whatever interested him he took to them. 
^^'hatever interested them was to him like 
something of his own. The svmny smile, 
the hearty hospitable word, the cordial 
hand-grasp, the heart warmth that always 
found leisure to make a welcome for the 
guest, the quick sense of humor and ready 
laugh that answered every jest, the low- 
ering of the voice that showed his sym- 
pathy with every trouble, the swift re- 
sponsive interest in human life and work 
left in every heart the sense of a perennial 
and perpetual youth. Happy in the wife 
of his youth and his children, his hearth- 
stone was the center of perpetual glad- 
ness, and there gathered rapidly a cluster 
of far reaching activities and friendships 
in Evanston that made their home upon 
the Lake Shore as beautiful, for its moral 
outlook, as it was for its enchanting views 
of Lake Michigan. 

On the evening of January 16, 1892, 
that home of Mr. and ]\Irs. Lunt was 



thronged with friends who came to cele- 
brate their Golden Wedding. Fifty years 
since the newly wedded pair had turned 
their hopeful eyes toward Chicago; fifty 
years since, with youthful courage, they 
had made their venture to the unknown 
West. What wonders they had seen ! Of 
what marvelous achievements they had 
themselves been a part ! It was, indeed, 
a notable company that assembled to 
greet this pioneer citizen — to bring to the 
much beloved benefactor and equally be- 
loved wife the congratulations of the 
community and the gratitude of thou- 
sands. All day long letters and telegrams 
had been pouring in from far and near; 
friends of his youth and friends of his 
later years, from bishops of the church, 
civic rulers, merchants, bankers, lawyers, 
physicians, officers and professors of the 
colleges, neighbors and relatives — all vied 
with each other to honor him and the wife 
who had furthered all his plans, who had 
delighted alike in his prosperity and his 
generosity, and who, with quiet skill, had 
ruled the household and trained the chil- 
dren. Costly presents and elaborate ad- 
dresses were laid at their feet. He looked 
and listened with gracious satisfaction. 
Benignity and contentment beamed from 
his features. He had completed half a cen- 
tury of faithful, happy and honorable 
domestic and parental life. This unstinted 
appreciation, these expressions of love 
and admiration and reverence were the 
fitting coronation of a life so rich in help- 
fulness, so radiant with intelligent benev- 
olence, so thoroughly alive with kindly 
energy-. He had shown himself friendly, 
and now he had friends. He was recog- 
nized everywhere as an example the 
largeness and wisdom of whose life had 
come to its golden fruition of victory and 
peace. 

During that culmination of Interna- 



472 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



tional Expositions, the ^^'orld's Colum- 
bian Exposition of 1893, Mr. Lunt dis- 
played remarkable vigor and vivacity. He 
visited the White City almost daily. It 
was to him the grandest enterprise ever 
carried through. He exulted in it all as 
a great educational work and it was to 
him the demonstration of how great Chi- 
cago could be. Those palaces and temples 
of the whole world's science and art and 
industr}' and zeal were studied with 
keenest enthusiasm and appreciation. Not 
counting the fatigue or exertion, he at- 
tended most of the celebrations held amid 
those surroundings. He spoke of it 
always with a challenging pride, he talked 
much of its far-reaching and beneficial 
results, and he astonished his whole circle 
by his intimate acquaintance with its 
wonders. The advancement of our Nation 
in art, science and invention filled him 
with a personal joy. On Chicago Day — 
that greatest pacific gathering the world 
had ever seen — he was one of the hap- 
piest in the happy throng. In that Fair 
his smiling eyes beheld all the promises 
of Chicago fulfilled fourfold ; for as one 
has ably put it, "creation had been 
brought together in harmony and in 
brotherhood." 

As the Orrington Lunt Library rose 
above its foundations he watched its prog- 
ress with ardent delight, and surprised 
his friends by his alertness and activity. 
But. as it approached completion, his 
strength began to fail. When in the fall 
of 1894 the building was dedicated, i\Ir. 
Lunt, to the joy of his friends, was strong 
enough to be there and to read his address 
of presentation. No one who saw it can 
ever forget the scene ; some could hardly 
take in his words — so pathetically beauti- 
ful was the sight. The touch of death was 
upon him, and they knew they would hear 
his voice in public no more. His words 



told them that he knew it also when he 
said : — "And, if I may now speak a few 
words to the young men and women who 
are to gather here that they may gain 
strength and enthusiasm for lofty purpose 
and noble endeavor, I would earnestly 
say to them — remember that, whatever 
you are, your chief eflfectiveness in life 
will be due to the high ground you take ; 
that your weight in advancing any cause 
will be measured in the end by your 
standard of character. That which is 
personal, small and intolerant soon dies, 
and only what is rational and noble, in the 
hard struggle for truth, survives to wield 
eventually its just power unfettered and 
free. The treasures of the past, the pos- 
sessions of the present, and the promise 
of the future seem to one of my age, look- 
ing back upon many deprivations and an 
entire lack of these splendid chances, to 
be all 3'ours for the seeking, all within your 
reach ... I seem to see the light which 
touches even as the sunrise touches the hill 
tops, the heads of the young and ardent 
workers of today. We, whose feet are rap- 
idly nearing the Shadowy Valley, have 
hope of the better things to come. Well do 
we know that all things which are true and 
honest, just and pure, come from Him who 
is the perfect beauty and perfect truth. And 
so believing, we look patiently for that rev- 
elation which is to turn darkness into light, 
falsehood into truth, hatred into love, and 
the whole earth from evil unto good. . . . 
Here is the Library. It is yours with its 
class rooms, its lecture rooms, its books, its 
periodicals, its newspapers. Yours with its 
inspirations and possessions, given to this 
University in cheerful love, and in full con- 
fidence that it will be consecrated by pa- 
tient industry and fruitful research, and 
that the gift will be multiplied by centuries 
of use ; that it will enlighten all who come 
into its studious and quiet atmosphere, and 



« 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



473 



more firmly establish that which you — liv- 
ing men of progress and lovers of learning 
— are aiming to teach and embody. I pray, 
in hope and faith, that it may become a 
great, active and potential force for good. 
I shall never speak to you all again. Stand- 
ing before you where I have so seldom 
stood in my life before, all unused as I am 
to the platform and wholly a novice at pub- 
lic speaking; reminded, as one of my age 
must constantly be reminded, of those who 
have passed beyond our human vision, 
whither all feet are surely tending — rem- 
iniscence has had, perhaps, too large a 
share in my thought and speech. This you 
will pardon to my years. And in closing — 
not mournfully but rejoicingly — I quote, 
and may even dare to appropriate, a sen- 
tence of Carlyle's, spoken of his father, 
whom he loved and whose death left him 
conscious of irreparable loss, yet kindled his 
faith into exalted expression, "I, too," — as 
that father did — "feel my feet upon the 
Everlasting Rock, and through time, with 
its death can to some degree see into Eter- 
nity with its life." He was indeed seeing 
into Eternal Life. 

One of the distinguished journalists of 
Chicago records the city's estimate in an 
editorial, under the distinctive heading, 
"End of a Beautiful Life": 

"Full of years, crowned with good works, 
beloved (as few men are) by all, with not 
an enemy in the wide world, Orrington 
Limt, the founder of Evanston and one of 
the Fathers of Northwestern University, 
died at his residence in our northern suburb 
yesterday morning. Mr. Lunt was in his 
eighty-second year, and for fifty-five years 
of his life he had been a sweet and whole- 
some influence in the stirring scenes mark- 
ing the development of Chicago from the 
hamlet to a metropolis. He was one of 
our pioneers, and he brought to this city 
a disposition so singularly limpid, gentle 



and pure ; a nature so full of love for his 
fellow men ; a character so free from the 
fierce energy of action that is usually asso- 
ciated with the founding of cities, that his 
career was another illustration of the truth 
that 

"The bravest are the tenderest, 
The loving are the daring." 

"In the early history of Chicago the name 
of Orrington Lunt figures in almost every 
enterprise that went toward centering here 
the trade of this vast continent. And as 
Chicago grew to be a city of mark in the 
land, the same name was found enrolled 
wherever action was being taken to yoke 
the refining elements of education and cul- 
ture with its material activity and growth. 
It is impossible to fully estimate or appreci- 
ate the priceless value of such a life to such 
a stirring community as that with which 
Orrington Lunt united his fortunes. It im- 
parted a leaven to the grosser lump which 
has never ceased to work for the purifica- 
tion and elevation of this city. 

"Of recent years it has been a joy to look 
upon the beautiful face of this pioneer. 
Crowned with an aureole of silver hair, as 
pure white as his own spotless nature, he 
has walked among us a being beneficent. 
He has gone, but his public benefactions, 
his private virtues, and the memory of his 
gentle, successful life remain to bless the 
community in which he lived. 

"Yes, Orrington Lunt was indeed a rare 
being, a very radiant human energy, a just 
man, very beautiful with love. He died 
on the morning of April 5, 1897. He was 
buried on the following Thursday. On the 
day of the funeral the schools were closed, 
business was practically suspended, and the 
National colors were half-masted in Evans- 
ton. The entire city mourned as if he rep- 
resented every interest there. A vast mul- 
titude gathered in the First Methodist 



474 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



Church of Evanston to honor his memory 
and to h'sten to the beautiful ceremonies of 
his funeral. In place of the ordinary de- 
pressing and oppressive black, the prevail- 
ing color of the funeral drapery was pur- 
ple. That color accorded better with the 
sunny life, earnest spirit, and ministering 
works that had adorned his personal his- 
tory. The many tributes to his memory 
were marked by an unusual tenderness anil 
reverence. All who knew him sorrowed 
■and were grateful. The overflowing buoy- 
ancy of his nature had made sunshine wher- 
ever he was, and left inevitably an unlifting 
shadow on every life out of which his smile 
had gone. Tears and thanksgiving mingled 
in every mention of his death, for by his 
manly and beneficent life he had brought 
men nearer to the heavenly world. No won- 
der, therefore, that his departure touched 
them like a benediction. The words spoken 
over his bier sounded like words of tri- 
umph. 

"All that we loved him for is now im- 
mortal, and the shadow of him will linger 
with us while we remain and remember. 
It is not simply his name that is woven for- 
■ever into the history of this community and 
its institutions, but his character has pen- 
etrated them and us and made us nobler 
than we were. Like some subtle mystery 
of climate that gives rare beauty and rare 
vigor to the happy children of the soil, so 
his influence will work its quiet marvels as 
the days go by, and brighten the lives of 
many with transfiguring touch. The build- 
ing that bears his name to posterity may 
crumble to its foundation ; but so long as 
yonder Lake that charmed him hither mur- 
murs to human listeners, the power of his 
faith and his example, carried from gen- 
eration to generation, will break in praises 
of human blessing at the feet of God." 



HARVEY B. KURD. 

Hon. Harvey B. Hurd was born in Hunt- 
ington, Fairfield County, Connecticut, Feb- 
ruary 14, 1828, and died at his home in 
Evanston, 111., January 20, 1906. On his 
father's side he was of English descent, 
and of Dutch and Irish lineage on the side 
of his mother. His youth was spent on his 
father's farm, during the summers at work 
and in the winters at school, until he was 
fifteen years of age, when, on May i, 1842, 
he made his start in life, breaking the home 
ties and journeying on foot with his little 
pack to Bridgeport, Conn., to become an 
apprentice in the office of the "Bridgeport 
Standard," a Whig newspaper. After two 
years and more of work as a printer, with 
a company of young men he turned his face 
westward to seek his fortune. He landed 
in Peoria County, Illinois, and for more 
than a year attended school at Jubilee Col- 
lege, founded by Bishop Philander Chase. 
His funds having been exhausted, he sought 
employment in Peoria as a printer, but fail- 
ing to find it, took passage on a baggage 
stage for the growing city of Chicago. 
There he obtained work as a printer in the 
office of the "Evening Journal," which was 
then published by Wilson and Geer. A lit- 
tle later he was employed for a time on the 
"Prairie Farmer." In the fall of 1847 he 
began studying law in the office of Calvin 
De Wolf, and was admitted to the bar in 
1848, forming a partnership with Carlos 
Haven, and soon after with Henry Snapp. 
From 1850 to 1854 he was in partnership 
with Andrew J. Brown, with whom he was 
interested in the purchase and platting of a 
large tract of land on the West Side of 
Evanston, which has since become one of 
the most attractive parts of that suburb. 
In the summer of 1854, he built his home in 
Evanston, where he lived continuously till 
the day of his death, an exemplary, Indus- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



475 



trious and public spirited life, taking a vital 
interest in all the concerns of his home 
town, of the city in which he worked, the 
State and the Nation. No interests were 
too small or too large to enlist his attention 
and active labor. He became the first 
President of the Evanston Village Board 
and retained his active interest in all its 
steps of progress throughout his life. 

JMr. Hurd was an anti-slavery man of the 
abolitionist type, and took an active part in 
the stirring events which took place in Chi- 
cago, both before and after the repeal of 
the Missouri Compromise. He was a mem- 
ber of the convention which met at Buf- 
falo, N. Y., at which a national committee 
was formed to aid, arm and protect the 
Northern settlers in Kansas, and was ap- 
pointed Secretary of its E.xecutive Com- 
mittee by this convention, with headquarters 
at Chicago. When the Kansas crop proved 
a failure in 1856, adding to the strife of fac- 
tions, the committee in New York in- 
structed the Executive Committee at Chi- 
cago to purchase the necessary seed for the 
crop of 1857, at the same time appropri- 
ating $5,000 to aid John Brown to organize 
and equip the Free Soil settlers for the 
purpose of protection. There were not 
funds enough in the treasurer's hands to 
meet both requirements, so he decided that 
the first requisite was seed, which was for- 
warded. When John Brown called for the 
appropriation the treasury was empty. 
Serious complaint was made by Gerritt 
Smith and other martial friends of John 
Brown, but the joy with which the seed- 
grain was hailed on its arrival at Law- 
rence, Kans., vindicated the action of Mr. 
Hurd, and made it possible for the settlers 
to hold their ground, without which their 
cause would have been lost. When John 
Brown left Kansas with a price upon his 
"head, he found an asylum in the house of 
Jolm Jones, later the colored Countv Com- 



missioner of Cook County, who had escaped 
from slavery. Brown's clothing was in 
tatters, but it was unsafe for him to venture 
out to the tailors to be fitted with a new 
suit. Mr. Hurd became his proxy and was 
measured for the suit, which in due time 
reached Brown. Mr. Hurd used often to 
refer to the incident and the humor of it, 
and remarked that he was glad he was not 
in it when John Brown was hung. 

The firm of Booth & Hurd was formed 
in 1862. The Hon. Henry Booth was 
deeply interested in legal education, and 
his partner likewise accepted a position as 
lecturer in the Law School of the old Uni- 
versity of Chicago. In 1868, the law firm 
of Booth & Hurd was dissolved and Air. 
Hurd retired from private practice, accept- 
ing in i869the appointment from Governor 
Palmer of a place on the Board of Com- 
missioners to revise and rewrite the General 
Statutes of the State of Illinois. His col- 
leagues soon withdrew from the work and 
he carried it on alone, completing it with 
the adjournment of the Twenty-eighth Gen- 
eral Assembly in April, 1874, and he was 
appointed by that body to edit and supervise 
the publication of a volume of revised stat- 
utes made necessary by the adoption of the 
Constitution of 1870. This task he accom- 
plished so satisfactorily that it stands as a 
monument to his industry and skill. Sev- 
enteen editions have since been edited by 
him following successive ses.=ions of the 
Legislature, and "Hurd's Statutes" has be- 
come a household word among the legal 
profession of the State. 

When the Law School of the Chicago 
University became the Union College of 
Law in 1876, under the joint supervision 
of Northwestern University and the Uni- 
versity of Chicago, Mr. Hurd continued 
as a Professor in the School and remained 
for many years after it became exclusivelv 
a department of Northwestern University, 



476 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



until he felt that he could no longer carry 
the burden in addition to affairs which 
taxed his declining strength. The deep 
regret of his associates and students that 
was manifested at his leave-taking made 
very apparent the large place that he held 
in their esteem. His logical mind and 
large acquaintance with affairs, his geniality 
and democratic spirit made him an ideal 
teacher. His interest in young men and in 
legal education kept him fresh and young, 
and imparted an element of enthusiasm to 
his work that made it a joy to himself and 
his pupils. The importance of the public 
question of drainage, as it pertained to the 
city of Chicago and the communities adja- 
cent, early appealed to him as to others to 
such an extent that he has been credited by 
many with being the father of the system. 
However that may be, he was certainly the 
author of the plan creating, for the benefit 
of the municipal district of Chicago, "The 
Chicago Sanitary District," which was 
adopted. He was the author of the first 
bill introduced in the Legislature on the 
subject in 1886. When a legislative com- 
mittee was appointed to further investigate 
the subject and present a bill, such a bill 
fashioned upon the Hurd Bill was pre- 
sented by them and passed in 1877. 

For a number of years Mr. Hurd was at 
the head of the Committee of Law Reform 
of the Illinois State Bar Association, and 
gave the subject the same public spirited 
and conscientious care which he was accus- 
tomed to bestow on all matters of public 
interest. Many able reports on this sub- 
ject emanated from his pen, among them 
one on the subject of the transfer of land 
titles, which resulted in the appointment of 
a commission by the State to consider the 
subject. Mr. Hurd was made Chairman 
of the Commission which recommended, 
in December, 1892, a system of registering 
land titles based upon the Australian or 



Torrens system. In 1897 the recommenda- 
tions of this commission culminated in the 
act for the registration of land titles which 
is now in our statutes, and which has been 
imitated in many other States of the Union. 
Another of his activities was in connection 
with the Children's Aid Society of Chicago, 
which grew out of his earnest endeavor to 
protect the young who were victims of 
crime and poverty, and evil association in 
their tender years. He was constantly 
calling attention to the necessity of this 
work in the interest of the State, and was 
the sponsor of the Juvenile Court Bill, 
which, under the administration of such 
Judges as Tuthill and Mack, is working so 
beneficently in the interest of the youth of 
Chicago and Cook County in the preven- 
tion of crime and the saving of the chil- 
dren. 

Not alone did he lend his natural pow- 
ers, his wide observation and his consum- 
mate skill to the formulation of legislative 
acts for the numerous causes that enlisted 
his sympathy, but was constantly impor- 
tuned for aid by various causes seeking 
changes in the interest of justice and prog- 
ress or the public good, and only those who 
were intimately associated with him can 
realize the amount of valuable time and 
consideration he gave to these matters of 
public service without expectation of mate- 
rial reward. In all matters pertaining to 
township, village, city, State and national 
affairs, he was an interested public spirited 
citizen. His home reflected his culture and 
his domestic virtues. He was thrice mar- 
ried to lovely and cultured women, who 
made the Hurd home in Evanston a syn- 
onym for refinement and taste and hospital- 
ity. Two daughters survive him : Mrs. 
George S. Lord, of Evanston, and Mrs. 
John A. Comstock. His funeral was held 
in the Evanston home and memorial serv- 
ices were likewise held in the Emmanuel 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



477 



Methodist Cliurcli, to the building of which 
he had generously contributed. Judges 
Horton, Kohlsaat and Tuthill each spoke 
feelingly and appreciatively of Mr. Kurd's 
well spent life in the interest of the com- 
munity, and Dr. R. D. Sheppard spoke of 
his relations in the home town where he 
was best known. It was the universal tes- 
timony that a noble, useful and many-sided 
career had closed with the death of Mr. 
Hurd, that the life of the State and Nation 
had been enriched by his living, and to him 
should be accorded the tribute, "Well done, 
good and faithful servant." 



ROBERT DICKINSON SHEPPARD. 

Robert Dickinson Sheppard, A. M., 
D. D., former Professor and present Trus- 
tee of Northwestern University, was born 
in the city of Chicago July 23, 1846, the son 
of Robert and Samantha (Dickinson) 
Sheppard. The father was a native of 
Dundee, Scotland, who came to America 
in 1830, locating first at Buffalo, N. Y., 
whence five years later he came to Chicago, 
where he became a building contractor and 
later engaged in the lumber business. Rob- 
ert Sheppard, Sr., was an early Methodist 
and erected the first brick building occu- 
pied by the First M. E. Church on the site 
of the present Clark Street church. His 
wife, Samantha (Dickinson) Sheppard. 
mother of the subject of this sketch, was 
born in Granby, Hampshire County, Mass- 
achusetts, the daughter of Zenas Dickinson, 
who came to Chicago in 1833, where the 
daughter was a pioneer teacher. 

The son, Robert D.. was educated in the 
Foster School, the Chicago High School, 
the Northwestern University and the old 
University of Chicago, graduating from the 
latter in 1869. At an early period he 
formed the purpose to qualify himself for 



the ministry, and accordingly devoted much 
of the time during his college vacations to 
the study of theology. As a consequence it 
was necessary for him to spend only one 
year at the Garrett Biblical Institute to 
complete his theological course, receiving 
his certificate of graduation from the Insti- 
tute in 1870, when he was immediately ad- 
mitted to membership in the Rock River 
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. His first charge after entering the 
ministry was as pastor of the Michigan Ave- 
nue Church, Chicago, with which he was 
connected for a period of three years, 
which was the full limit at that time. His 
second charge was in connection with the 
Third Street Church at Rockford, 111., after 
which he spent three years (1874-77) as 
pastor of the Western Avenue M. E. 
Church, Chicago. In the fall of 1877 he 
went abroad and spent the following year 
in travel, visiting Italy, Greece. Palestine, 
Asia Minor and Egypt, with a view to ex- 
tending his acquaintance with countries and 
peoples connected with Biblical history, be- 
sides devoting six months to study in Ger- 
many. On his return to Chicago in 1878 
he was appointed pastor of the Grace Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, Chicago, where he 
remained three years, when he became pas- 
tor of the First Church at Aurora, 111., re- 
maining there a like period when he re- 
turned to Grace Church. Three years after 
graduating at the University of Chicago, 
he received from that institution the degree 
of A. M., in course, and in 1875 received 
an honorary degree of the same rank from 
the Northwestern University. Mr. Shep- 
pard's official connection with the latter in- 
stitution began in 1878, when he became 
one of its Trustees, in 1884 accepting a sim- 
ilar relation with the Garrett Biblical Insti- 
tute, which he has retained up to the present 
time. In 1884 he was elected by unanimous 
vote of the Board of Trustees of the North- 



478 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



western University to the chair of History 
and Political Economy in that institution, 
and was immediately granted one year's 
leave of absence, which he utilized for 
travel and study abroad. Returning at the 
end of the year, he entered upon his studies, 
which he continued to discharge in full 
until the burden of care in the business 
office of the University made it necessary 
for him to share some of his professional 
work with his colleagues. In 1892 he was 
elected Treasurer and Business Manager 
of the University, resigning this position in 
1904, with the intention of resuming his 
work in history after a vacation granted 
him by the Trustees. Excepting the Pres- 
ident, no one has occupied a more prom- 
inent and responsible position in connection 
with the material growth of Northwestern 
University than Dr. Sheppard, and his fit- 
ness has been demonstrated by his long 
connection therewith and the confidence 
manifested in him by the Trustees and 
friends of the institution. After an active 
professional experience of over thirty-five 
years, ofwhich more than twentyyears has 
been spent in connection with the North- 
western University, Dr. Sheppard is still 
in the midst of a successful career with 
apparently many years of usefulness before 
him. 

Dr. Sheppard was married on June 13, 
1872, to Miss Virginia Loring, a daughter 
of Nahum Loring, who settled at Naper- 
ville. 111., at an early day, antl there estab- 
lished a mercantile business at a time when 
that place was considered, in a certain sense, 
a rival of Chicago. Four children have 
been the result of this union, namely : Rob- 
ert Loring, Margarethe, Virginia and Dor- 
othea, all of whom are living. 



FRANCES E. WILLARD. 

(By MRS. L. M. N. SI EVENS, President National \V. C. T. U.> 

Frances E. Willard was born of New 
England ancestry in Churchville, N. Y.. 
September 28, 1839, reared in Wisconsin 
and educated at the Northwestern Univer- 
sity, Evanston, which was the family home 
for well-nigh forty years. Here, beginning 
as a teacher in the public schools. Miss 
Willard, by what she liked to call "honest 
hard work," achieved the position of Dean 
of the Woman's Department of the Uni- 
versity, and Professor of Rhetoric in a fac- 
ulty otherwise composed of men, nearly all 
of whom had been graduated from Euro- 
pean universities. She studied abroad two 
years or more (from 1868 to 1870), French, 
German, Italian, history and the fine arts 
being the subjects to which her attention 
was devoted. It was her ambition to be a 
literary woman in connection with her work 
as a college professor. She was perhaps 
more celebrated for her method of school 
government than for any other one thing at 
this time. She organized what amounted 
to a senate and a house of representatives 
of the young women in the college, and 
practically placed their government in their 
own hands. This method worked so well 
for the good order of the institution and 
for the development of a high standard of 
honor among the young women students, 
that it has since been introduced into 
many colleges and public schools. 

In 1862 Miss Willard wrote her first 
book, "Nineteen Beautiful Years," which 
was published by the Harper Brothers, with 
an introduction by the poet Whittier, and 
since has been translated into several lan- 
guages. She also wrote "How to Win," a 
book for girls ; "Woman and Temperance," 
a history of the Woman's Christian Tem- 
perance Union ; "A Classic Town,'' a his- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



479 



tory of the beautiful university town of 
Evanston ; "A Young Woman Journalist," 
intended to inspire young women to take 
up a profession in which Miss Willard her- 
self had been engaged for many years. 
"Glimpses of Fifty Years," her autobiog- 
raphy, of which 50,000 copies have been 
sold, was written in 1889 by request of the 
National Woman's Christian Temperance 
Union. "A Great Mother" is, perhaps, her 
best book, containing as it does the theory 
and practice of bringing up children accord- 
ing to her mother's plan ; and Madam Wil- 
lard was, in the estimation of everyone who 
knew her, a truly "Great Mother." Miss 
Willard's hand-book for the world's white 
ribboners. entitled "Do Everything," is 
packed full of hints and helps for local 
workers. She also wrote "Woman in the 
Pulpit" and "How I Learned to Ride the 
Bicycle." 

In 1883 Miss Willard and Miss Anna 
Gordon made a temperance organization 
trip, visiting each of the States and Terri- 
tories of the United States, traveling 30.000 
miles or more, from Puget Sound to the 
Gulf of Mexico. Such a trip had never 
before been made by man or woman in any 
cause, so far as we know. In the same year 
Miss Willard founded the World's Wom- 
an's Christian Temperance Union, of which 
she became President, and which has made 
the White Ribbon Society known in every 
English speaking country of the globe. 

In 1892 Miss Willard and Miss Gordon 
went to England by invitation of Lady 
Henry Somerset, their devoted friend, who 
then led the movement in Great Britain. 
There they helped to develop white ribbon 
methods and to edit the English white rib- 
bon paper. Editions of several of Miss 
Willard's books were brought out about 
this time, thus making her known to the 
reading public in the mother country. A 
great reception was tendered her in Exeter 



Hall, which was participated in by fifty 
philanthropic societies of London, with such 
speakers as Canon Wilberforce, Lady 
Henry Somerset, Mrs. Ormiston Chant,. 
William T. Stead, Rev. Hugh Price 
Hughes, Rev. Mark Guy Pearce and sev- 
eral members of Parliament. 

They returned to America from this visit 
in the summer of 1894, Lady Henry Som- 
erset coming with them. In March, 1895, 
they again went to England. Miss Willard 
and Miss Gordon returned to the United 
States in time for the National W. C. T. U. 
Convention, held that year in Baltimore. 
In April, 1896, Miss Willard made her last 
voyage to England, accompanied by Miss- 
Gordon, and it was in the autumn of thiy 
year that she and Lady Henry did their 
notable work for the Armenian refugees at 
Marseilles, her interest in their welfare 
never waning. She reached her native lanJ 
in October, 1896, spent the following winter 
in Castile, N. Y., and the last summer of 
her life was spent in New England. In 
October, 1897, Miss Willard presided over 
the World's W. C. T. U. Convention, helcf 
in Toronto, Canada. Her address as Pres- 
ident of that convention was pronounced tO' 
be one of the finest, most powerful and elo- 
quent that she had ever delivered. A few 
days later she presided over the National' 
Convention at BufTalo, N. Y. 

Miss Willard originated the "Polyglot" 
Petition addressed to all the Governments 
of the world, praying for the prohibition of 
the liquor trafificandtheopiumtrade, which, 
with seven million names and attestations 
of great societies, was presented to the 
President of the United States in February, 
1895. and in London before an audience of 
ten thousand people in June, 1895. In 
April, 1898, the petition was presented to 
the Dominion of Canada at a great meeting 
in Ottawa, arranged by the Canadian W. 
C. T. U., when it w-as received on behalf 



48o 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



of the Canadian Government by the Pre- 
mier, Sir Wilfred Laurier. Miss Willard's 
active interest on behalf of social purity, 
labor reform and woman suffrage was in 
consistent accord with her belief in the "do 
everything" policy of dealing with the great 
problem of the day. 

In 1894 the honorary degree of LL. D. 
was conferred upon Miss Willard by the 
Ohio Wesleyan University. 

How Miss Willard Came Into the Work 
of the W. C. T. U. 

Miss Willard has repeatedly said that, 
when the Crusade came, in 1873. she as well 
as her mother, became absorbingly inter- 
ested in it. Miss Willard resigned the pres- 
idency of the Woman's College and her pro- 
fessorship in the University in June. 1874. 
Attractive positions at the head of educa- 
tional institutions were offered her, but she 
felt more and more drawn to the women of 
the "Crusade." She was not in Chautauqua 
when the preliminary committee for organ- 
ized work was formed, but was at that time 
in Maine, consulting with Keal Dow, and 
in Boston, consulting with Dr. Dio Lewis. 
Meantime she wrote to Bishop Simpson, 
who had been an honored friend of her 
family for years : also to Mrs. Mary A. 
Livermore, whom she and her mother 
greatly admired, and to other leaders, as 
well as to her own family, friends and rel- 
atives, not one of whom sent her a favor- 
able reply except Mrs. Livermore, who 
encouraged her, telling her by all means to 
follow her leadings. Miss Willard's res- 
olution to join the crusade movement was 
taken independently. One morning in 
August, 1874, there came to her a letter 
from Mrs. Louise S. Rounds, who had led 
the crusade movement in Chicago during 
the winter, asking her if she would come to 
Chicago and act as President of the local 
W. C. T. U. Thev were a weak band of 



middle-aged women without financial re- 
sources, and Mrs. Rounds wrote Miss Wil- 
lard that they could offer her no salary. 
()n the same day that this letter reached her 
at Cambridge, Mass., Miss Willard received 
a definite offer from the principal of a 
ladies" school in New York City, near Cen- 
tral Park, offering her $2,500 a year if she 
would act as preceptress, teaching as little 
or as much as she pleased, but exercising a 
helpful influence over the young ladies and 
among the patrons. She was entirely with- 
out income, and had not laid up a penny, as 
those \\ho knew her do not need to be told. 
Her mother was advancing in years, and 
Miss Willard was her only support. The 
crusade movement had passed away and 
there seemed to be a lull in the work. Yet 
so profound was the impression that God 
called her to the work of the Woman's 
Christian Temperance Union, that she at 
once wrote to New York declining Dr. 
Van Norman's offer, and to Mrs. Rounds, 
accepting the position of President of the 
W. C. T. U. of Chicago, entering upon its 
duties a few weeks later. 

At the organizing convention of The 
National W'oman's Christian Temper- 
ance Union, held in Cleveland, 
Ohio, November, 1874, ]\Iiss Willard 
was elected Corresponding Secretary 
of the organization, which position 
she held until she was elected President 
at the Indianapolis Convention in 1879. 
She was re-elected as President each year, 
holding that position at the time she passed 
away. Miss Willard was the founder of 
the World's Woman's Christian Temper- 
ance L'nion, which was organized in 1883, 
and was its first and only President during 
her lifetime. Lady Henry Somerset, who 
was Mce-President. succeeded Miss Willard 
in the Presidency and still holds that office, 
having been re-elected at the sixth biennial 
convention held at Geneva, Switzerland, in 



I 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



481 



1902. This society is composed of National 
Unions organized in over fifty nations. 
The other officers are: Mrs. LilHan M. M. 
Stevens, Vice-President, who is also Pres- 
ident of the National W. C. T. U. of the 
United States; Miss Anna A. Gordon, one 
of the Secretaries and also Vice-President- 
at-large of the W. C. T. U. of the United 
States ; Miss Agnes Slack of England the 
other Secretary; and Mrs. Sanderson, of 
Canada, Treasurer. 

]\Iany memorials have been erected in 
many places in honor of Miss Willard. The 
National Woman's Christian Temperance 
Union decided that its most fitting memorial 
would be to extend and perpetuate the work 
to which she gave her life. For this pur- 
pose, contributions to the Frances E. Wil- 
lard Memorial Organization Fund are made 
each year, and the society is constantly 
gaining in membership and influence. 

Miss Willard's home State of Illinois, 
through the action of its Legislature, has 
placed a statue of Miss Willard in the Hall 
of Fame in the United States Capitol Build- 
ing at Washington, D. C. Miss Willard is 
the first woman to be thus honored. On 
occasion of the acceptance of this statue 
by the United States Congress, on February 
17, 1905, memorable addresses were made 
by Senators Cullom and Hopkins of Illi- 
nois, Beveridge of Indiana and Dolliver of 
Iowa. In the House, Representatives Foss, 
Graff and Rainey, of Illinois ; Littlefield, of 
Maine, and Brooks, of Colorado, also deliv- 
ered notable addresses. 

These addresses were fitting eulogies of 
the great good woman who had the heart 
and mind of Christ in her yearning love for 
humanity. At the hour of unveiling the 
statue, thousands of little people paid the 
tribute of childhood, as each one placed a 
flower at the foot of the statue. 



"Stand, radiant soul, 
Here in the center of our nation's heart. 
Forever of its best life thon'rt a part; 
Here thou shall draw thy land to what thou art. 

Stand, radiant soul." 

A commemorative meeting was held in 
the evening, at which forty-three States 
were represented by speeches, messages or 
telegrams. Miss Willard will live on and 
on in the hearts of multitudes of grateful 
men and women, who, with desires like her 
own, are working to redeem our country 
from the curse of impurity and intemper- 
ance. 

The following tribute to Miss Willard, 
as the type of "The American Woman," 
was delivered in the United States Senate 
by Senator Albert J. Beveridge, of Indiana, 
on the occasion of the unveiling of the Wil- 
lard statue in W'ashington, above referred 
to: 

Mr. President : From the beginning woman 
has personified the world's ideals. When history 
began its record it found her already the chosen 
bride of Art. The things that minister to man- 
kind's good have, from the very first, by the 
general judgment, been made feminine — the ships 
that bear us through storm to port ; the seasons 
that bring variety, surcease of toil and life's re- 
newal; the earth itself, which, through all time 
and in all speech, has been the luiiversal mother. 
The Graces were women, and the Muses, too. 
Always her influence has glorified the world, 
until her beatitude becomes divine in Mary, 
Mother of God. 

Mark how the noblest conceptions of the hu- 
man mind have always been presented in form 
of woman. Take Liberty; take Justice; take all 
the holy aspirations, all the sacred realitii^s. 
Each glorious ideal has, to the common thought, 
been feminine. The sculptors of the olden time 
made every immortal idea a daughter of the gods. 
Even Wisdom was a woman in the early concept 
of the race, and the unknown genius of the 
youthful world wrought Triumph itself into wo- 
man's form in that masterpiece of all the ages — 
The Winged Victory. Over the lives and destinies 
of men the ancients placed Clotho, Lachesis, and 
.'Vtrophos, forever spinning, twisting, severing the 
strands of human fate. 

In literature of all time woman has been Mer- 
cy's messenger, handmaid of tenderness, creator 
and preserver of human happiness. Name Shake- 
speare — Miranda and Imogen, Rosalind, Perdita 
and Cordelia appear; name Burns — the prayer 
"To Mary in Heaven" gives to the general heart 
that touch of nature which makes the whole 



482 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



world kin ; name the Book of Books — Rachel and 
the women of the Bible, in beauty, walk before 
us, and, in the words of Ruth, we hear the ulti- 
mate formula of woman's eternal fidelity and 
faith. 

So we see that, through all time, woman has 
typified the true, the beautiful, and the good on 
earth. And now Illinois, near the very heart of 
the world's great Republic and at the dawn of 
the twentieth century, cliooses woman herself as 
the ideal of that Commonwealth and of this 
period ; for the character of Frances E. Willard 
is womanhood's apotheosis. 

And she was American. She was the child of 
our American prairies, daughter of an American 
home. And so she had strength and gentleness, 
simplicity and vision. Not from the complex 
lives that wealth and luxury force upon their 
unfortunate children ; not from the sharpening 
and hardening process of the city's social and 
business grind ; not from any of civilization's 
artificialities, come those whom God appoints to 
lead mankind toward the light. 

Moses dwelt alone on the summit of mystery 
and human solitude. The Master abode in the 
wilderness, and there the power descended on 
Him with which He put aside the tempter. In 
the forests the Father of our Country learned 
Liberty's lessons from Nature, Liberty's mother, 
and from the valleys and the heights, the fields 
and pouring streams, got understanding of the 
possibilities of this land, a knowledge of its uses, 
a perception of its people's destiny. We cannot 
imagine Abraham Lincoln coming to us from a 
palace. No ! We can understand him only as 
he really was — man of the people and the soil, 
thinking with the people's mind the grand and 
simple truths, feeling with the people's heart an 
infinite compassion for and fellowship with all 
the race. 

So, Mr. President, all the saints and heroes of 
this world have come, fresh and strong from the 
source of things, by abuses unspoiled and un- 
weakened by false refinements. And so came 
Frances E. Willard, the American woman. The 
wide, free fields were the playgrounds of her 
childhood. The great primeval woods impressed 
her unfolding soul with their vast and vital calm- 
ness. Association with her neighbors was scant 
and difficult, and home meant to her all that the 
poets have sung of it, and more. It was a refuge 
and a shrine, a dwelling and a place of joy, a 
spot where peace and love and safety and all 
unselfishness reigned with a sovereignty un- 
challenged. And so this child of our forests and 
our plains, this daughter of that finest of civiliza- 
tion's advance guard — the American pioneers — 
early received into her very soul that conception 
of the home to which, as the apostle of universal 
womanhood, her whole life was dedicated. 

To make the homes of the millions pure, to 
render sweet and strong those human relations 
which constitute the family — this was her mis- 
sion and her work. And there cannot be a 
wiser method of mankind's upliftment than this — 
no better way to make a nation noble and en- 
during; for the hearthstone is the foundation 
whereon the state is built. The familv is the 



social and natural unit. Spencer wrote learnedly 
of "the individual and the state;" but he wrote 
words merely. Tlie individual is not the im- 
portant factor in nature or the nation. Nature 
destroys the individual. Nature cares only for 
the pair ; knows in some form nothing but the 
family. And so, by the deep reasoning of nature 
itself, Frances Willard's work was justified. 

But hers was no philosopher's creed. She got 
her inspiration from a higher source than human 
thinking. In her life's work we see restored to 
earth that faith which, whenever man has let it 
work its miracle has wrought victory here and 
immortality hereafter. Such was the faith of 
Joan, the inspired maid of France; such that of 
Columbus, sailing westward through the dark; 
such the exalted belief of those good missionaries 
who first invaded our American wilderness to 
light, with their own lives on civilization's altar, 
the sacred fire that never dies. The story of 
Frances Willard's faith in the conquest of evil 
by the good seems incredible to us who demand 
a map of all our future before we take a step. 

For Frances E. Willard knew no questioning. 
The Master's message was at once her guar- 
anty and her command. The Bible was to her, 
in very truth, divine. What immeasurable and 
increasing influence that one book has wielded 
over the minds of men and the destiny of the 
world! If it be the word of God, as we 
profoundly believe, surely it conies to human 
ears with all the dignity and peace and power 
that His word should command. If it be the 
word of man. then even the doubter must admit 
that the ancient Hebrews had miraculous skill 
to cast a spell across millenniums which, 
strengthening with the years, spreads wider 
today than ever and embraces the future as far 
as even the eye of imagination can behold. Not 
all invention, or all statesmanship, or all of litera- 
ture have so touched and bettered human life as 
this one book. And it was the Bible that gave 
Frances E. Willard her mission, her strength, 
her hope, her argument and her inspiration. 

Thus prepared and thus equipped she went 
out into the world and to her work. No method 
can measure what she did. The half million of 
women whom she brought into organized co-op- 
eration in the Women's Christian Temperance 
Union, is but a suggestion of the real results of 
her activities. Indeed, the highest benefits her 
life bestowed were as intangible as air and as full 
of life. She made purer the moral atmosphere 
of a continent — almost of a world. She rendered 
the life of a nation cleaner, the mind of a people 
saner. Millions of homes today are happier for 
her; millions of wives and mothers bless her; 
and countless children liave grown into strong, 
upright and beautiful maturity, who, but for the 
work of Frances E. Willard, might have been 
forever soiled and weakened. 

Mother of all mothers, sister of all wives, to 
every child tlie lover, Frances E. Willard sacri- 
ficed her own life to the happiness of her sisters. 
For after all, she knew that, with all her gifts 
and all the halo of her God-sent mission, never- 
theless the humblest mother was yet greater far 
than she. But it was needful that she should so 



I 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



483 



consecrate her strength and length of years. For 
how shall the service of utter unselfishness be 
achieved save in the utter sacrifice of self? So 
Frances E. Willard gave up her life and all the 
rights and glories of it, that all of her sisters 
might lead fuller, richer, happier, sweeter lives 
themselves. 

So, Mr. President, by placing her statue in the 
hall of our national immortals, a great common- 
wealth today forever commemorates the services 
of this American woman to all humanity. And 
the representatives of the American people — the 
greatest people in this world — in Congress for- 
mally assembled, today are paying tribute to the 
little frontier American maid who heard and 
heeded the voices that came to her from the 
unseen world, and, obeying their counsels, be- 
came the first woman of her generation, the most 
beloved character of her time, and, under God, 
a benefactress of her race. 



WILLIAM DEERING. 

William Deeriiig, merchant and manu- 
facturer, was born at Paris, Oxford County, 
Maine, April 24, 1826. His parents were 
James and Eliza (Moore) Deering. His 
ancestors emigrated from England in 
1634, and, in all of the histories of New 
England from that time, the name of Deer- 
ing finds most honorable mention. Wil- 
liam Deering's boyhood was much the same 
as that of other boys reared by earnest 
Christian parents. His scholastic educa- 
tion consisted of the full and regular course 
of studies in vogue at that time in the co:n- 
mon and graded schools, and was finished 
in the high school at Redfield, Maine, in 
1843. While yet in his early manhood he 
occupied the position of manager of a 
woolen mill in Maine, discharging every 
trust reposed in him to the eminent satisfac- 
tion of his employers. After the termina- 
tion of his labors there he engaged in vari- 
ous business enterprises, to which is largely 
due his marked genius for handling large 
manufacturing details. His greatest achieve- 
ment has been the building up of the works 
of William Deering & Company, for the 
manufacture of harvesters and agricultural 
machinery. The firm was founded in 1870, 



the name being changed in 1894 to the 
Deering Harvester Company, but is now 
the "National Harvester Company," in 
which Mr. Deering holds the controlling 
interest. The works are now located in 
Fullerton Avenue, along the line of the Chi- 
cago & Northwestern Railroad, with docks 
on the North Branch of the Chicago River. 
At the present time eighty-five acres are 
occupied by the plant, which is compactly 
arranged. The works comprise large wood- 
working shops, knife and section shops, 
machine and blacksmith shops, bolt and 
rivet works, a foundry, a large malleable 
iron plant, and an extensive twine plant. 
The works consume annually 45,000 tons of 
steel and a like quantity of pig iron, com- 
prising both Northern and Southern coke- 
iron. Some 72,000 tons of coal and coke 
are annually consumed, 4,817,750 gallons of 
oil and 31,000,000 feet of lumber. 

The force employed in the shops is usu- 
ally 7,000 hands, and many of the depart- 
ments work with regular night shifts, the 
establishinent operating its own electric 
light plant, which gives it facilities for pro- 
ducing a larger nuinber of machines of all 
kinds than any other harvester company in 
the world. It receives a part of its raw 
material from many foreign countries, in- 
cluding the Philippines, and distributes its 
products all over the globe. The sales de- 
partment embraces fifty-eight branch houses 
and general agencies, and the sales extend 
over Europe, Australia, New Zealand and 
South America. Mr. Deering, the founder 
of this immense plant, continues actively 
identified with its operations, ably assisted 
by his two sons, Charles and James. 

Mr. Deering has been twice married. His 
first wife was Miss Abby Barbour, of 
Maine, daughter of Charles and Joanna 
(Cobb) Barbour, to whom he was married 
October 31, 1849. O^ this union there was 
one child, Charles, born in 1852, now Sec- 



484 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



retary of the Deering Harvester Company. 
The second marriage, on December 15, 
1857, was to Miss Clara Hamilton, of 
Maine, daughter of Charles and Mary 
(Barbour) Hamilton. The issue was two 
children, James and Abby Marion, born in 
Maine — the former in 1859, and the latter 
1867. James Deering is the present Treas- 
urer of the Deering Harvester Company. 
William Deering removed with his family 
to Evanston, 111., in 1873, where he now 
resides in his beautiful home. He is lib- 
eral, public-spirited and benevolent, and his 
business career has been noteworthy from 
the absence of controversies with his em- 
ployes. He has been, for a number of 
years, one of the Trustees of the North- 
western University at Evanston. He is also 
a Director and stockholder in several finan- 
cial institutions. One of his latest acts of 
beneficence was the giving of Fisk Hall to 
the Northwestern University. 



CHARLES COMSTOCK. 

Charles Comstock (deceased), for over 
thirty years a prominent citizen of Evans- 
ton, 111., and during his business career, a 
leading member of the Chicago Board of 
Trade, was born in Camden, N. Y., May 7. 
1814, and spent his early life in the cen- 
tral portion of his native State. In 1861 he 
came to Chicago as the Western Agent of 
the Onondaga Salt Company, of which he 
was a stockholder, and at once located at 
Evanston, which continued to be his res- 
idence for the remainder of his life, cover- 
ing a period of thirty-four years. Soon 
after coming to Chicago he became a mem- 
ber of the Chicago Board of Trade and, at 
the time of his death in September, 1895, 
was, with one single exception, the oldest 
in continuous membership connected with 
that organization. 



As a business man Mr. Comstock was 
noted through his life for his energy and 
aggressive character, occupied with rare 
business judgment and a public spirit that 
tended to promote the interest of the city 
and any enterprise with which he might be 
connected. Always possessed of ample 
means, he contributed liberally to the sup- 
port of religious and benevolent enter- 
prises, and was a leading factor in the 
founding of St. Mark's Episcopal Church 
in Evanston in 1865, of which he was a 
generous supporter and which he served as 
Senior Warden continuously for thirty-one 
years. For five years he acted as President 
of the Traders' Insurance Company, in 
which he retained a large interest, besides 
being interested in several leading banks of 
Chicago. On account of age and failing 
health he was practically retired from active 
business during the latter years of his life, 
but always maintained a deep interest in 
business affairs and in operations on the 
Board of Trade. The late Judge George 
F. Comstock, of the New York Court of 
Appeals, was his brother, and together they 
were largely interested in the Onondaga 
Salt Company, of which -\Ir. Charles Com- 
stock was the representative after coming 
West in 1861. 

Mr. Comstock was twice married, his 
first marriage being with Mary Griswold 
of the State of Massachusetts and a niece 
of Bishop Griswold, an early American 
Bishop of the Episcopal Church. One son 
by this marriage — who is a namesake of 
Bishop Griswold — is now living. Mr. 
Comstock's second marriage was with Miss 
Julia J. Sprague of New York State, who 
survived him five years. Of this marriage 
five children are living — two sons and three 
daughters. The golden wedding anniver- 
sary of this marriage was celebrated in 
September, 1892, three years before Mr. 
Comstock's death. That event occurred at 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



48s 



his home at 1326 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, 
September 5, 1895, ^^ the age of over 
eighty-one years, as the result of a linger- 
ing illness from which he had suffered for 
many years. Both the local and the Chi- 
cago press paid a generous tribute to his 
memory as an upright citizen and a public- 
spirited and enterprising business man. 
The following testimonial to his integrity 
of character by one who had been brought 
in close association with Mr. Comstock and 
knew him intimately — Mr. George F. Stone, 
Secretary of the Chicago Board of Trade — ■ 
is worthy of reproduction here: "He al- 
ways enjoyed a reputation for being con- 
scientiously honest and punctilious in all his 
affairs, and commanded the respect of every 
one who knew him. He was an extremely 
upright man in business and charmingly 
affable and courteous in a social wav." 



HUGH ALEXANDER WHITE. 

Hugh Alexander White (deceased) was 
one of the solid men of Chicago, the scene 
of his business life, and of Evanston, the 
place of his residence for upwards of thirty 
years, and where he resided at the time of 
his death, after a short illness, ]\Iarch 25. 
1894. He was a believer in work, and one 
of his most prominent characteristics, even 
from childhood, was his unremitting indus- 
try. It was not a hardship for him to 
work — it was a pleasure. He did not be- 
lieve in royal roads to success in life, or in 
short cuts. There was, consequently, no 
time in his life when he was not successful 
to the measure of his undertakings. He 
was one of those who, if he thought he 
could go a mile, could go two. He did not 
lack ambition, but it was not for display — 
not to shine for a time — it was to go stead- 
ily on in the discharge of the duties belong- 
ing to the trusts reposed in him, reaping the 



rewards he knew were sure to follow. Such 
was his dislike to intruding himself upon 
public attention that he would never consent 
to being "written up," and so seldom talked 
of himself that the writer of this sketch, 
though intimate with him for nearly thirty- 
five years, knew little of his early life except 
what was gained from others ; and, what- 
ever his success in business, he seldom 
talked of them by way of self-gratulation. 
He was a public-spirited man, and took an 
active part in bringing about better condi- 
tions, the enactment of better laws and 
greater fidelity in their enforcement. By 
the thoroughness of his investigations into 
the subjects committed to him, and the 
practical nature of his suggestions for re- 
form, he rendered most valuable service. 
He was clear-headed, outspoken and sturdy, 
and left no one in doubt where he stood. 

Mr. White was born near Quincy, 111., in 
1830. Both parents having died before he 
was nine months old, he was left to the 
care of his maternal grandparents. He was 
brought up on a farm in the neighborhood 
of Quincy by an uncle by marriage, Moses 
Gutherie, and was educated in the Illinois 
College at Jacksonville. From there he 
went to Quincy and entered the law office 
of W^illiams, Grimshaw & Lawrence as a 
student, where he remained until he came 
to Chicago in 1856 and opened the law 
office of Williams & White. His partner 
was Archibald Williams, the senior mem- 
ber of the firm with which he had studied, 
and who was about that time L'nited States 
District Attorney, one of the great lawyers 
in Illinois. 

Mr. White continued in the active prac- 
tice of the law, trying cases in court until 
about 1874. when, in consequence of an 
affection of the throat and a large increase 
in his office business, he discontinued his 
court practice and confined himself to the 
more profitable and congenial business of 



486 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



managing the several large estates that had 
been entrusted to his care, examination of 
abstracts and other office business. Among 
the estates which he managed were the 
Allen C. Lewis estate, which grew in his 
hands to its present magnificent propor- 
tions : the Bigelow estate, the De Haven 
estate, and the Francis C. Sherman estate. 
To the management of these estates he 
brought that same conscientious, painstak- 
ing care, executive ability and strict integ- 
rity that marked his whole business life. 
He wanted no unfair advantage of others, 
and he did not allow others to take unfair 
advantage of him. The upright found it 
very agreeable to do business with him, but 
the quibbling and dishonest were sometimes 
made to regret that they had shown these 
undesirable traits to him. 

Mr. White was married to Catherine Mc- 
intosh Sands, of New York, in i860, who 
died a few years after her husband, a pub- 
lic benefactress, mourned by many friends, 
by those who had sustained to her the rela- 
tion of neighbor and by the general public 
of Evanston. They had no children. Soon 
after their marriage they moved to Evans- 
ton, and not long after that erected the 
beautiful home where they lived to the time 
of his death. Mr. White was a great lover 
of flowers, among which many of his early 
morning and evening hours were spent in 
their culture. His grounds, half a block 
on Ridge Avenue, one of the most beauti- 
ful streets in the town, have been the pride 
and delight of the people of Evanston. He 
was a connoisseur of pictures, and a great 
lover of books. His house was well filled 
with the best paintings of the masters, and 
his library was well stocked with rare and 
most valuable books. There were few men 
better posted upon almost every topic, or 
who could talk more entertainingly, than 
Mr. White. He cared little for general 
society, and did not aspire to office. His 



pleasure was in his home, which he pro- 
vided with every luxury, where, in com- 
pany of his devoted wife, whom he de- 
lighted to honor and to whom he left his 
fortune, he spent the hours of leisure among 
his flowers, his books and gems of art. 

During his active business life Mr. White 
was unostentatious in his private benevo- 
lence, often extending his charities to 
worthy persons and objects, on the princi- 
ple that "the left hand knoweth not what 
the right hand doeth." After his demise 
manv instances came to light of persons 
whom he had befriended, saying, "What 
shall I do, now that my best friend is 
gone?" His widow, by her will, left a 
generous bequest to the Chicago Art Insti- 
tute, thus carrying out the purposes which 
Mr. White had entertained during his life. 
Through the same source his library of 
miscellaneous and law books has become 
the property of the University of Chicago. 



CHANCELLOR LIVINGSTON JENKS. 

Few names upon the roll of honor of 
Evanston's loyal and successful citizens are 
better known than that of Chancellor L. 
Jenks. During the greater part of his active 
life he was either a resident of, or largely 
interested in, Evanston. His energetic na- 
ture, guided as it was by sound business 
acumen and sterling honor, made him a 
most conspicuous and influential figure in 
the civic and industrial life of the city and 
of Chicago. He was born in the town of 
Warren, Bradford County, Pa., January 29, 
1828, and was one of a large family of 
children born to Livingston and Sarah 
( Buffington) Jenks. His father was a na- 
tive of Rhode Island, the cradle of the fam- 
ily in America, and came of a sturdy line of 
ancestors whose lives form part of the glo- 
rious history of New England patriotism. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



487 



Three in the direct line of his ancestry — all 
bearing the name of Joseph Jenks — had 
much to do in molding the destinies of the 
Colonies. All were called upon to serve 
as members of the General Assembly, and 
one was four times elected Governor of 
Rhode Island. Livingston Jenks, the father 
of Chancellor L. Jenks, settled in La Salle 
County, 111., in 1836, where he combined 
the several vocations of farmer, merchant 
and lawyer, until his death in 1863 closed 
a life of usefulness and honor. 

Chancellor L. Jenks spent his boyhood in 
La Salle County, receiving his education at 
the country school house and at Granville 
Academy. From 1849 to 1850 he taught 
school in Ottawa ; but his ambition had 
always been to engage in the legal profes- 
sion. In 185 1 he came to Chicago and 
began the study of law under Calvin De- 
Wolf. Nine months later he was admit- 
ted to the bar. Success came at once. 
His tremendous activity of mind, his fer- 
tility of resource, his power of grasping in- 
stantly the important points of a case, his 
fearlessness and his great physical strength, 
aided by a reputation for "good luck," at- 
tracted a large clientage. He was an in- 
domitable worker and a firm believer in the 
policy of "keeping everlastingly at it." 

He was married to Pamella M. Hoising- 
ton. May 6. 1855, at the First Methodist 
Church in Chicago. She was the daughter 
of Jasper A. Hoisington, whom many resi- 
dents of Evanston and Chicago will recall 
with pleasure, and who lived to the ripe 
age of ninety-four years. Mrs. Jenks died 
in San Diego, Cal., April 5, 1890, while vis- 
iting her son Chancellor, then a resident of 
California. 

Mr. Jenks became early convinced of the 
great future of Chicago and vicinity and 
believed that careful investments in real 
estate would prove remunerative. From 
time to time, as his means allowed, he 



made purchases in different parts of Chi- 
cago and its suburbs. In 1868, in connec- 
tion with Charles E. Brown and others, he 
acquired a large tract of land in what is 
now the Sixth Ward of Evanston, and 
laid out the sub-division known as North 
Evanston. He was also one of the found- 
ers of Glencoe and, in addition to his hold- 
ings in Chicago, invested largely in Engle- 
wood, Hyde Park and elsewhere. Mr. 
Jenks' real estate interests having become 
so extensive as to demand his entire at- 
tention, he was compelled, with great re- 
luctance, to give up the practice of the law 
not long before the great Chicago fire. That 
catastrophe violently checked his career of 
prosperity. In the second great fire of 
1874, he again suffered a heavy loss. But 
like thousands of his energetic fellow-citi- 
zens, he managed to rise above his misfor- 
tunes and. in a few years, realized that 
these great financial disasters had merely 
cleared the ground for the foundations of 
a more enduring and genuine success. 

During his long residence in Evanston 
Mr. Jenks served several terms as a mem- 
ber of the Board of Trustees and the School 
Board, and was a strong influence in the 
development of the municipality. In poli- 
tics he was always a stanch Republican, 
and, in ante-bellum days, he and his father 
were active champions of abolitionism, and 
maintained upon the . farm in La Salle 
County a station of the so-called "Under- 
ground Railway," established to aid run- 
away slaves in escaping to Canada. 

An interesting incident in connection 
with Mr. Jenks' efforts in behalf of the 
negro has been often related. One day he 
saw a runaway slave girl struggling in the 
grasp of her master, Stephen F. Knuckles, 
and Jack Newsom, a commissioner under 
the Fugitive Slave Law. Mr.Jenksprompt- 
ly rushed to the assistance of the negress 



488 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



with the result that the entire party were 
soon rolling over each other in the gutter. 
Police officers arriving on the scene, they 
were all taken into custody. The slave 
alone was imprisoned ; the others being 
well known and responsible, were released 
on their own recognizance. Mr. Jenks im- 
mediately swore out a warrant charging 
the slave with disorderly conduct, Justice 
Calvin De Wolf issuing the writ at lo 
o'clock at night. George Anderson, Deputy 
Sheriff (who with Justice De Wolf was 
in the "conspiracy") served the warrant 
at once, and took the girl from the police 
station with the apparent purpose of pro- 
ducing her before the magistrate. On the 
street he was surrounded by a howling 
mob of several hundred persons, and, when 
the crowd was dispersed, the prisoner was 
not to be found. The Federal Grand Jury, 
which was then in session, promptly indict- 
ed Mr. Jenks, Calvin De Wolf and George 
Anderson on the charge of violating the 
Fugitive Slave Law. The affair coming 
to the knowledge of President Buchanan, 
he made the somewhat natural mistake of 
supposing "Chancellor" Jenks to be a judge 
of one of the State courts on the chancery 
side. Indignant at this instance of open 
violation of a cherished L^nited States stat- 
ute, he telegraphed the United States Attor- 
ney at Chicago as follows; "Prosecute 
Chancellor Jenks to the full extent of the 
law. For a private citizen to be engaged 
in such nefarious practices as he is charged 
with is bad enough ; but a high officer of 
the court, who is concerned in them, should 
be severely dealt with. James Buchanan, 
President." Shortlyafter Abraham Lincoln 
was elected President, the War of the Re- 
bellion broke out, the political complexion 
of the Federal officers at Chicago changed, 
and the indictment was nolle prossed. 

Mr. Jenks was a member of the First 
Baptist Church of Chicago for more than 



forty years. He closed his eventful, suc- 
cessful and honored life January lo, 1903, 
at San Francisco, Cal., while on a visit to 
his son, Livingston Jenks. The children 
born to Mr. Jenks and wife were eight in 
number, of whom but two survive their 
parents — Chancellor L. Jenks, Jr., who re- 
sides at 1217 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, 
and who is a practicing attorney, and Liv- 
ingston Jenks, whose residence is in San 
I'^rancisco, and who also is a member of 
the legal profession. 



JOHN HUME KEDZIE. 

John H. Kedzie (deceased), for over 
forty years a leading resident of Evanston, 
III., was born in Stamford, Delaware Coun- 
ty. N. Y.. September 8, 18 15, and, after 
reaching the school age, until his seven- 
teenth year attended the district school in 
winter while working on his father's farm 
in the summer. At eighteen years of age 
he began teaching in a district school, but 
being ambitious to acquire a liberal educa- 
tion, he began a course of preparation for 
college at Oneida Institute, and later en- 
tered Oberlin College, Ohio, from which he 
graduated in 1841. Having studied law 
and been admitted to the bar in his na- 
tive State, in 1847 ^i^ removed to Chicago 
and there established himself in practice. At 
the time of the California gold excitement, 
in common with many others, he was seized 
with the desire to visit the El Dorado of 
the Pacific Coast, but was prevented by 
the accumulation of business on his hands. 
He was compelled to content himself with 
making financial advances to others. Of 
four or five whom he aided in this way, not 
one ever made any return to him as prom- 
ised. 

In 1850 Mr. Kedzie was married to 
Marv Elizabeth Austin; who died four 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



489 



years later, leaving an infant daughter 
named for her mother, but who died dur- 
ing the following year. On June 17, 1857, 
he was married to a second Mary Eliza- 
beth, whose maiden name was Kent, and 
who still survives in Evanston. Of five 
children born to Mr. Kedzie's second mar- 
riage, two — Margaret Frances and John 
Hume, Jr. — are still living. The oldest 
daughter, Kate Isabel, who became ]\Irs. 
George Watson Smith, died over twenty- 
years ago, and two daughters — Laura 
Louise and Julia Hume — died in child- 
hood. 

A steadfast Republican in his political 
views, in the fall of 1876 Mr. Kedzie was 
elected a member of the lower branch of 
the Thirtieth General Assembly from Cook 
County, and in the contest for United States 
Senator which followed, gave his earnest 
support to Gen. John A. Logan for that po- 
sition. It becomingapparent that Gen. Lo- 
gan could not be elected, Mr. Kedzie final- 
ly gave his support to Judge David Davis, 
who was elected as an "Independent." His 
prominence in connection with the business 
affairs of both Evanston and Chicago is in- 
dicated by the fact that public highways 
have been named in his honor in both cities 
— that in the former being Kedzie Street 
and in the latter Kedzie Avenue. An office 
building at 120-122 Randolph Street also 
bore his name. The names of both the 
Kedzie and the Hume families, from both 
of whom he was descended, are traced to 
Scottish origin, each being prominent about 
the time of Oliver Cromwell and earlier. 

In 1861 Mr. Kedzie took up his resi- 
dence in Evanston, and from that time bore 
a prominent part in the affairs of that place. 
He first purchased and occupied a house 
erected by Francis H. Benson, which was 
subsequently destroyed by fire. Another 
house built on the same site met a like fate 
on New Year's Day of 1880, and during 



the same year he erected the residence on 
the southwest corner of Ridge Avenue and 
Grove Street, which he occupied during 
the remainder of his life. 

Mr. Kedzie gave evidence of his original- 
ity and his fondness for philosophical inves- 
tigation in the preparation of a volume en- 
titled "Solar Heat, Gravitation and Sun 
Spots," which was published in 1886, and 
which has attracted the attention of many 
interested in the unsolved problems of na- 
ture. He took a prominent part in the es- 
tablishment of the Evanston Free Public 
Library, and from the date of its organiza- 
tion in 1873, ^o'' tlic first four years of its 
existence, serving as President of the Li- 
brary Board. He also served for many 
years as a member of the Board of Edu- 
cation, was one of the original members 
of the Philosophical Society organized in 
1866, and took a prominent part in connec- 
tion with church affairs, being one of the 
organizers of the St. Mark's Episcopal 
Church in 1864, and in the latter part of his 
life a member of the First Congregational 
Church, which he served for many years 
on its Board of Trustees. Mr. Kedzie's 
death occurred April 9, 1903, in the eighty- 
eighth year of his age. 



JOSEPH CUMMINGS, D. D., LL. D. 

Rev. Joseph Cummings (deceased), one 
of the most eminent clergymen and edu- 
cators in the United States, and widely 
known as the honored President of North- 
western L^niversity from 1881 until 1890, 
was born at Falmouth, near Portland, Me., 
March 3, 1817. His parental ancestors 
were of Scotch nativity. His father was 
a zealous and faithful minister of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, whose la- 
bors covered a large portion of the State 
of Alaine and extended into the Canadas. 



490 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



His worthy wife, the steadfast and de- 
voted helpmate in his pastoral labors, was 
a member of a family of local note in the 
field of Methodism, and especially active 
in the work of the church. Thus the sub- 
ject of this sketch was a ^Methodist by 
birth, domestic training and institutional 
instruction. 

In early youth Dr. Cummings enjoyed 
the advantages of the public schools in 
the vicinity of his home. He underwent 
his preparation for college in Maine ^Ves- 
leyan Seminary at Kent's Hill, and after- 
wards entered Wesleyan University at 
Middletown, Conn., through which he 
w^orked his way by teaching school at in- 
tervals. From this institution he was 
graduated with the Class of 1840, and 
shortly afterwards became a Professor 
in, and subsequently Principal of. Amenia 
Seminary, at Amenia, New York. While 
engaged in teaching he pursued a course 
in theology, and in 1846 was ordained 
by the Methodist Episcopal Conference 
a minister of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. He rapidly gained prominence 
in his calling, being recognized as an 
impressive and convincing speaker, a pro- 
found logician and a forceable expounder 
of doctrinal points. 

In 1853, Dr. Cummings was called to 
the chair of Theology in the Methodist 
Biblical Institute at Concord, N. H., and 
thence went to Lima, N. Y., where he 
assumed the presidency of Genessee Wes- 
leyan College, of which he was the head 
from 1854 to 1857. In the latter year, 
the success he had achieved in this ca- 
pacity resulted in his election to the presi- 
dency of his alma mater, Wesleyan L^ni- 
versity. Here was first revealed, in a 
remarkable degree, his possession of that 
superior constructive faculty, capacity for 
organization and high quality of leader- 
ship, which made him famous among the 



educators of the United States. For 
eighteen years he conducted the affairs 
of this institution, and these were years 
of marvelous growth and development in 
its history. The grand results which he 
achieved in this connection were fittinglv 
recognized in a memorial address de- 
livered, shortly after the death of Dr. 
Cummings, by Rev. James Marcus King, 
D. D., of New York, in which he said : 
"It was the proud boast of a Roman Em- 
peror that he found the 'Eternal City' 
brick and left it marble. Of Dr. Cum- 
mings it may justly be said, that he found 
the college buildings at Middletown 
meager, inadequate and unattractive — 
formerly the dingy quarters of an aban- 
doned military academy — and he crowded 
that classic hill on High Street with mas- 
sive structures as noble and inspiring as 
can be found on this continent. In these 
eighteen years he reared a triple monu- 
ment in buildings of imperishable old red- 
sandstone, that will stand as imposing 
reminders of the splendidly successful ad- 
ministration of Joseph Cummings as long 
as the river they overlook shall flow to 
the sea." 

During the presidency of Dr. Cum- 
mings, the alumni of Wesleyan Univer- 
sity contributed about $30,000 towards a 
library fund for the institution, and Isaac 
Rich and Daniel Drew pledged $200,000 
to the endowment fund. The old board- 
ing hall was remodeled and transformed 
into an observatory hall, being surmount- 
ed by a tower containing a telescope of 
extraordinary power. The memory of 
"Wesleyan's" heroic dead, fallen in the 
W'ar for the Union, was perpetuated 
by the erection of a memorial chapel. A 
model gymnasium was provided ; large 
additions were made to the scientific col- 
lections ; the faculty was increased in 
numbers, and the course of study extend- 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



491 



ed; the halls of the University, with their 
opportunities, were for the first time 
opened to women ; and finally the work 
of this administration was crowned by 
the erection, through the beneficence of 
Orange Judd, of a structure — one of the 
most complete and elegant in the land — 
as a temple of natural science. Mr. Judd 
also originated and prepared at great la- 
bor and expense, a work of incalculable 
value to his alma mater, in the shape of 
an alumni record, which is the only ap- 
proximately perfect catalogue of this kind 
known to American colleges. In 1875, 
Dr. Cummings resigned the office which 
he had held for nearly a score of years, 
his administration having spanned the 
pre-eminently constructive period in the 
history of the University. 

After his resignation Dr. Cummings 
continued for three years to occupy the 
chair of Mental and Moral Philosophy 
and Political Economy in the institution, 
and then resumed his ministerial labors, 
feeling that his career as an educator was 
at an end. It was not so to be, however, 
as the fame of his ability, not only as a 
builder of institutions of learning, but as a 
developer of character and men. was 
widespread. His services were needed in 
an enlarged field of activity and a broader 
sphere of usefulness. In 1881 he was 
called from a successful ministry in New 
England to the presidency of Northwest- 
ern University. To this position he 
brought ripe experience, rare wisdom, ma- 
ture judgment, and that spirit of progres- 
siveness which had been one of the dis- 
tinguishing characteristics of his career. 
In addition to these, he brought to the 
scene of his last endeavor the prestige of 
a great name. Here he speedily won the 
confidence of the official board and of 
wealthy and kindly disposed friends of 
the University. Financial claims against 



it were met, new buildings were erected. 
its income was increased, and the period 
of its highest prosperity began. He gov- 
erned wisely, planned judiciously for the 
future, and directed the affairs of tlie in- 
stitution, which is now the pride of West- 
ern Methodism, almost to the end of his 
life. At his death it was truly said, 
"Methodism has lost its greatest College 
President." In terms of endearment, and 
almost of adulation, those who came un- 
der his care and guidance at the W'es- 
leyan and Northwestern Universities.. 
speak of this great educator — stern and 
exacting as he was at times — as one who 
seemed to grapple his pupils to himself 
with hooks of steel. Possessed of rare 
moral and physical courage, a chevalier 
in defense of the right, and a knight-er- 
rant in boldly and vigorously assailing 
the wrong, "he seemed," says one of his 
students, later associated with him as an 
instructor at Wesleyan University, "to 
sum up and embody all that can vaguely 
be conceived of tenacity of will, fearless- 
ness, superb power of achievement — in 
short of the heroic." Dr. Cummings had 
a hatred of feebleness and indolence of 
nature, vacillation, dallying with wrong 
and weak-kneed sentimentality. "He 
taught us," said another of his pupils, 
"that the first duty of a man is to be 
strong; yet this man, so stern — at times 
so harsh — had a heart as tender, a hand 
as soft, and a voice as gentle as a wo- . 
man's, wherever there was pain to soothe 
or sorrow to console." Another, who was 
an elder and lifelong friend, said: "For 
the student, he had a personal and tender 
interest. He encouraged the despondent, 
assisted the sick, prayed with the peni- 
tent, and pleaded and labored with the 
erring. He imparted his spiritual life to 
thousands who have thereby been 
quickened into noble living. He lived 



492 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



on towards three-score years and ten, 
genial, optimistic, planning, until the last, 
greater things for our educational institu- 
tions. Withal, he was so modest and un- 
assuming, and did his work with so lit- 
tle of the spirit of display, that we have 
but faintly realized how great was the 
place he filled." 

Busy as was the life of Dr. Cummings 
in the fields of education and ministerial 
work, he still found time to give consid- 
erable attention to social, economic and 
governmental problems. He was a mem- 
ber, and at one time Vice-President, of 
the National Reform Association, and 
also a member of the American Associa- 
tion for the Advancement of Science. 
His was a powerful influence in promot- 
ing the cause of temperance, and through- 
out his long career he missed no oppor- 
tunity to aid in the suppression of the 
liquor traffic. A great preacher, as well 
as a great educator, he stood high in the 
councils of the Methodist Church. He 
participated as a delegate in many of the 
General Conferences of the Church, and, 
in 1864, was a member of the committee 
appointed by the Conference to formulate 
resolutions conveying to President Lin- 
coln an expression of the loyal sentiment 
and co-operation of the church. He pre- 
pared and presented to Mr. Lincoln the 
address which drew from the great 
Emancipator the following historic 
answer : 

"Gentlemen : In response to your ad- 
dress allow me to attest the accuracy of 
its historic statements, endorse the state- 
ments it expresses, and thank you in the 
nation's name for the sure promise it 
gives. Nobly sustained, as the Govern- 
ment has been, by all the churches. I 
would utter nothing which might, in the 
least, appear invidious against any. Yet 
without this it may fairly be said that the 



Methodist Episcopal Church, not less de- 
voted than the best, is, by its greater 
numbers, the most important of all. It is 
no fault in others that the Methodist 
Church sends more soldiers to the field, 
more nurses to the hospitals and more 
prayers to Heaven, than any. God bless 
the Methodist Church! Bless all the 
churches and blessed be God, who, in this, 
our greatest trial, giveth us the churches !" 

During the war Dr. Cummings was 
among the most active supporters of the 
Union cause in New England, bringing all 
his powerful influence to bear to strength- 
en the armies, care for the sick and 
wounded, and provide for those depend- 
ent upon the soldiers in the field. 

In recognition of his distinguished serv- 
ices as educator and minister of the gos- 
pel, both Harvard and Wesleyan Univer- 
sities conferred upon Dr. Cummings the 
degree of D. D., and he received the de- 
gree of LL. D. from Nofthwestern Uni- 
versity. 

The domestic life of the subject of this 
sketch, like his professional and public 
career, was ideal in its character. In 1843 
he was united in marriage with Deborah 
S. Haskell, a member of one of the most 
prominent and worthy families of Augus- 
ta, Maine, represented by ministers and 
lawyers of local distinction. Airs. Cum- 
mings was a broad-minded, capable wo- 
man, and her assistance in furthering the 
plans and endeavors of her husband can- 
not be overestimated. She was endowed 
with fine social gifts, and her home was 
delightfully hospitable. She survived her 
husband and, after his decease, served as 
one of the Trustees of Northwestern Uni- 
versity. Her death occurred in 1901. 
Mrs. Bonbright, wife of Dr. David Bon- 
bright, Professor of the Latin language 
and Literature in Northwestern Univer- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



493 



sitv, is the only child left by this noble 
couple. 

Dr. Cummings departed this life on 
May 7, 1890. In that event a great career 
was ended and a great soul entered the 
communion of saints. His strong indi- 
viduality is indelibly impressed upon the 
city which was his last home, and upon 
the famous educational institution of 
which he was the head ; and his memory 
lingers, like a benediction, with those who 
knew him as guide, philosopher and friend 
during the years when his labors were 
drawing to a close. His field of activity 
was wide and his fame national ; but his 
name is indissolubly linked with Evans- 
ton, with Northwestern University, and 
with Western Methodism. 



GEORGE MYRICK SARGENT. 

George Myrick Sargent, manufacturer, 
Chicago and Evanston, 111., was born in 
Sedgwick, Me., March 29, 1830, the son 
of Benjamin Choate and Susannah (Cole) 
Sargent, being the youngest of a family 
of eleven children, of whom six (Janu- 
ary, 1904), are still living. The family 
name has had more than thirty different 
forms of spelling at different periods and 
in different countries, beginning, as it is 
believed, in Normandy in the latter part of 
the twelfth century, with the name 
"Serniens," and after undergoing various 
transformations in the intervening cen- 
turies, has taken on its present form. The 
founder of the family in America was 
William Sargent, who was born in 
Northampton, England, in 1602, and came 
to Charleston, Alass., in 1638, from whom 
Mr. George M. Sargent is sixth in line of 
descent. Heads of various other branches 
of the family on the maternal side came 
to Plymouth Colony in the days of Pil- 



grim immigration, some of them coming 
on the "Mayflower" in 1620, and their de- 
scendants took part in most of the colo- 
nial wars, including King Philip's War, 
and later in the War of the Revolution, 
the War of 181 2 and the Mexican War. 
The children of Benjamin C. and Susan- 
nah Sargent were : Benjamin Cleaves, 
born June 12, 1808, died in infancy; Wyer 
Groves, born June 24, 1810; John Oliver, 
born December 18, 1812; Sarah Jane, 
born February 2, 1815; William Haskell, 
born February 4, 1818; Lucius Bolles, 
born January 18, 1820; Thomas Cole, 
born November 6, 1821 ; Albion Keith 
Parris, born October 24, 1823; Mary Mer- 
rill, born June 4, 1826; Jasper Newton, 
born January 6, 1828; and George M3'rick. 
The five last named, with William Has- 
kell, are still surviving. 

The subject of this sketch was reared 
on his father's farm, meanwhile attend- 
ing the common schools in his native 
State until eighteen years of age, when he 
entered into the employ of his brother, 
W^yer G., as clerk in his store at Sedg- 
wich (now Sargentville), Maine. Here 
he remained four or five years, during 
part of the time serving as the first Post- 
master of that place ; later removed to 
Boston, Mass., where for the next four 
years he was employed as clerk by J. N. 
Dennison & Co. Then returning to Sedg- 
wick, Maine, he entered into partnership 
with his brother under the firm name of 
W. G. Sargent & Brother, continuing four 
years. Retiring from this partnership, 
he next engaged in the ship-chandlery 
business in Boston with his brother-in- 
law, Joseph J. Durham, the firm taking 
the name of Durham & Sargent. In 1861 
Mr. Sargent went to New York, where he 
formed a partnership in the same line of 
business with Robert H. Thayer (firm 
name Thayer & Sargent), remaining until 



494 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



about 1870. On account of the sturdy 
political position of the members of this 
firm during the Civil War period, their 
place of business became known as "The 
Black Republican Store." 

Coming west in 1870, Mr. Sargent pur- 
chased an interest in the malleable iron 
works at Moline, 111., with which he re- 
mained three years, the concern first be- 
ing known by the firm name of Hill, 
Heald & Sargent, but later being incor- 
porated as the Moline Malleable Iron 
Works. Having severed his connection 
with the iron works enterprise at Moline 
in 1873, he removed to Des Moines, Iowa, 
where for three years he was connected 
with the Des Moines Scale Company in 
the manufacture of farmers' scales. Then, 
in 1876, coming to the city of Chicago, 
he established there the first manufactory 
in the United States for the exclusive 
manufacture of the brake-shoe for rail- 
way cars, under the firm name of George 
M. Sargent & Co. In 1877 the concern 
was reorganized as a stock company, 
known as the Congdon Brake-Shoe Com- 
pany. The business grew rapidly and, 
in 1893, ^ "sw corporation was formed un- 
der the name of the Sargent Company, 
with a capital stock of $250,000, Mr. Sar- 
gent being its President. Later the stock 
was increased to $500,000, the plant be- 
ing located at Fifty-ninth and Wallace 
Streets, Chicago, and covering an area 
of about five acres. Furnaces for the 
manufacture of steel castings were erect- 
ed, the output consisting chiefly of brake- 
shoes and railroad couplers. The busi- 
ness grew so rapidly that it was found 
necessary to increase the facilities for the 
production of cast-iron brake-shoes, and 
a new plant was erected at Chicago 
Heights, covering an area of ten acres, 
the plant at Fifty-ninth Street being there- 
after devoted to the manufacture of coup- 



lers and knuckles almost exclusively for 
railroads. In 1901 the plant at Chicago 
Heights was sold to the American Brake- 
shoe & Foundry Company, and the steel 
plant at Fifty-ninth Street to the Ameri- 
can Steel Foundries, the former represent- 
ing a capital stock of $4,500,000. Mr. 
Sargent is still a director in the first 
named company, but not in active busi- 
ness. His son, William Durham Sargent, 
who promoted its organization, was its 
first President, remaining until January, 
1904, when he resigned, and is now Sec- 
ond Vice-President of the American 
Steel Foundries (representing a capital of 
$40,000,000), in charge of the operating 
department. 

Mr. George M. Sargent is a director 
of the Railway Appliance Company of 
which his son, George H., is the Vice- 
President. Other business enterprises 
with which he has been connected include 
the "Live Poultry Transportation Com- 
pany," of which he was President for 
some years, and the Vessel -Owners' As- 
sociation, of which he was a director 
while in New York. It was through the 
efTorts of a committee of the latter as- 
sociation, of which Mr. Sargent was a 
member, that the builders of the East 
River Bridge were induced to inci^ease the 
elevation of that structure from 120 feet, 
as originally projected, to 135 feet. His 
prominence as a business man is indi- 
cated by the fact that, in 1901, he was 
elected Vice-President for Illinois of the 
National Association of Manufacturers of 
the United States, and, at the present 
time, is a member of the Committee on 
Commerce of the National Business 
League. 

Mr. Sargent was married at Winter- 
ford, Maine, September 15, 1858, to Helen 
Marie Durham, who was born in Free- 
dom, ]\Iaine, February 15, 1834, the 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



495 



daughter of William and Emily Durham, 
and they have had four children : Emily 
Helen, born October 3, i860, died aged 
eleven months; William Durham, born in 
Lynn, Mass., June 16, 1863 ; George Ham- 
lin, born in Brooklyn, N. Y., October 5, 
1865, and Annie Gushing, born in Marl- 
boro, N. H., November 2"], 1870. William 
Durham Sargent married, February 14, 
1899, May Alene Partridge, daughter of 
G. W. Partridge ; Annie G. married, Sep- 
tember 19, 1895, Henry K. Gilbert of Ghi- 
cago; and George Hamlin married, Janu- 
ary 12, 1904, Elizabeth H. Pittman, of 
Detroit, Mich. 

In religious belief Mr. George M. Sar- 
gent is a Methodist and in politics a Re- 
publican. For two terms he served as 
a member of the Evanston Board of Trus- 
tees, and is a member of various fraternal 
and social organizations, including the 
Royal Arcanum and Blue Lodge A. F. & 
A. M., Evanston Ghapter and Gommand- 
ery K. T., Evanston ; the Mystic Shrine, 
Medinah Temple ; Union League Glub, Ghi- 
cago ; Gountry Glub and Evanston Club, 
Evanston ; besides the Evanston, Glen- 
view and St. Augustine Golf Glubs. For 
several years he was President of the 
Society of the Sons of Maine, Ghicago, 
and is present Vice-President of the New 
England Society. After a long and con- 
spicuously successful business career, Mr. 
Sargent, with his faithful and devoted 
wife, is spending the evening of his days 
in their delightful home in Evanston, 
practically retired from active business, 
though still retaining his official connec- 
tion with the manufacturing enterprises 
in which he has been financially inter- 
ested and an important factor for more 
than a quarter of a century. 



ALEXANDER GLARK. 

The death, on September 26, 1903, of 
Alexander Glark, at Antioch, 111., where 
he was bringing to successful completion 
one of -the many enterprises which his 
genius for large and useful undertakings 
had conceived, and which his indomitable 
energy and splendid organizing ability 
had made possible, removed a man who 
had given generously of his talents and 
time to the furtherance of Evanston's 
civic welfare. Almost from his settle- 
ment in Evanston to his latest hours on 
earth, he had taken a deep and active in- 
terest in everything that concerned the 
community. Although he never sought or 
accepted office, he commanded, by reason 
at once of his high personal character and 
his unselfish devotion to public interests, 
a measure of respect in the ranks of in- 
fluential citizenship, which made his opin- 
ion an important political factor, and 
which never failed to give weight to his 
voice, whenever he felt called upon to 
raise it, in support or condemnation of the 
policy of those entrusted with the conduct 
of municipal affairs. It was mainly 
through his instrumentality that the vil- 
lages which now constitute the Gity of 
Evanston were consolidated under one 
government, and it is a peculiar, yet a 
characteristic, coincident that only a few 
months subsequent to his death, his fel- 
low citizens ratified at the polls a meas- 
ure upon which he had been quietly work- 
ing for years, and one which rendered 
this consolidation more secure — the prac- 
tical combination of the city and town- 
ship governments. 

While South Evanston was still a vil- 
lage and I\Ir. Glark was among the new- 
est of its residents, he was foremost in 
the movement for securing a water sup- 
ply, and when the artesian well, then in- 



496 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



stalled, proved inadequate to meet grow- 
ing needs, he assisted materially in creat- 
ing the means whereby the village was 
enabled, by the erection of waterworks, to 
draw its supply from Lake Michigan, and 
to establish in connection therewith an 
electric light plant. He was a strenu- 
ous advocate of good streets and side- 
walks, and it was largely through his ef- 
forts, and in consequence of his unceasing 
agitation for improvement in this direc- 
tion, that South Evanston became the best 
paved of the North Shore suburbs and 
was the first among them to introduce the 
cement sidewalk. He was the first to see 
the necessity for the creation of a local 
park system ; it was he who secured the 
strip of lake frontage between Main and 
Kedzie Streets. He was one of the found- 
ers of the movement for the creation of 
Sheridan Road, and was Secretary of the 
Sheridan Road Association from its or- 
ganization to his death. 

The advice of Mr. Clark was sought 
and followed in the establishment of the 
city government ; he gave wise counsel 
to its first officials, and prepared, or as- 
sisted in the preparation of, many of the 
ordinances under which the municipality 
is now operating. Although engrossed in 
an extensive law practice in Chicago, he 
was always ready to give liberally of his 
thought and time to the public afifairs 
of the community in which he made his 
home and for which he always enter- 
tained and expressed the greatest affec- 
tion. To him is Evanston indebted for 
the conception and construction of elec- 
tric railway communication with Chi- 
cago, an enterprise in which he enlisted 
capital, and for which he secured the nec- 
essary frontage consents and right of way 
through its entire length. The ability 
which he displayed in this undertaking 
won for him a hearing later, when he pro- 



posed the construction of the Union Loop 
in Chicago — a conception which was en- 
tirely his own, and which was carried into 
execution, so far as its legal phases were 
concerned, in accordance with plans 
which he had formulated long before capi- 
talists were asked to consider it as an in- 
vestment. In his lifetime, so unmindful 
was he of any form of personal praise, he 
was never heard to claim credit for what 
many knew him to be entitled to — the 
origination of the scheme which has made 
possible the success of the present elevat- 
ed railway systems of Chicago. 

At the time of his death Mr. Clark was 
engaged in promoting the electric line be- 
tween Waukegan and Kenosha, since 
completed, one of his principal associates 
being Volney W. Foster, another distin- 
guished and beloved citizen of Evanston, 
who was one of his pall-bearers and who, 
only a few months later, was also borne 
to his last resting place. 

Alexander Clark came of Scotch-Irish 
stock ; his father, Alexander Clark, and his 
mother, Eliza McCuUom, having been 
born in the North of Ireland, the former 
on June 7, 1819, the latter on July i, 1821. 
His parents emigrating to America, Alex- 
ander was born in Paterson, N. J., on 
June 15, 185 1. The family came West 
when he was 12 years of age, settled on a 
farm in Knox County, 111., later moving to 
a larger place in Ford County. He was 
educated in Wabash College, Crawfords- 
ville, Ind., from which he was graduated 
in 1877. After reading law in the office of 
Judge Woods, Chicago, he was, in 1878, 
admitted to the bar. On March 10, 1881, 
he married Miss Emma Osgood of 
Oneida. Knox County, 111., and the same 
month the young couple settled in Evans- 
ton. Mrs. Clark and two children — John 
Alexander and Helen Osgood — still sur- 
vive. 



i 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



497 



Following the death of Mr. Clark, the 
City Council of Evanston adopted resolu- 
tions setting forth the great loss which 
the community had suffered in his demise, 
recounting the useful services which he 
had rendered the community, and naming 
the lake front park, which he had secured 
for the City, Clark Square, as a lasting 
testimonial to his honored memory. 



DR. JARED BASSETT. 

Dr. Tared Bassett (deceased) was born 
in East Montpelier, Vt.. January 26, 1814, 
the son of Joel and Ruby ( Aletcalf) Bas- 
sett, and grandson of Jared Bassett, who 
emigrated from Connecticut and became 
one of the early settlers of the "Green 
Mountain State." \\'hile the genealogy 
of the family is not now accessible, it is 
believed to have been of Huguenot origin, 
the first American ancestor of the name 
having crossed the ocean in 1621, the year 
after the landing of the "Mayflower" at 
Plymouth Rock. Dr. Bassett"s mother 
was a devout member of the Society of 
Friends, while the father, who was a 
farmer by occupation and held many of- 
fices of honor and trust in the connnunity, 
shared the faith and mode of life of his 
wife. Although not strictly a Quaker in 
religious faith and practice, the son inher- 
ited many of the traits of his ancestors, 
including the strength of character, sim- 
plicity of manner and quiet self-contro! 
which were marked characteristics of the 
followers of that faith. After having 
spent his boyhood and youth on the farm 
engaged in farm work and in attendance 
at the district school, at tJie age of 
twenty-two years, having decided to 
adopt the medical profession, he entered 
the office of Dr. James Spaulding, of 
Montpelier, as a student in that line. In 



1836 he attended medical lectures at 
Woodstock, Vt., later took a course in 
the medical department of Dartmouth Col- 
lege, Xew Hampshire, and in 1839 received 
the degree of M. D. from the Medical Col- 
le,ge at Albany, N. Y. Then having set- 
tled at Plainfield, Washington County, 
Vt., he engaged in practice, but later re- 
moved to Northfield in the same State, 
where he remained seven years, winning 
the experience of the old-school practi- 
tioners of that period. 

On May 29, 1844, Dr. Bassett was mar- 
ried to Miss Harriet Sherman, a daughter 
of Col. Nathaniel and Deborah f^^'eb- 
ster) Sherman, of Barre, Vt.,and sister of 
the late Alson S. and Oren Sherman, who 
were prominent business men of Chicago 
at an early day. Two years later his at- 
tention havingbeen attracted to the advan- 
tages offered in the West to those enter- 
ing upon a business career, Dr. Bassett, 
accompanied by his wife, started for Chi- 
cago, making the journey by stage to 
Lake Champlain, across the lake to 
Whitehall by steamer, thence to Roches- 
ter by canal-boat, and from there to Buf- 
falo by a newly built section of what is 
now the New York Central Railroad. At 
Buffalo they took a lake steamer for Chi- 
cago, arriving at their destination on Sep- 
tember 10, 1846, after a lake journey of 
ten days. Chicago, a primitive city of 
some ten thousand inhabitants, was then 
just entering upon the development 
which, in the growth of the next sixty 
years, made it the second city in the 
United States with a population of two 
million souls. 

In Chicago Dr. Bassett found a tempo- 
rary boarding place on West Washington 
Street, and opened an office in the second 
story of a frame building on Lake Street, 
where he displayed a sign indicating his 
profession. A year later he bought a small 



498 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



house and lot on Clark Street, near Mon- 
roe, then a pleasant neighborhood of 
frame cottages in the outskirts of the 
town, paying for the land about fifteen 
dollars per front foot. After a few years 
residence here he converted his home into 
business property and removed to the 
West Side, taking up his residence at the 
corner of West Adams and Morgan 
streets, where he purchased a small brick 
cottage (the first of its kind erected west 
pf the river, with about an acre of 
ground. In 1857 he removed to Wauke- 
gan, where he resided until 1868, when he 
returned to Chicago, in the meantime giv- 
ing attention to his landed interests in 
Chicago, making daily trips between his 
suburban home and the city by the Chi- 
cago & Northwestern Railroad, the pi- 
oneer suburban line for the accommo- 
dation of dwellers along the North 
Shore. After his return to Chicago 
he erected a more commodious dwell- 
ing on the site of his West Side home. 
After practicing his profession in Chi- 
cago for about twelve years, Dr. Bas- 
sett turned his attention to the improve- 
ment of his real estate, keeping pace with 
the growth of the city. In common with 
the mass of property holders of the city 
of Chicago, he was a heavy loser by the 
great fire of 1871, the retrievement of 
which cost him many years of labor and 
anxiety. In politics he was a zealous Re- 
publican, before the days of the Civil War 
maintaining the anti-slavery views of his 
ancestors. He was one of the founders of 
the People's Church, which grew out of 
the exclusion of Dr. H. W. Thomas from 
the Methodist denomination. In 1894 he 
removed to Evanston, where he contin- 
ued to reside until his death. Mr. and 
Mrs. Bassett had one son, Robert J., a 
lawyer, who continued to reside with his 



parents during their latter years. Dr. 
Bassett died May 10, 1905, his wife having 
preceded him, dying August 14, 1900. 



HENRY BASCOM RIDGAWAY. 

Henry Bascom Ridgaway, D.D., LL. D. 
(deceased), for thirty years a most able 
and efficient minister and pastor of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, and for ten 
years President of Garrett Biblical Insti- 
tute, Evanston, 111., was born in Talbot 
County, Md., September 7, 1830. His fa- 
ther, James Ridgaway, one of the most ex- 
tensive and prosperous farmers in Talbot 
County, was a man of strong mental and 
moral characteristics, a devout Christian, 
and a much valued official of the church. 
Mary (Jump) Ridgaway, mother of the 
subject of this sketch, was a daughter of 
Alumbey Jump, a veteran of the Revolu- 
tionary War, who served the State of 
Maryland in official positions, and was 
Representativein the Legislature from his 
county shortly after the successful ter- 
mination of the Revolution. Henry B. 
Ridgaway's parents moved to Baltimore 
when their son was quite young, and there 
he attended the public school. He subse- 
quently graduated from the high school, 
the principal of which left a lasting im- 
press upon the after life of his pupil. In 
1847 he entered Dickinson College, at 
Carlisle, Pa., and was graduated from that 
institution in June, 1849. While pursu- 
ing his course there he preached the gos- 
pel at frequent intervals, and after his 
graduation taught a common school for 
one year. In 185 1 he joined the Baltimore 
Conference, was ordained a Deacon in 
1853. and an Elder, in 1855, by Bishop 
Beverl}' Waugh. For four years he was 
engaged as an itinerant upon circuits in 
Maryland and Virginia, and in 1856 was 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



499 



assigned to the Harford Avenue Church 
in the City of Bahimore, which, with two 
other churches there, formed a city cir- 
cuit. He afterwards served High Street 
Church, Baltimore, then in its most flour- 
ishing condition, and after that, Grace 
Church, which had one of the finest edi- 
fices and largest congregations in Balti- 
more. In 1858 he was placed in charge 
of the Chestnut Street Methodist Church 
in Portland, Maine, which had just com- 
pleted an ornate and imposing place of 
worship. Its new pastor attained the cli- 
max of his pulpit and parochial effective- 
ness while ministering to this flock, by 
which he was held in the highest esteem 
and affection. The country was just pass- 
ing into the throes of the Civil War, and a 
Southern man in a Northern pastorate 
confronted a severe ordeal, from which 
he emerged without the slightest distrust 
of his patriotism. 

From Portland Dr. Ridgaway was 
called to St. Paul's Church, in New York 
City, then the most conspicuous church 
in the Methodist denomination. The 
Washington Square Church was his next 
pastorate, and the size of the parish made 
his three years of service there an intense 
strain upon his powers of endurance. Dur- 
ing 1867, however, he enjoyed a most 
pleasant ministerial experience at Sing 
Sing, on the Hudson River. From 1868 
to 1870 he was again in charge of St. 
Paul's Church, New York City. Follow- 
ing this, he spent three serviceable years 
at St. James Church, in Harlem, and then, 
after a long tour abroad was pastor, for 
one year of St. James Church, Kingston, 
New York. His foreign journey was de- 
voted to visiting Egypt, crossing the des- 
ert, traveling through Palestine, and 
going to Constantinople and Greece. He 
had, on a former occasion, traveled 



through Great Britain and the Continent. 
Having been transferred to the Cincin- 
nati Conference, he was three years in 
charge of St. Paul's Church, Cincinnati, 
and three years at Walnut Hills, then a 
suburb of that city. In both parishes his 
labors were highly effective. In 1882 Dr. 
Ridgaway was elected Professor of His- 
torical Theology in Garrett Biblical Insti- 
tute, Evanston, 111., and in 1885, became 
President of this institute and Professor 
of Practical Theology. In 1892 he availed 
himself of an extended vacation to make 
a tour of the world, journeying through 
Europe ; visiting the Riviera, Florence, 
and Rome, Italy ; passing through the 
Suez Canal, stopping at Bombay and mak- 
ing extended journej's in India, spending 
a month in China, traveling through Ja- 
pan and returning by way of the Pacific 
Ocean and the Canadian Pacific Railroad. 

Dr. Ridgaway was one of the editors of 
the "Methodist" during the entire period 
of its publication, and was the author of 
several interesting and popular works. He 
was also a most entertaining lecturer on 
various topics. As a preacher he was 
earnest, forceful and convincing; as an ed- 
ucator, erudite, yet simple and lucid. The 
enforced limits of this sketch forbid a de- 
tailed mention of his manifold efforts of 
pen and tongue, or of the numerous honors 
bestowed upon him by different religious 
bodies. In 1868 he received the degree of 
D.D. from Dickinson College, and that of 
LL.D. in 1889. 

Dr. Ridgaway was married, February 
22, 1853, to Rosamond U., daughter of 
Professor Caldwell, of Dickinson College. 
Mrs. Ridgaway still survives her hus- 
l)and, having shared all his experiences of 
joy and sorrow during forty years of 
wifely companionship. His widely la- 
mented death occurred March 30, 1895. 



500 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



ELLIOTT ANTHONY, LL. D. 

Among the names that are justly enti- 
tled to be enrolled among the makers of 
the great commonwealth of Illinois and 
of the City of Chicago, is that of Judge 
Elliott Anthony, whose more than forty 
years residence has left its impress 
upon the State and the Nation. Al- 
though born in Central New York, he 
early saw the great possibilities which 
the West afforded, and, as a consequence, 
left his home and native State within one 
month after being admitted to the bar at 
Oswego on !\Iay 7, 185 1, and took up his 
abode, first at Sterling, the county seat of 
Whiteside County, 111., where an elder 
brother was at that time living. The next 
autumn he removed to Chicago, where he 
spent his life in connection with his pro- 
fession, officially or otherwise, though a 
resident during later years of the city 01 
Evanston. He came at that fortunate pe- 
riod when everything was in the formative 
state, when there were not more than fifty 
lawyers all told. His rise was rapid, and 
in less than three years he was known as 
one of the most promising lawyers at the 
bar. Judge Anthony's forefathers were 
Quakers, who, early in the seventeenth 
century, came to the land to which Roger 
Williams was exiled, and with which the 
family history has been closely identified 
for generations. His father, Isaac An- 
thonv. was born on the island of Rhode 
Island, eight miles from Newport. His 
grandmother on his father's side was a 
Chase, who was connected with the well 
known Chase family of which the late 
Chief Justice Chase was a member, and 
his mother a Phelps, belonging to the 
Phelps family of Vermont, who at an 
early period were residents of Connecti- 
cut and Massachusetts. The grandfather 
and his familv were residents of Rhode 



Island when the Hessians held it during 
the Revolutionary War, and for some 
alleged infraction of martial law, the 
grandfather and a younger brother were 
taken prisoners and compelled to perform 
various menial duties, which greatly em- 
bittered them against the British. Mr. 
Anthony's father was an able historian, 
thoroughly familiar with the facts con- 
cerning all the Indian wars and the upris- 
ing of the colonies against their mother 
country, having obtained them from his 
own father and grandfather, and thus the 
son acquired familiar acquaintance with 
those stirring events in our history which 
has had a most lasting effect on all of the 
descendants of the family. 

Removing from New England about the 
same time, Mr. Anthony's grandfathers on 
both sides settled in \\'ashington County, 
N. Y., and purchased lands in the town of 
Cambridge, some twenty miles from 
Albany. Here the father of Judge Anthony 
first met Parmelia Phelps, to whom he 
was married, and one daughter and three 
sons were born of this union, when the 
father removed to Spafford, the south- 
western town of Onondaga County, and 
commenced the life of a typical pioneer. 
There, on June 10, 1827, the son Elliott 
was born. This region was then an 
almost unbroken wilderness, and here his 
early years were spent in cutting down 
and clearing the forests and assisting in 
work on the farm. Three sisters were 
born while the family resided in this lo- 
cality, so that there were in all four 
brothers and four sisters who grew to 
manhood and womanhood. The children 
attended the country schools, and attained 
a considerable proficiency in the common 
branches, later each in turn taking a 
course at Cortland Academy, located at 
Homer. At the age of eighteen Elliott, 
who was the fourth son, left the farm to 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



501 



take a preparatory course before entering 
college. Cortland Academy was at that 
time under the charge of Samuel B. Wool- 
worth, who subsequently became one of 
the regents of the State Universitj' at 
Albany. Here he remained two years 
studying Greek and Latin and some of the 
higher branches of mathematics, and in 
the fall of 1847 entered the sophomore 
class at Hamilton College, Clinton, N. Y., 
graduating there with high honors in 1850. 
Prof. Theodore W. Dwight, afterwards so 
distinguished, was at that time Professor 
of Law and Political Economy, and com- 
menced private lessons to a few students 
who chose to avail themselves of his serv- 
ices. A class having been formed for the 
year 1850-51, Mr. Anthony returned to 
Clinton for a year's course, and was ad- 
mitted to the bar at Oswego, May 7, 1851. 
It was during this period that he and a 
classmate by the name of Joseph D. Hub- 
bard had charge of the academy located in 
the village of Clinton, and he had as one 
of his pupils Grover Cleveland, afterwards 
President of the L^nited States. Soon after 
his admission to the bar he came west and 
stopped for a short time at Sterling, 
Whiteside County, 111., where he com- 
menced the practice of law and where he 
tried his first case in a court of record. 
Returning east the following year he was 
on the 14th of July, 1852, married to Mary 
Dwight, the sister of his law preceptor, 
and a granddaughter of President Dwight, 
so well known in connection with Yale 
College. In the fall of the same year he 
came to Chicago, and from that time until 
elected to the bench in 1880, he pursued 
his profession with a zeal and success 
rarely equaled. During his first year's 
residence in Chicago, with the aid of his 
devoted wife, he compiled "A Digest of 
the Illinois Reports," which was soon 
after published and received with favor 



by the profession throughout the State. 
In 1858 he was elected City Attorney for 
Chicago, and distinguished his adminis- 
tration of that responsible office by the 
energy and ability with which he con- 
ducted the legal business of the city. 
Later he was for several years specially 
retained by the city to conduct many 
important cases in the local courts and in 
the Supreme Court of the State and the 
United States. While acting for the city 
he established several new and interesting 
law points, among which was that the col- 
lection of special assessments could not 
be enjoined by a court of chancery ; next, 
that the city of Chicago could not be gar- 
nisheed to collect the salary or wages of 
any of its officers or employes ; and, lastly, 
that no execution could issue against the 
city to collect a judgment; and at a later 
period, that the city could not tie up its 
legislative powers by making contracts 
with the gas companies for the supply of 
gas so as to interfere with its legislative 
prerogatives. In 1863 he was appointed 
the general attorney and solicitor of the 
Galena & Chicago LTnion Railroad, which 
during the next year was consolidated 
with the Chicago & Northwestern Rail- 
way. A contest arose over this consoli- 
dation, and he was shortly after retained 
by a number of bondholders and non-con- 
senting stockholders to test the validity of 
the consolidation, and in connection with 
the case prepared and printed a most 
remarkable argument upon the law of 
the case, which grew into a treatise 
which he entitled "The Law Pertain- 
ing to the Consolidation of Railroads." 
The late Samuel J. Tilden was directly 
interested in the questions involved, as 
well as many of the leading capitalists and 
railway magnates in New York, and the 
array of legal talent was formidable, the 
late Judge Beckwith leading on behalf of 



502 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



the consolidationists, and Judge Anthony 
leading on behalf of the minority bond- 
holders and minority stockholders. It 
was tried as a chancery case before Judge 
David Davis of the United States Su- 
preme Court, then on the circuit, who 
associated with him the late Samuel H. 
Treat, United States District Judge for 
the Southern District of Illinois, and the 
positions maintained by Mr. Anthony were 
upheld and affirmed in almost every par- 
ticular. Soon after the parties met and 
settled their differences to the satisfaction 
of all, as the consolidationists found that 
it would be disastrous to them if the liti- 
gation should be continued. At this time 
Mr. Anthony received numerous letters 
from some of the most prominent lawyers 
and Judges in this country, complimenting 
him upon his masterly exposition of the 
law. Among them were the late Josiah 
Ouincy and Sidney Bartlett of Boston, 
Mr. Justice Swayne of the United States 
Supreme Court, the late Thomas A. 
Ewing, of Ohio and many others. His 
brief, which was in the shape of a bound 
volume of several hundred pages, was in 
great demand in this country and in 
Europe, and was most kindly reviewed by 
several of the leading journals in Great 
Britain. 

It fell to the lot of Judge .\nthony to 
serve as a member of two of the conven- 
tions called to frame constitutions for the 
State of Illinois — the first held in 1862, 
which framed a constitution that was 
rejected by the people, and the second 
held in 1870, and which framed the pres- 
ent constitution. In both of these con- 
ventions Judge Anthony took a promi- 
nent part, and was regarded in many re- 
spects as a leading expert in that body 
upon constitutional questions and meth- 
ods of procedure. He was made Chair- 
man of the Executive Committee and 



reported the article as it now appears in 
the constitution relating to the Executive 
Department. He also served upon the 
Judiciary Committee, and the committee 
upon railroads, and many of the provi- 
sions in the judiciary articles, and most of 
those in regard to railroads, are the work 
of his hands. He was instrumental in pro- 
viding for the organization of Appellate 
Courts and for additional Judges of the 
Circuit and Superior Courts of Cook 
County, as the population should increase 
and public business might require. At 
an earlier period he took part in the for- 
mation of the Republican party in this 
State, and was a delegate to the first Re- 
publican convention ever held in Cook 
County, and was for years most active in 
everything relating to the welfare and suc- 
cess of that party. In 1880 when the third 
term question came up, he took a most 
conspicuous part in that movement, was 
elected Chairman of the Cook County con- 
vention, at which a portion of the dele- 
gates withdrew, was elected a delegate to 
the State Convention, and was then se- 
lected as a contesting delegate to the Na- 
tional Convention at Chicago ; was, after 
one of the stormiest debates on record, 
admitted as a delegate and participated 
in the proceedings which resulted in the 
nomination of General Garfield for Presi- 
dent. In the fall of that year he was nomi- 
nated and elected to the office of Judge of 
the Superior Court of the city of Chicago, 
and six years later was re-elected to the 
same position. Among the marked traits 
in Judge Anthony's character were his 
indomitable industry, and his devotion to 
business which, coupled with executive 
ability, enabled him to try and dispose of 
cases with great promptness and celerity. 
Judge Anthony was a voluminous writer, 
and his contributions to various legal 
magazines and periodicals would, if col- 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



503 



lected, fill volumes. He was also the 
author of several books of a historical 
character, among which may be enumer- 
ated "The Constitutional History of Il- 
linois," "The Story of the Empire State," 
and one of local interest upon "Sanitation 
and Navigation," which has special refer- 
ence to the disposition of sewage of the 
city of Chicago and the construction of a 
ship canal to unite the waters of Lake 
Michigan with those of the Mississippi 
River. While acting as Corporation Coun- 
sel of the city of Chicago in 1876, he wrote 
an interesting work upon taxation and the 
rules which had been established regard- 
ing the levy and collection of taxes. This 
work involved great labor and research, 
and has proved a useful and timely contri- 
bution to the general subject, and is very 
frequently referred to. In 1887, while hold- 
ing the Criminal Court of Cook County, 
which includes the city of Chicago, he 
wrote a most interesting work on the 
"Law of Self-Defense, Trial by Jury in 
Criminal Cases and New Trials in Crim- 
inal Cases," which attracted a great deal 
of attention in this country, and is the 
first bold stand ever taken by any jurist 
of distinction against the wanton abuses 
which have arisen by invoking the doc- 
trines of self-defense. One of his latest 
and most valuable contributions is an 
extended chapter entitled "Reminiscences 
of the Bench and Bar of Chicago," pub- 
lished in a two volume edition of the 
"Bench and Bar of Illinois" under the edi- 
torship of the late ex-Gov. John M. 
Palmer. Other contributions from his pen 
include a sketch of all of the courts of 
England; a treatise upon the "Law of 
Arrests in Civil Cases." and a series of 
articles upon "Old Virginia," published in 
the "Western Magazine of History." By 
special invitation of the State Bar Associ- 
ation, he delivered a memorable address at 



their annual meeting in January, 1891, 
upon "The Constitutional History of 
Illinois," and another in the following 
year, entitled, "Remember the Pioneers," 
which is replete with the most interesting 
reminiscences. 

Judge Anthony was one of the incorpo- 
rators of the Chicago Law Institute, hav- 
ing drawn up its charter and, at his 
own expense, visited Springfield twice in- 
one winter, while the Legislature was in 
session, to urge its passage, and for sev- 
eral terms served as its President. He 
was also one of the founders of the Chi- 
cago Public Library, and one of its first 
Board of Directors with which he was 
connected for a number of years. 

From his youth Judge Anthony was a 
omniverous reader, and had at the time 
of the Chicago Fire, one of the largest pri- 
vate libraries in the city. He made sev- 
eral trips to Europe, during the last of 
which he visited Denmark, Sweden, Rus- 
sia, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain and all 
the regions along the Mediterranean and 
Southern France. Many of his letters 
relating to these countries were published 
and read with great interest. In 1889 
Judge Anthony was honored by his alma 
mater with the degree of Doctor of Laws. 
His death occurred at his home at Evans- 
ton, February 24, 1898. 



VOLNEY W. FOSTER. 

Volney W. Foster (deceased) was born 
near Jefferson, Wis., February 2J, 1848. 
He attended the public schools and the 
Academy in Portage City, Wis., to which- 
place his father moved when Volney was 
an infant. When he was thirteen years 
of age his father moved back to Jefferson, 
Wis., on a farm where Volney attended 
the district school. Afterwards he at- 



504 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



tended Milton College at Milton, Wis., 
one year. His mother, who was a gifted 
woman, helped him to acquire a fairly 
good classical education. At Jefferson he 
taught school several terms, holding the 
position of Principal of the Public Schools 
of that city. Afterwards he was engaged 
in business for himself as a partner in the 
firm of Piatt, Gray & Foster, general mer- 
chants, at Manitowoc, Wis. He sold 
his interest in this firm and came to Chi- 
cago. There he was employed first by the 
Northwestern Railway. Later he became 
agent for a Wisconsin Lumber Company 
and, still later, was employed as cashier 
and the representative of Schulenburg & 
Boeckler's interests in the lumber firm of 
James McDonnel & Co., Chicago. After- 
wards he was employed by Thompson & 
Barber, Wholesale Grocers on South 
Water Street, Chicago, as a traveling 
salesman. 

In 1874 Mr. Foster went to Chatham, 
Ontario, and there purchased a half inter- 
est in the lumber business of A. R. Schul- 
enburg. In the following year he pur- 
chased the entire business of the Georgian 
Bay Lumber Company. In 1879 he sold 
his lumber business at Chatham, and 
joined William D. Hitchcock in the pur- 
chase, sale and manufacture of lumber, 
shingles, railway ties, telegraph poles, etc., 
the business being carried on under the 
firm name of Hitchcock & Foster. In 
1883. in connection with Mr. Hitchcock, 
Amos H. Perkins and W. H. Watson, he 
organized the Western Paving & Supply 
Company. In 1898 this company entered 
extensively into the asphalt-paving busi- 
ness, establishing offices in Indianapolis, 
Ind., Milwaukee, Wis., Evansville, Ind., 
and in Chicago. In 1892 the firm name of 
Hitchcock & Foster was dissolved, Mr. 
Hitchcock continuing the lumber business 



and Mr. Foster taking over the paving 
business. In 1898 he sold out his interest 
in the paving business, and, in 1901, at 
Mexico City, in association with Mr. 
Enrique C. Creel, now Governor of the 
State of Chihuahua, Mexico, he organ- 
ized the Almacenes Generales de Deposito 
de Mexico y Vera Cruz, S. A., which is a 
bonded warehouse organization, with 
warehouses at Mexico City and \'era 
Cruz. Of this company Mr. Foster was 
Vice-President. He was also President 
of the L'nited States Repair & Guaranty 
Company, the United States Silica Com- 
pany, the Chicago, Waukegan & North 
Shore Railway and the Chicago, Keno- 
sha & Milwaukee Electric Railway Com- 
pany, and he was largely interested in the 
North Shore Gas Company of Waukegan, 
111., in the North Coast Development 
Company, of San Francisco, Cal., and the 
Foster Contracting Company of Illinois. 
None of the companies or corporations in 
which he was interested ever failed in 
business. 

Mr. Foster was the possessor of one of 
the finest private libraries in Evanston, 
and was a diligent and discriminating 
reader, being especially fond of history 
and philosophy. There were few depart- 
ments of literature with which he was 
not well acquainted, and he had a remark- 
able memory and an unusual gift of lan- 
guage, so that he was able to appear to 
advantage in any company of cultivated 
gentlemen of which he was a member. 
In 1901 he was appointed by President 
McKinley a delegate to the Pan-Ameri- 
can Conference, held in Mexico City in 
the Winter of 1901-02. He there had 
charge of formulating projects on Inter- 
national Sanitation, the re-organization of 
the Bureau of American Republics, the 
Exchange of Diplomas, and he originated 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



505 



and presented to the Conference the proj- 
ect for the estabhshment of an Interna- 
tional Archaeological and Ethnological 
Association, with its headquarters at 
\\ ashington. All of these projects were 
unanimously adopted by the Republics 
represented at the Conference. In 1903 
he was appointed by the President one of 
the American Commissioners to the Con- 
vention held at Washington, Deceml^er 
21, 1903, for the organization of the Inter- 
national Archseological and Ethnological 
Association. In 1904 he was appointed 
by the Peruvian Government as repre- 
sentative of Peru in this Association. 

In 1900 he was appointed and served as 
Assistant Treasurer in the National Re- 
publican campaign. In 1887 he organ- 
ized at his home, with the assistance of a 
few friends, the Sheridan Road Associa- 
tion, its purpose being to promote the con- 
struction of a free pleasure driveway on 
and near the Shore of Lake Michigan 
between Chicago and Milwaukee. Of this 
Association he was President up to the 
time of his death, and gave to it largely of 
his time and money. This Association 
secured State legislation for the estab- 
lishment of park districts and pleasure 
driveways, and also the passage of the 
bill authorizing the reclamation of sub- 
merged lands on Lake Michigan by mu- 
nicipalities for parks. In 1891 he organ- 
ized the Back-Lot Studies Society, and 
devoted to it premises near his home in 
Evanston and erected thereon a building 
for its use. These were known as the 
Back-Lot and the Shelter. The object of 
this was the instruction of boys selected 
by the Principal of the High School and 
the Principal of the Preparatory Depart- 
ment of the University. The attendance 
for several years averaged sixty-five. 
^^'eekly meetings were held in the Shelter 



and the boys were addressed by practical 
and successful business men on the dif- 
ferent kinds of human activity called busi- 
ness. In the summer of 1903 he main- 
tained on these premises a nature study 
class, in charge of an able director, where 
eighty-five young people were taught. 

In 1876 Mr. Foster was married at 
Brockport, N. Y., to Eva Adele Hill, the 
daughter of Ezra N. Hill, of that city. 
Of this marriage were born two children, 
Albert Volney Foster, born in 1877, and 
Eva Cornelia Foster, born in 1879. .\Ibert 
graduated from Harvard L^niversity and 
Eva at Smith College, Northampton. Eva 
married Mr. ^Valter Leisenring Righter, 
and now resides at Plainfield, N. J. Mrs. 
Foster died in 1887. 

]\Ir. Foster was a member of the Glen 
View Golf Club, a charter member of the 
Evans'ton Club and a member of the 
Union League Club of Chicago, of which 
he was President in 1901. He organized 
the Evanston Ethical Club, which held 
its meetings at his home for several years 
and afterwards at his rooms at his hotel. 
He was also a charter member of the 
Evanston Country Club and an honorary 
' member of the University Club of Evans- 
ton, a member of the Society of Colonial 
Wars, and of the Society of Mayflower 
Descendants. He was also a member of the 
International Peace Society, and author 
of the bill introduced in both Houses of 
Congress, in 1893, ^or the establishment 
of the National Arbitration Tribunal. 
This bill attracted very general attention 
and it is believed that, of he had lived, its 
essential features would have been incor- 
porated into a national law. He regarded 
this as the most important work of his 
life. Mr. Foster's death occurred August 
15, 1904- 



5o6 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



JOHN B. KIRK. 

John B. Kirk (deceased), former man- 
ufacturer, Chicago, with residence in 
Evanston, was born in Utica, N. Y., 
November 8, 1842, the second son of the 
late James S. Kirk, who was a native of 
Glasgow, Scotland, and was brought in 
his infancy by his father to Montreal. 
Canada. Here James S. Kirk grew 
to manhood, married Nancy Ann Dun- 
ning, of Ottawa, Canada, in 1839, and 
the same year located at Utica, N. Y., 
where he entered into mercantile business 
with his father. In 1859 the firm removed 
to Chicago where they founded the house 
of James S. Kirk & Company, which at 
the time of James S. Kirk's death, in 
1886, was one of the most extensive man- 
ufacturers of soap, perfumery, etc., in this 
country. John B. received his early school 
training in the public schools of his native 
place, where he remained until seventeen 
years of age, in the meantime receiving 
■a sound English education. At first he 
had a strong predilection for a profe.s- 
sional career, but yielding to the wishes 
of his father, entered upon a business 
career, finally succeeding the latter in a 
branch of manufacturing industry which 
has grown to large proportions. Under 
his father's eye he was initiated into the 
mysteries of chemistry connected with 
the manufacture of the various products 
turned out by the firm of James S. Kirk 
& Company, meanwhile being trained in 
bookkeeping and business methods. After 
serving a regular apprenticeship under 
such thorough tutorship, having demon- 
strated his qualifications while still a 
young man, he was admitted as a partner 
of the concern, sharing with his father 
the responsibility of its management. In 
this way he was able to render his father 



most valuable assistance during the period 
of depression immediately following the 
great fire of 1871, in which the firm suf- 
fered a loss of nearly a quarter of a mil- 
lion dollars. In the work of reorganiza- 
tion he bore a prominent part, and the 
business was soon placed on a substantial 
basis. It is worthy of note here that the 
site of the plant now occupied by the 
Kirk Manufacturiiio- Company, on North 
Water Street, is that of the first home 
occupied by permanent white settlers in 
Chicago, known as the historic "Kinzie 
Mansion." 

Besides the manufacturing interests in 
which he held the position of President, 
Mr. Kirk had been connected with a num- 
ber of financial enterprises, including the 
late American Exchange National Bank 
(merged a few years ago in the Corn 
Exchange Bank), of which he was Pres- 
ident from 1890 to 1894. He was also 
deeply interested in the prosperity of the 
Northwestern University, which he 
served for several years as Trustee, and 
in connection with which he founded the 
$100 prize for oratory, which was of deep 
interest to the students of the Senior 
Class. 

Mr. Kirk was married October 4, 1866, 
to Miss Susie MacV^ean, the daughter of 
Mr. D. McVean, of Chicago, and of this 
union four children "were born: James 
M., Frederick I., Josephine and Susie. 
For many years his home was in Evans- 
ton, where he enjoyed the confidence and 
respect of a large circle of friends. On 
November i, 1904, ^Ir. Kirk's notable 
career as a business man and public-spir- 
ited citizen was terminated by his sud- 
den death, in New York City, while on a 
business visit to that place. 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



507 



SIMEON FARWELL. 

Simeon Farwell, niercliant and head of 
one of the most widely known mercantile 
houses in the West, has been a resident 
of Evanston since 1876. He was born at 
Campbelltown, Steuben County, N. Y.. 
March 22, 1831, the son of Henry and 
Nancy (Jackson) Farwell, and a descend- 
ant in the seventh generation of Henry 
Farwell, who was one of the founders of 
the colony of Concord, Mass., incorpo- 
rated in 1635. Back of its advent in this 
country, the history of the Farwell fam- 
ily is traced to the thirteenth century, and 
to Richard Farwell of Yorkshire, who 
gained distinction in the reign of King 
Edward I. The American branch of the 
family has had many prominent repre- 
sentatives in various walks of life in New 
England, and in later years in many 
States of the Union. The father of 
Simeon Farwell, who removed from Mass- 
achusetts to New York State, was a 
farmer by occupation in the last named 
State, and later became one of the pio- 
neer agriculturists in Ogle County, 111. 
"He removed with his family to this State 
in 1838, and the son, Simeon, passed the 
next few years of his life on the farm near 
Oregon, aiding as a boy to bring under 
cultivation the prairie lands which his 
father had acquired. He was educated at 
Mt. Morris Seminary, Mt. Morris, 111., 
fitting himself for a commercial career. 
In July of 1849 he came to Chicago, and 
had his earliest experience in this city as 
Deputy Clerk of the Circuit Court, of 
which the pioneer Chicagoan, L. D. 
Hoard, was then Clerk. After filling this 
position about two years, Mr. Farwell 
entered, as a clerk, the noted old-time 
banking house of George Smith, in its dav 
the most famous financial institution in 
the \\'cst. A year later he resigned this 



position to become a clerk in the dry- 
goods house of Cooley, Wadsworth & 
Co., accepting a lower salar}^ than he had 
been receiving in order that he might 
learn the business to which he had de- 
cided to devote his after life. When he 
entered the employ of this firm, he took 
charge of its books and accounts, bring- 
ing to the discharge of his duties untiring 
energy, a thorough knowledge of his busi- 
ness and strict integrity, which consti- 
tuted an excellent basis for success. He 
continued to act as bookkeeper of the 
firm until 1860, and in 1870 was admitted 
to a partnership. In the meantime, in 
i860, the firm had become Cooley, Far- 
well & Co., Mr. Farwell's elder brother, 
John V. Farwell, since widely known as 
a merchant, being the junior partner. 
John V. Farwell had preceded the younger 
brother to Chicago, as had also another 
brother, Charles B. Farwell, later mer- 
chant, banker and United States Senator. 
In 1865 the firm became John V. Farwell 
& Co., a name which it has since retained, 
with slight change, although the co-part- 
nership was succeeded in 1890 by the J. 
\\ Farwell Company, incorporated. This 
pioneer dry-goods house, known now and 
for many years past throughout the 
United States, and which annually has a 
trade aggregating many millions of dol- 
lars, has graduated from its salesrooms 
some of the most famous merchants in 
the world ; among them, Marshall Field, 
Levi Z. Leiter, H. N. Higinbotham, and 
others. The connection of Simeon Far- 
well with this house and its predecessors 
has covered a period of fifty-five years, 
and for twenty-five 3'ears he has taken a 
leading part in its conduct and manage- 
ment. He became Vice-President of the 
J. V. Farwell Company at the time of its 
incorporation in 1890, and since 1900 has 
been its President. To the building up of 



=;o8 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



this great commercial institution his activ- 
ities have been mainl_v given, although 
for some years he was a Director of the 
Metropolitan National Bank. The meas- 
ure of its success evidences the measure 
of his ability as a merchant, and the 
breadth and scope of his genius in the 
field of commerce. In the early years of 
his business career in Chicago his home 
was in this city, but as previously stated, 
he became a resident of Evanston in 1876. 
Since then he has been a leading citizen 
of this classic suburb of Chicago, and a 
leader in advancing the interests of the 
little city and its institutions. 

Mr. Farwell is a Methodist in religious 
belief, and a communicant of the First 
Methodist Church of Evanston. In 1857 
he married, at Sardinia. Erie County, N. 
Y., Miss Ebenette M. Smith, daughter of 
Rev. Isaac B. Smith, a Methodist clergy- 
man of the Empire State. Their living 
children are Henry S. Farwell, now con- 
nected with the great mercantile house 
which his father helped to build up, and 
Mrs. Ruth f Farwell) Gridley, of Evans- 
ton. Their eldest daughter, Anna Pearl 
Farwell, died in 1893. 



WILLIAM HUGH JONES. 

William Hugh Jones, Evanston, 111., 
President of the Piano ^lanufacturing 
Company, one of the substantial indus- 
tries of the city of Chicago, was born in 
Wales in 1845, on^ °^ eight children — six 
sons and two daughters — of Hugh and 
Jennett Jones. His father, who was a 
farmer in comfortable circumstances, 
came to America in 1812, locating near 
Utica, N. Y., where his first wife died. 
He later returned to Whales, where he 
married his second wife, the mother of 
the subject of this sketch. In 1857 he 



again came with his family to America, 
first locating in Wisconsin, whence he 
removed in 1873 to Iowa, dying in How- 
ard County in that State in 1876, aged 
eighty-two years. His widow, who sur- 
vived her husband about four years, was 
a daughter of Richard Jones, an extensive 
farmer of Wales, who reached the age of 
ninety-two years. 

William H. Jones remained in his native 
land until twelve years of age, when he 
came with his parents to Wisconsin, and 
there spent his youth in farm work with 
his father until he reached his majority. 
In 1866 he became agent for the Dodge 
Reapers and Champion Mowers at Berlin, 
Wis., remaining in this business until 
1868, when he entered into the employ- 
ment of L. J. Bush & Co., of Milwaukee, 
as traveling salesman. Two years later 
(1870) he formed a connection with E. 
H. Gammon for the sale of the Marsh 
Harvester and Dodge Reapers. This con- 
cern afterwards became the firm of Gam- 
mon & Deering, which was dissolved in 
1879 by the retirement of Mr. Gammon. 
Mr. Jones remained with Mr. Deering 
until 1880 and in 1881 organized at Piano, 
111., The Piano Manufacturing Company, 
assuming the office of President, which 
position he has retained to the present 
time. In 1893 this concern erected a new 
factory, covering an area of twenty acres 
in West Pullman ( now One Hundred an 
Twentieth Street. Chicago), which was 
furnished with improved machinery and 
facilities, which has resulted in a largely 
extended trade, both home and foreign. 
Air. Jones' early experience as a farmer 
fitted him to judge the needs of the farm- 
ing class, while his later connection with 
practical manufacturing enterprises has 
enabled him to apply this knowledge in a 
way greatly to benefit the farmers and 
extend the trade. In 1877 he opened a 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



509 



wholesale implement house at Minneap- 
olis, which carried on a large business, 
and with which he continued to be con- 
nected until 1889. 

Mr. Jones was married in 1867 to Miss 
Elizabeth Owens, and three sons were 
bopn of this union — Hugh W., William O. 
and Garfield R. The parents are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
in which Mr. Jones holds the position of 
Trustee. In political views he is an ad- 
herent of the Republican party, but votes 
independently on local questions, and has 
never been a seeker for office in his own 
behalf. Since 1872 he has been a resident 
of Evanston, with the exception of a 
short time s]5ent at ^Minneapolis and at 
Piano, 111., and is held in high estimation 
as a public-spirited and enterprising cit- 
izen. Mr. Jones is now a \'ice-President , 
and Director of the International Har- 
vester Company. 



CHARLES GATES DAWES. 

Charles G. Dawes, President of 
Central Trust Company of Illinois, and 
former Comptroller of the Currency, was 
born at Marietta, Ohio, August 27, 1865, 
the son of Gen. Rufus R. Dawes, who 
served as Colonel of the Sixth Wisconsin 
^'olunteer Infantry (which constituted a 
part of the "Iron Brigade" under com- 
mand of Gen. Edward S. Bragg) during 
the Civil War. and at the close of the 
war was brevetted as Brigadier-General 
for gallant service. Mr. Dawes" mother. 
Mary (Gates) Dawes, was a member o{ 
one of the oldest families of Southern 
Ohio, her father being Beman Gates, a 
prominent business man and banker of his 
time, and his great-grandfather tlie cele- 
brated Manasseh Cutler, who was a prom- 
inent representative of the Ohio Land 



Company just after the close of the Rev- 
olutionary War, and is credited with hav- 
ing been the author of the anti-slavery 
clause of the Ordinance of 1787, protect- 
ing the territory northwest of the Ohio 
River from the admission of slavery. 

Charles G. Dawes was educated in the 
common schools and at Marietta College, 
graduating from the latter in 1884. Two 
years later he graduated from the Cincin- 
nati Law School, during his vacation 
working as a civil engineer on the Toledo 
& Ohio Central Railroad, of which he 
later became Chief Engineer. In 1887 he 
went to Lincoln, Neb., where for the next 
seven years he was engaged in the prac- 
tice of his profession. Having in the 
meantime made a special study of the 
question of railroad freight rates, he was 
retained by a number of Nebraska ship- 
pers in the prosecution of suits against 
railroad companies for violation of the 
Inter-State Commerce Law, in which he 
displayed marked ability. 

In 1894, having acquired an interest in 
a gas company, Mr. Dawes removed to 
Evanston, 111., whicli has since been his 
home except when in the Government 
service. While a resident of Nebraska he 
had gained much prominence as a cham- 
pion of the principles of the Republican 
l)arty, and, on coming to Illinois, at once 
Iiecame an important factor in the move- 
ment to secure the nomination of W'il- 
liam McKinley for President. Largely 
through his influence and active efforts 
the Republican State Convention at 
Springfield, in 1896, adopted resolutions 
instructing the delegates to the National 
Convention there appointed to cast their 
votes for McKinley, and Mr. Dawes was 
appointed a member of the Executive 
Committee of the Republican National 
Committee and bore an important part in 
the following campaign. In January. 



510 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



1898, he was appointed by President Mc- 
Kinley Comptroller of the Currency as 
successor to James H. Eckels, retaining 
this position until October, 1901, when 
he tendered his resignation with a view 
to becoming a candidate for the United 
States Senate. In May, 1902. having 
withdrawn from the candidacy for the 
Senate, he was. a few days later, elected 
President of the Central Trust Company 
of Illinois, with headquarters in Chicago, 
a position which he has retained contin- 
uously to the present time. Having made 
banking and finance a study for many 
years, he is regarded as an authority on 
these questions, and is the author of a 
volume on "The Banking System of the 
United States." 

Mr. Dawes was married on January 24, 
1889. to Miss Caro Dana Blymyer, of Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio. 



• MERRITT C. BRAGDOX. M. D. 

Dr. Merritt C. Bragdon, one of the most 
prominent and successful physicians and 
surgeons of Cook County, 111., whose 
career as a skillful practitioner in Evans- 
ton, the city of his home, extended over 
a period of more than thirty years, was 
born in Auburn, N. Y., January 6, 1850, 
the son of Rev. Charles P. and Sarah 
(Cushman) Bragdon, natives of the State 
of Maine, born in the towns of Acton 
and East Poland, respectively. Rev. 
Charles P. Bragdon was reared to man- 
hood in his native State, and there, in 
early youth, made diligent use of the 
opportunities for mental training afforded 
by the public schools. At a later period 
he became a pupil in Cazenovia Seminary, 
N. Y., where he pursued a course of study, 
which fitted him for his subsequent long 
and eminentl}- useful career in the minis- 



try, covering a wide field of activity. He 
entered the ministry of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church in Maine, and was aft- 
erwards stationed at Auburn, N. Y., until 
he was called to the agency of the Meth- 
odist Book Depository at Springfield, 
Alass., where he remained until 1854. In 
that year he made his home in Illinois, 
becoming' a member of the Rock River 
Conference. His first pastoral charge 
was at Waukegan, where he remained for 
two years. His next appointment was at 
Aurora, from whence he was transferred 
to Evanston, where, in 1858, he became 
one of the earlj' pastors of the First Meth- 
odist Church. He was greatly beloved 
by the pioneer residents of Evanston who 
founded and built up the "First Church," 
which is now one of the leading churches 
of the Northwest, conspicuous in Chris- 
tian work, abounding in material prosper- 
ity, and noted for the moral and intel- 
lectual culture of its members. On the 
termination of a useful pastorate of two 
years in this connection, the health of 
Mr. Bragdon having become seriously im- 
paired, he was compelled to relinquish his 
ministerial labors and withdraw from 
active labor. He departed this life in 
Evanston on January 8, 1861. His esti- 
mable wife survived her husband for more 
than forty years, during which period she 
continued to reside in Evanston. She 
passed away on January 29, 1902, at the 
age of eighty-three years. 

At the time when the Bragdon family 
established their home in Evanston, the 
subject of this sketch was eight years of 
age. He received his primary mental 
training in the local schools, and after 
pursuing a course of preparatory study, 
matriculated in Northwestern University, 
from which he was graduated in the 
class of 1870. Immediately after gradua- 
tion, he began reading medicine under the 



11 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



511 



preceptorship of Dr. Xathan Smith Davis, 
whose extended and distinguished career 
as a physician and educator placed him 
at the head of his profession, and whose 
fame as author and founder of the Amer- 
ican Aledical Association spread through- 
out the scientific world. Dr. Bragdon at- 
tended his first course of lectures at the 
Chicago Medical College, and subse- 
quently became a student in the Hahne- 
mann Medical College at Philadelphia, 
from which he was graduated in the class 
of 1873. .^fter receiving the degree of M. 
D. from this institution, he went abroad 
and continued his studies at Vienna, de- 
voting particular attention to obstetrics 
and surgery. On completing his post- 
graduate researches he returned to Evans- 
ton, and entered into a professional part- 
nership with Dr. O. H. Mann, who then 
had a large practice, but is now retired. 
This connection lasted three years, and 
since the end of that peirod, Dr. Bragdon 
has continued in practice alone. His 
growth in popular favor has been rapid 
and continuous, and he long ago became 
one of the leading practitioners of his 
section of the State. The devotion which 
he has' manifested to professional duty 
has been of an intense and useful nature, 
and nothing has been permitted by him 
to interfere with the attention due to 
those who required his treatment or 
sought his friendly counsel. He was 
chosen to a professorship in the Hahne- 
mann Medical College of Chicago, but 
declined the honor, lest an acceptance 
should prove detrimental to his success 
as a practicing physician in Evanston — 
the college being located at so great a 
distance from his field of labor. He is. 
however, a member of the American 
Institute of Homceopathy, and the Illinois 
State HomcEopathic Association. 

Dr. Bragdon has taken an active inter- 



est in public affairs, and has been a 
steadfast advocate and supporter of all 
that is wholesome and desirable in con- 
nection with the material and educational 
interests of Evanston. He was one of 
the founders and an original stockholder 
of the State Bank of Evanston, and has 
for a number of years been a member of 
the directorate of that admirably managed 
financial institution. Of the welfare of 
the Northwestern University he has al- 
ways been a helpful promoter, and has 
contributed to its prosperity through indi- 
vidual etifort, and as a member of its Board 
of Trustees. As a churchman he has used 
his best endeavors to advance the inter- 
ests of the First Methodist Church of 
Evanston, with the official board of which 
he is identified. 

On June 6, 1876, Dr. Bragdon was 
united in marriage with Elizabeth \\'ayne 
Byerly, a lady of many virtues and graces, 
and a daughter of David Byerly, who was 
a representative of one of the old Quaker 
families of Philadelphia. The children 
resulting from this union are as follows : 
Elizabeth, Wayne, Charles Ridgaway, 
Sara Frances, and Merritt Caldwell. Jr. 

In politics, the subject of this sketch is 
an adherent of the Republican party, to 
which he lends an unselfish support. As 
boy and man, he has been a witness of the 
progress of Evanston and its institutions 
from an early period, and has borne his 
full share in their development. Through- 
out the community he is held in high 
esteem. 



LEVI CARROLL PITNER. 

Rev. Levi Carroll Pitner, retired, Evans- 
ton, was born in Wilson County, Tenn., 
January 24, 1824, the son of Michael and 
Catherine (Rouble) Pitner. Michael Pit- 
ner was born in Rockingham County, Va., 



K12 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



the son of John Pitner, a native of the 
same State. John Pitner was a soldier in 
the Revolutionary War for the entire 
period of seven years, and Michael Pitner 
was a soldier in the War of 1812, serving 
with General Jackson at Xew Orleans. 
At the age of eighteen, Michael Pitner 
removed to East Tennessee, near Knox- 
ville, and here his marriage took place. 
In the year 1799, this heroic couple 
crossed the Cumberland Mountains and 
went to Wilson County, West Tennessee, 
where they purchased a farm, which, for 
thirty-two years, continued to be their 
home. On this homestead twelve chil- 
dren were born — seven sons and five 
daughters, — eleven of whom grew to matu- 
rity. Four of these sons preceded the 
family to Illinois, and so glowing were 
the accounts sent back, that the remainder 
soon followed, arriving at the home of 
Montgomery Pitner, a relative, on the 
second day of September, 1837, and locat- 
ing soon afterward on a farm in North 
Prairie, nine miles northwest of Jackson- 
ville. Before a permanent home could be 
provided, the head of the family was 
stricken with disease, which proved fatal, 
and ended his life at the age of sixty-two. 
Levi Carroll Pitner, the subject of this 
sketch, was then sixteen. He was greatly 
distressed at the death of his parent, and. 
as a result of that father's example and 
death-bed solicitude, the son gave his 
heart to God and united with the M. E. 
Church. From the day of his conversion 
the conviction grew upon him that his 
life-work was to be preaching the Gospel. 
At length he was appointed class-leader; 
next he received a license to exhort, and 
later a license to preach from the Quar- 
terly Conference of the Jacksonville Cir- 
cuit. He was next recommended for ad- 
mission to the Illinois Conference, which 
he joined September 4, 1845. In those 



days the conferences maintained a strict 
course of study, which Mr. Pitner success- 
fully completed. His first work was on 
the Jerseyville Circuit as junior colleague 
of the Rev. James Leaton, and there had 
a happy and prosperous year. He later 
had charge at Quincy, Carlinville, Beards- 
town, Bloomington, Jacksonville and 
Decatur. One of the twenty-three years 
of Mr. Pitner's connection with the Illi- 
nois Conference was spent as agent to 
raise $40,000 with which to build the 
Ouincy College, now known as Chaddock 
College. In 1866 he was appointed Con- 
ference agent for the purpose of raising 
$100,000 to aid the conference institutions 
of learning, including Garrett Biblical 
Institute. This large amount, by the aid 
of the ministry and the laymen, was 
raised during that year. Mr. Pitner served 
three years as Presiding Elder of the Dan- 
ville district, and was an active force in 
man}' large camp-meetings so popular 
during that period of church history. The 
arduous labors in which he had so long 
indulged were a severe strain on his phys- 
ical strength, and at the advice of his 
many friends he at length asked for loca- 
tion, Bishop Janes signing his release 
fiom service. 

On August 30, 1848, Mr. Pitner was 
married to Miss Arminda F. Cartwright, 
daughter of Rev. Peter Cartwright, D. D.. 
famous among the pioneer preachers of 
W'estern Methodism. Their only child is 
Lee J. Pitner of Evanston. 

After his retirement from the itinerary 
service, deciding to locate in Evanston, 
111., ]\Ir. Pitner was confronted with the 
serious problem of making a living. He 
finally w^nt into the real estate business, 
and as his venture began just at the time 
when Chicago was having "a boom" and 
when buyers were plentiful, he made a 
success, clearing about $200,000 in three 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



513 



or four years. The panic of 1873, how- 
ever, swept away all but his home. In 
the early 'eighties the tide of fortune again 
turned in his favor. He was happy in 
making investments in Hammond, Ind.. 
and also in Seattle, Wash., and has since 
that date lived in the enjoyment of a com- 
fortable competency. In his political 
views, Mr. Pitner, after having voted 
twice for Lincoln, because of his temper- 
ance principles went over to the Prohibi- 
tion Party in 1884. In 1888 he was Chair- 
man of the State Central Committee for 
his party, and led the campaign for Fiske 
and Brooks. At that election the party 
cast a larger number of votes in Illinois 
than has been cast at any Presidential 
election since, with the exception of that 
of 1904. Notwithstanding the fact that 
he was Southern born he was an ardent 
Unionist during the Civil War, support- 
ing the cause with all the means and in- 
fluence at his command. It is equally note- 
worthy that he was a strong anti-slavery 
man before the war, voting for General 
John C. Fremont in 1856. ^^'hen the war 
had settled the slavery question, his 
strong convictions on the subject of pro- 
hibiting the liquor traffic carried him in 
1884 into the Prohibition party, and he 
has been a consistent and forceful cham- 
pion of the principles of that party ever 
since. He is now a local elder in Emman- 
uel M. E. Church, Evanston. and a mem- 
ber of the official board. 



REV. MINER RAYMOND, D. D., LL. D. 

January 2nd, A. D. 1636, the town of 
Salem, Mass., granted a half acre of land 
at \\'inter Harbor, to Richard Raymond, 
"for fishing trade and to build upon." 
Richard was a mariner who later engaged 
in coastwise trade and died at Savbrook, 



Conn., in 1692, "ae. abt. 90." Richard's 
son, John, and John's son, Thomas, lived 
at Norwalk, Conn., and Thomas' son. Com- 
fort, and Comfort's son. Comfort, Jr., 
lived at New Canaan, Conn. Here was 
born Nobles Benedict, a son of Comfort, 
Jr., September 29, 1788. Nobles Benedict, 
who was by trade a shoemaker, was mar- 
ried in 1808, in the City of New York, to 
Hannah Wood, a daughter of a Revolu- 
tionary soldier. Of their union Miner 
Raymond was born in New York City, 
August 29, 181 1. 

Two years later the family removed to 
Rensselaerville, Albany County, where 
Miner helped in the home and the shop 
and attended the village school until he 
was twelve years old. By that time he 
had mastered all that the village school 
could teach him and he began to yearn 
for something larger and better. His 
father was not able to send him away to 
school, nor could he allow him to be idle ; 
so, to use his own language, "he set me 
on a shoe-bench drawing the cords of 
affliction on the stool of repentance for 
six years, and I wanting to go to school all 
the time." 

In 1830, when he was nineteen years 
old. the way opened for him to go to the 
Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, Mass. 
He succeeded in paying his way, in part, 
by means of his skill as a shoemaker. 
Three years later he became a teacher in 
the Academy and continued for seven 
years in that relation, first in charge of 
the English department and later as in- 
structor in mathematics. His remarkable 
aptness as a teacher, as well as the power 
of his commanding personality, is wit- 
nessed by a lawyer of New York who was 
a student under him, and declared long 
afterwards that "Miner Raymond was the 
greatest mathematical teacher on God's 
earth." He evinced from the first that 



514 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



he was one of those born teachers who 
are gifted beyond ordinary men to make 
things clear. In 1840 the W'esleyan Uni- 
versity honored him with the degree of 
Master of Arts and in 1854 with that of 
Doctor of Divinity. Thirty years later 
the Northwestern University conferred 
on him the degree of Doctor of Laws. 

Meanwhile his ability as a preacher 
began to attract wide attention, and in 
1841 he left the Academy and became a 
pastor in the New England Conference 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
preaching successively in Worcester, Bos- 
ton and Westfield, Mass. Of him, as a 
preacher, the historian of Wesleyan Acad- 
emy writes, that "his first attempts at 
preaching evinced the careful thinker. 
But while the principles and main prop- 
osition were laid down carefully as well 
as clearly, the preacher was sure to kindle 
as he advanced and to break into a tor- 
nado in the peroration. Though gifted 
with large capacity for astute and accu- 
rate thought, he was heard gladly by the 
people, because his logic usually came to 
white heat." After his coming to Evans- 
ton he was for three years the pastor of 
the First Methodist Episcopal Church of 
this place, and the older inhabitants often 
speak of his great power as a preacher, and 
of the overwhelming eiTect some of his 
sermons had upon the large assembly. 
He was six times a member of the (quad- 
rennial) General Conference of the Meth- 
odist Church, and was chairman of the 
Committee on Slavery in the General 
Conference at Indianapolis in 1848. 

But it was not as a pastor and preacher 
that he was destined to work out the great 
ministry of his life. In 1848, when he 
was thirty-seven years old, exigencies at 
the Academy at \\'ilbraham led the Trus- 
tees to turn to Miner Raymond as the 
man above all others to take charge of 



the institution. It was with great reluc- 
tance that he at last consented to leave 
the pastorate and become the Principal of 
Wilbraham. But he obeyed the call 
which seemed divine, and the si.xteen 
years that followed were probably the 
most brilliant period of his entire career. 
The same historian of the ^\'esleyan 
Academy says that his election as Prin- 
cipal "marked a new era in the history of 
that honored institution. Of all the Prin- 
cipals, his term was at once the longest 
and most fruitful in important results. 
Lender the touch of his genius and the con- 
trol of his unconquerable will, old things 
disappeared and almost everything about 
the institution became new. Difficulties, 
which to weaker men would have proven 
altogether insuperable, vanished in the 
presence of one so able to influence men 
and to command resources. To this wise 
master-builder the friends of the institu- 
tion owe an immense debt of gratitude." 

But if those sixteen years were the most 
brilliant in his career, the next period of 
over thirty years made him more conspic- 
uous in the eyes of both the Church and 
the world. In the summer of 1864 Dr. 
Raymond was called to succeed Dr. John 
Dempster, as Professor of Systematic 
Theology in Garrett Biblical Institute, 
and the rest of his life work was per- 
formed in connection with that institution. 
"When I came here," he once remarked, 
"and walked up and down along the lake- 
side, and considered the field and its op- 
portunities, I felt that I had come to my 
kingdom ; and though it was unexpected 
and unsought, the place and the work 
came to me as that which, above all others 
in the gift of the Church, was the one for 
which I had been providentially pre- 
pared." 

Dr. Raymond died November 25, 1897, 
and at his funeral services his colleag^jc, 



i 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



515 



Dr. M. S. Terry, said: "For the last 
thirty years his Hfe has been a part of the 
history of Evanston. His name is to the 
people of this community a household 
word ; his memory as ointment poured 
forth ! How magnificently that whole 
record of a life of eighty-six years opens 
up to our thought ! Almost three genera- 
tions have come and gone since he was 
born, and his life was nearly co-extensive 
with the nineteenth century. He has built 
a character and work that cannot perish 
from the annals of the Church of God. 
Dr. Raymond was the last survivor of a 
great faculty — that older faculty of the 
Institute in its heroic days. Successor of 
Dempster, the founder of theological 
schools in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, lie was the fitting colleague of 
Kidder and Bannister and Hemenvvay. 
They passed on before him into God's 
higher school many semesters ago. But 
Dr. Raymond lived on to see almost an- 
other generation pass. A Bennett and a 
Ridgaway have come and gone, and seem 
already like the transfigured forms of a 
beautiful vision that vanished long ago. 
But this saintly man lived on and taught, 
and prayed, and smiled, and wept, and 
pronounced many a loving benediction on 
the younger folk." 

Of Doctor Raymond President Little 
wrote: "He was one of the last and one 
of the greatest of a marvelous group of 
Methodist preachers — a group illustrious 
with the names of Olin, and Fisk, and 
Bascom ; of Simpson, and McClintock, 
and Durbin, and Stevens. And even in 
the class-room he could not cease to 
preach. For the truths that he expounded 
were to him the substance of eternal life. 
Other teachers might be more erudite and 
more subtle ; none could be more luminous 
or more reasonable ; and few, indeed, 
could so challenge the student to admira- 



tion, or so encourage him to strenuous 
effort and to independent thought. Hence, 
the unbounded affection of the men that 
sat at his feet. Many of them have 
reached the highest station of influence 
and authority in the Church ; some of 
them are preaching the gospel in distant 
lands ; others are working quietly and 
faithfully at home. But to all of them 
the echoes of his deep, sonorous voice are 
an imperishable treasure, for the words 
he spoke to them were spirit and life." 

During the first years of Doctor Ray- 
mond's residence in Evanston he was not 
only professor in the Institute and pastor 
of the Methodist Church, but he was also 
President of the Village Board of Educa- 
tion ; and it was during his adniinistration 
that the Hinman Avenue School was or- 
ganized and the first building erected for 
that school. 

When the University purchased the 
Snyder farm in 1867 the Trustees voted 
"that the street on the north line be called 
Dempster Street, and that the street near- 
est the lake shore be called Raymond Ave- 
nue." Raymond Avenue has been swal- 
lowed up in Sheridan Road, but the City 
Council recently voted that the public 
park between Chicago and Hinman Ave- 
nues, and between Grove and Lake 
Streets, be named Raymond Park ; so that 
Dr. Raymond's name is still perpetuated 
on the city plat. 

Doctor Raymond married, at Webster, 
Mass., August 20, 1837, Elizabeth Hen- 
derson, who died at Evanston, September 
19. 1877. ^'i^ was the mother of his chil- 
dren : Charles Wesley and Francis 
Asbury, who died in infancy; Alary, 
widow of Philip B. Shumway, who died 
at Evanston, December 22, 1903 ; William 
M., who died in Chicago, February 5, 
1896; Samuel B., now living in Chicago; 



5i6 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



and James H. and Frederick D., who are 
living in Evanston. 

On July 28, 1879, Doctor Raymond 
married, as his second wife, at New Ha- 
ven, Conn., Mrs. Isabella (Hill) Binney, 
who died at Evanston February 6, 1897. 



FREDERICK D. RAYMOND. 

Frederick D. Raymond, who has been 
a resident of Evanston for more than forty 
years, was born in Wilbraham, Mass., 
September 16, 1852. His father. Rev. 
Miner Raymond, D. D., LL. D., was 
born in New York City, August 29, 181 1 : 
and his mother, Elizabeth (Henderson) 
Raymond, was a native of Ireland, born 
in Mt. Hall, County Tyrone, August 12, 
1814. The former was a minister of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, and an emi- 
nent teacher. (See sketch of Rev. Miner 
Raymond in this volume.) 

Frederick D. received his primary edu- 
cation in the public schools of his native 
State, and came to Evanston with his par- 
ents in August, 1864, and there, for one 
year, attended the "Grove School," with 
Miss Frances E. Willard as his pre- 
ceptress. He then became a pupil in the 
Preparatory Department of Northwestern 
University where he continued three 
years. Subsequently he finished the uni- 
versity course, requiring four more years 
of study, and graduated with the class of 
1872. During his undergraduate period, 
he was a member of the Hinman Literary 
Society and the Sigma Chi fraternity, and 
later was elected a member of the hon- 
orary Phi Beta Kappa Society. On com- 
pleting his education, Mr. Raymond spent 
a year in connection with the adjustment 
of the affairs of a Chicago fire insurance 
company, which was rendered insolvent 
by the great fire of 1871. He then taught 



in the Preparatory Department of North- 
western University during the first year 
of the principalship of Rev. Dr. Fisk — 
1873 to 1874. 

Since 1874, Mr. Raymond has devoted 
his attention to the construction and oper- 
ation of railroads. The first three years 
of this period were spent at Streator, 111., 
engaged in construction work and in the 
freight department of the Chicago & 
Paducah and the Chicago, Pekin & South- 
western Railroads, now, respectively, the 
Chicago division of the Wabash System 
and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 
Railway. He was subsequently engaged 
in the construction of the "Monon" line, 
from Chicago to Indianapolis, and served 
as general freight agent of the Chicago 
& Great Southern Railway (now the coal 
line), in Indiana, of the Chicago & East- 
ern Illinois Railroad. Since its organiza- 
tion in 1887, he has been a director, and 
Secretary and Treasurer of the Elgin. 
Joliet & Eastern Railway Company ; and 
since 1899 has acted in the same 
capacities in connection with the 
Chicago, Lake Shore & Eastern Rail- 
way Company, both of which com- 
panies are controlled by the United States 
Steel Corporation. In the construction 
of all these roads, except that last men- 
tioned, Mr. Raymond was associated with 
his brother-in-law. the late Philip B. 
Shumway. 

On October 24, 1877, Mr. Raymond 
was united in marriage at Evanston, 111., 
with Carrie M. Wyckoflf, of that city. 
Mrs. Raymond is a daughter of William 
M. and Mary A. Wyckoff residents, suc- 
cessively, of New York City, Bellefont- 
aine and Cincinnati, Ohio, Chicago and 
Evanston. Mr. and Mrs. Raymond are 
the parents of the following named chil- 
dren: Ruth, born October 6, 1878; Mary, 
born October 18, 1880; Philip W., born 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



517 



October 28, 1886; Margaret, born August 
9, 1891 ; and Frederick D., Jr., born July 
6, 1896. 

Politically, Mr. Raymond is a supporter 
of the Republican party. His religious 
connection is with the First Methodist 
Episcopal Church, of Evanston, of which 
he has been a member of the official board 
since 1878. In fraternal circles he is 
identified with the Royal Arcanum, and 
is a member of the University Club, of 
Evanston. He is now acting in the ca- 
pacity of Treasurer of the Municipal As- 
sociation of Evanston. 



CAPT. JOSHUA P. BOUTELLE. 

The first American ancestor of Captain 
Joshua P. Boutelle, of Evanston, 111., was 
James Boutelle, who came from England 
to America early in the seventeenth cen- 
tury, the original family seat being in 
Massachusetts. From Massachusetts 
Captain Boutelle's branch of the family 
emigrated to Maine, and at Edgecomb 
and at other places in the latter State Dr. 
John Boutelle, the father of the subject 
of this sketch, practiced medicine for 
many years. Dr. Boutelle was a zealous 
anti-slavery champion and for many years 
was actively interested in colonization 
movements in the interest of e.x-slaves 
and other negroes in the United States. 
Captain Boutelle's grandfather, W'illiam 
Boutelle, was a soldier of the Revolu- 
tionary War, and received for his services 
a land warrant from the Government, 
which he located on land in Maine. 

Captain Joshua P. Boutelle was born 
at Edgecomb, Maine, September 20, 1822, 
where he was reared on a small farm, 
receiving a common school education 
during his boyhood. Later he attend- 
ed an academv at Newcastle. Maine, 



where he gave special attention to navi- 
gation, and at seventeen years of age 
adopted the life of a sailor, making his first 
trip to Cuba on board the brig "Damas- 
cus," under the command of Captain 
Chase. In 1848 he became master of the 
ship "St. John," upon which he won for 
himself the title of the "yellow fever cap- 
tain," in consequence of having taken this 
vessel to Vera Cruz to remove a number 
of American soldiers to the States, after 
the close of the Mexican War. In the 
performance of this duty he took the place 
of the regular commander of the "St. 
John," who feared to expose himself to 
contracting the yellow fever. In 1849 
Captain Boutelle sailed the ship "Arche- 
laus," which foundered oflf the coast of 
W'ales, after which, in 1850, he took the 
ship "State of Maine" around Cape Horn 
to California, and thence sailed across 
the Pacific and Indian Oceans, making 
the circuit of the globe and finally reach- 
ing London by way of the Cape of Good 
Hope. In 1852 he assumed command of 
the "Arabia," which, for four years, sailed 
between New York, Mobile, New Orleans 
and Liverpool, after which a company, 
of which he was a member, built the 
"Niagara," which in 1859 was engaged 
in trade between the L^nited States and 
Liverpool. The last vessel on which 
he sailed was the "Saginaw," which, in 
company with others, he built in 1863, 
and which made its first voyage to Pan- 
ama the same year. During tlie Civil 
^^^ar this vessel narrowl}' escaped capture 
by the Confederate cruiser ".\labama," 
but was burned in 1866 off the Island of 
Madeira while bound from Cardiff, 
Whales, to Panama. 

This closed Captain Boutelle's sea-far- 
ing Ijfe, and in 1867 he engaged in coal- 
mining in Nova Scotia, having charge, 
as superintendent for one year, of mines 



J 



ci8 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



which he had opened there. He then 
came to Chicago, but in 1869 returned to 
New York, where he embarked in tli; 
wholesale sewing machine trade for one 
year, when, in 1870, he came to Evanston. 
111., which continued to be his home for 
the remainder of his life. Here he in- 
vested in real estate and engaged in build- 
ing and other improvements: in 1871 
erected the Boutelle & Wesley Block, and 
later improved considerable residence 
property. From 1875 to 1881 he was en- 
gaged in the hardware trade in Evanston, 
since then being retired from business 
life. 

Captain Boutelle was married first to 
Frances A. Robbins, of INIaine. who died 
in 1859, and in 186S, he married as his 
second wife Margaret A. Patten, of 
Brunswick, Maine, who died in 1872. His 
third marriage was with Miss Augusta 
A. Reed, of Chicago, in 1880. jNIrs. 
Boutelle is a native of New York, but 
came to Sterling, Illinois, in girlhood, 
still later spent some years in the South 
and East, finally returning to the West. 
An intimate friend of Mrs. Boutelle for 
many years was the widow of the late 
Judge David Davis, of Bloomington. 111., 
now Mrs. Greene of North Carolina. Cap- 
tain Boutelle's only child is now Airs. 
Ada (Boutelle) Briggs of Evanston. The 
Hon. Charles A. Boutelle, late Congress- 
man from Maine (now deceased), was a 
nephew of Captain Boutelle. 

Captain Boutelle was a member of the 
Odd Fellows" fraternity, in politics was 
a Republican, and served for eight years 
as Justice of the Peace and one year as 
Collector for the city of Evanston. He 
lived an active and strenuous life, and at 
the age of eighty-two years was in pos- 
session of his mental faculties, and re- 
tained a vivid memory of past adventures 
and events which made him a most 



charming companion. Death came to 
him at his home in Evanston, June 21, 
1935. His daughter and her husband, Mr. 
John A. Briggs, accompanied the remains 
to Union, Maine, where they were in- 
terred in accordance with his wish, by the 
side of his first wife. 



WALLACE REYNOLDS CONDICT. 

Wallace Reynolds Condict (deceased), a 
well known and highly respected resident of 
Evanston from May I, 1875, until August 
30, 1899, was born in Newark, New Jersey, 
June I, 1824. His parents were Sidney and 
Charlotte (Reynolds) Condict. Sidney 
Condict was a prominent and prosperous 
dry-goods merchant in the East. In New 
York and New Jersey the Condicts are an 
old and influential family, and the Reynolds 
family is of Mayflower stock. The circum- 
stances of Wallace R. Condict 's parents en- 
abled them to give him an excellent high 
school education, and his business training 
was received in the dry-goods line under 
his father's supervision. When about twen- 
ty years of age the son came West, to Ra- 
cine, Wis.', and was connected with an ele- 
vator concern until he was about twenty- 
five years old, when he went to Michigan 
City, Ind., and engaged in the dry-goods 
business on his own account. There he re- 
mained until near the termination of the 
Civil War, when he sold out and came to 
Chicago, but did not enter upon any active 
business enterprise on his own responsibili- 
ty after his arrival there. On May i, 1875, 
he established his residence in Evanston, 
where he lived during the remainder of his 
days. Politically, ]\Ir. Condict supported 
the Republican party. He attended the 
Congregational Church, to the maintenance 
of which he was a regular contributor. 

Mr. Condict was married in Chicago, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



519 



January 31, 1874, to Louise Albridge, a 
daughter of Isaac and Armina Albridge, of 
Plattsburgh, New York. The issue of their 
union was Wallace Reynolds and Jessie 
Haskell, both of whom are married and liv- 
ing in Evanston. 

The subject of this sketch was honorable, 
conservative and level-headed in his busi- 
ness transactions, and one whom all could 
trust. He was a home-loving, quiet man 
who devoted himself to his business and 
family, and cared nothing for club life or 
political honors. 



OLIVER iM. CARSON. 

Oliver M. Carson (deceased) was born 
in Sweden, March 31, 1853, and in early- 
childhood came to America with his parents 
who settled in Galesburg, 111. His educa- 
tion was received in the public schools near 
his home and at Knox College, Galesburg. 
While pursuing his course in that institution 
he supported himself and secured his diplo- 
ma by his own unaided efforts. He then en- 
tered the well-known dry-goods house of 
Charles Gossage, where he remained until 
his health became so impaired as to necessi- 
tate a change, when he went to Minnesota 
and tried agricultural pursuits for a brief 
period. An improvement in his health en- 
abled him to return to mercantile pursuits, 
which first took him to Farmington, Minn., 
later becoming connected with the dry 
goods firm of Carhart & Co. of St. Paul, 
with which house he remained for a period 
of eleven years. Returning to Chicago, Mr. 
Carson, after a brief experience in trade, 
began operating in real estate, located in 
the main along the North Shore, and also 
in Oak Park. Always enthusiastic over the 
development of North Shore realty, his con- 
fidence was unbounded, and the improve- 
ments made under his management were 



many and of an important character. The 
subject of "riparian rights" was ever upper- 
most in his mind, and he acquired much 
property in this connection. In his business 
undertakings he was intensely active, such 
being the nature of the man, but of all en- 
terprises none was dearer to his heart than 
the improvements along the North Shore. 
He promoted a number of sub-divisions be- 
tween Chicago and the suburban cities tc 
the north, as well as 48 acres of land in 
Oak Park. 

On October 18, 1882, Mr. Carson was 
united in marriage to Miss Clara, daughter 
of G. L. Wetterland, of Chicago, and of 
this union one daughter (Miss Mildred) 
was born. In his political affiliations Mr. 
Carson was a Republican. He was a mem- 
ber of the Presbyterian Church. Until 1892 
his residence was in Chicago, but at that 
time he removed to Evanston, 111., his home 
being- at No. 222 Stockham Place, one of 
the most charming locations in the classic 
town. Active, genial, enterprising, j\lr. 
Carson's interest in all pertaining to the 
improvement of North Shore property con- 
tinued to the close of his successful career. 
His decease occurred on September 11, 
1902. Mrs. Carson, who survives her hus- 
band, resides at Hotel Monnett, Evanston. 
]Mr. Carson was domestic in his habits, de- 
lighting in the society of his family and of 
his intimate friends. He was cordial, ap- 
proachable, and his home was a center 
where one met this most aiTable and engag- 
ing of men, whose death was lamented by 
manv. 



WILLIAM J. CANFIELD. 

\\'illiam J. Canfield (deceased), former- 
ly a leading merchant of Evanston, 111., was 
born in Salisbury, Conn., November 14, 
1832. His parents were Lee and Ruth 
(Butler) Canfield. The Canfield family 



;2o 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



was originally of English extraction, and 
the subject of this sketch was a descendant 
of Thomas Canfield, one of the early colon- 
ists who settled at Mil ford, near New Hav- 
en, Conn., and was one of the original pro- 
prietors of the place. Lieut. Col. Buel, of 
Revolutionary fame, was one of the ances- 
tors of Mr. Canfield, as was also Governor 
Wells, one of the early Colonial Governors. 
Lee Canfield was an iron manufacturer by 
occupation, and worked the noted Salisbury 
mines from which iron was taken for ves- 
sels in the Revolutionary period. These 
mines were once operated by Ethan Allen, 
and were among the first worked in 
America. 

In his boyhood Mr. Canfield attended the 
public schools of Salisbury, and was after- 
ward a pupil in Amenia Academy, at Amenia, 
N. Y. He grew up at Salisbury, and was 
trained to the iron business. In early man- 
hood he was associated with his father in 
the manufacture of iron at Salisbury, which 
he continued until 1 88 1, when he came with 
his family to Evanston. Here he estab- 
lished himself in the grocery business and 
was one of the principal merchants of the 
city until his death, which occurred Decem- 
ber 19, 1896. 

Mr. Canfield was married, Alarch 3, 1856, 
to Frances C. Caul, who survives her hus- 
band. Her parents were William and Dor- 
cas (Crowell) Caul, of Salisbury, N. Y., 
and on the maternal side, she is a descend- 
ant of John Alden, of the Mayflower, and 
also of Richard Warren, who was one of 
■ the same company of Pilgrims. Her an- 
cestors were represented in the Revolution- 
ary army. 

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Canfield 
are: Mrs. Carrie (Canfield) Dean, and 
Mrs. Nellie (Canfield) Lee, both born in 
Salisbury. The former is the wife of Mar- 
vin A. Dean, of Evanston, and the latter 
married Rev. Frank T. Lee, of Maywood, 



111. In politics Mr. Canfield was an adher- 
ent of the Republican party. 



ADAM FRIES TOWNSEND. 

Adam Fries Townsend (deceased), for 
twenty-one years special agent of the 
Northern Assurance Company of London, 
England, and a most highly esteemed citi- 
zen of Evanston, 111., was born in Phila- 
delphia, on May 9, 1834. Reared as a boy in 
that city and educated at Pennington Semi- 
nary in New Jersey and Dickinson College 
in Pennsylvania, the educational bent of his 
nature led to his choice of the teacher's 
profession, and he entered life's active serv- 
ice as Superintendent of Schools at Du- 
buque, Iowa, where he organized that city's 
system of graded schools. Later, he under- 
took and accomplished a similar work at 
Galena, 111. While success had crowned his 
work as an educator, and while his chosen 
profession proved fully congenial to his 
intelligent spirit, it soon appeared that the 
sedentary conditions of his vocation were 
detrimental to his physical well-being. He 
reluctantly changed the direction of his life 
energies from a professional sphere to the 
business arena, entering the employ of the 
Western Manufacturers' Mutual Fire In- 
surance Company. At this time he came 
to Evanston and soon after was appointed 
special agent of the Northern Assurance 
Company of London, serving the interests 
of this company with unflagging faithful- 
ness for the long period of twenty-one years 
and up to the very day of his death. While 
in East St. Louis, 111., in the faithful dis- 
charge of his business obligations, he fell 
and fractured the bone of his thigh, an in- 
jury which resulted in his death on Febru- 
ary 13, 1904, in Henrietta Hospital, East 
St. Louis. 

While in charge of the Galena schools, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



521 



Mr. Townsend was married by Bishop Vin- 
cent, of the Methodist Church, to Miss 
Sarah P. Burr, daughter of Hudson Burr, 
well-known merchant of Dubuque, Iowa. 
The subject of this sketch united with 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, in Salem, 
New Jersey, at the early age of fourteen. 
Committed by holy vows to the fellowship 
of the church, he was ever devoted to her 
interests. For many years and in many 
places he was an office bearer in the church, 
attending with conscientious fidelity to 
whatever was committed to his hand. Of 
him it should be said that he was regular 
and punctual at the place of worship, devout 
in his ways, pure and blameless in Christ- 
ian life, uniform and steadfast in his relig- 
ious confession, and always ready to do his 
part in every good work — a living epistle, 
a steady light, that grew not dim, but 
brightened with the years. 



HUMPHRYS H. C. MILLER. 

Humphrys H. C. Miller, lawyer, Evans- 
ton, 111., with office at 1415 Marquette 
Building, Chicago, was born in New York 
City, October 17, 1845, the son of George 
and Isabella (Clark) Miller, the former 
born at Ballybay, County Monoghan, Ire- 
land, April 14, 1796, and the latter in New 
York City in 1820. After coming to Ameri- 
ca the father was engaged in the book pub- 
lishing business, also keeping a book store, 
until 1855, when he removed to the vicinity 
of Hanover, Jo Daviess County, 111., and 
engaged in farming, later removing to Car- 
roll County, 111., where he continued in the 
same business. Still later the father lived in 
Jackson County, Mo., and died at Green- 
wood in that State in 1876, the mother dy- 
ing there the same year. 

Until about nine years of age, the sub- 
ject of this sketch lived in New York City, 



but coming with his parents to Illinois in 
1S55, worked on his father's farm in Jo 
Daviess County, and then in Carroll County 
except while attending school. He taught 
school one winter in a small log school- 
house in Carroll County, at a place called 
Zion's Grove, receiving a salary of $25 per 
month. While in Carroll County he pre- 
pared for college in Mt. Carroll Seminary, 
and entering L^nion College, at Schenectady, 
N. Y., in the fall of 1864, remained there 
two years, when he was admitted to the 
Junior Class at the University of Michigan, 
graduating from that institution with the 
degree of A. B. in 1868. From 1868 to 
1870 he was Principal of the high school at 
Channahon, Will County, 111., when he went 
to Morris, Grundy County, serving as 
School Superintendent there for five years, 
after which he occupied the same position 
at Pittsfield, 111., for one year. Always fond 
of reading, his mind naturally turned to- 
ward the law ; and, in 1875, he was admitted 
to the bar, during the following year com- 
ing to Chicago, where he entered into part- 
nership with Charles W. Needham, which 
was continued five years, when the partner- 
ship was terminated by Mr. Needham's re- 
moval to Washington, D. C. While main- 
taining his office in Chicago, Mr. Miller has 
continuously made his residence in Evans- 
ton. 

The official positions held by Mr. Miller 
include those of Corporation Counsel for 
the Village of Evanston (1886-87), and 
Village President from 1888 to 1890, being 
elected to both of these positions without 
opposition and by unanimous vote. At the 
close of his term he was complimented by 
a public reception given in his honor by the 
citizens of Evanston. He has also been 
President of the Evanston Board of Edu- 
cation since 1880, and has held a like posi- 
tion in connection with the Civil Service 
Commission since 1895. From 1900 to 



^22 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



1904 he served on the staff of Gov. Richard 
Yates, with the rank of Colonel. The pub- 
lic positions held by Mr. Miller indicate the 
est'mation in which he is held as a lawyer 
and as a citizen. 



JOHN MARSHALL WILLIAMS. 

Mr. John M. Williams was born in the 
village of Morrisville, Madison County, N. 
Y., on the 6th day of December, 1821. His 
parents were Amariah and Olive (Read) 
Williams, both of whom were natives of 
Connecticut. There were four sons and two 
daughters in the family, of whom he was 
the third son. He was sent to the district 
school and, later, to an academy at ]Morris- 
ville. At eighteen years of age the course 
of his studies was interrupted by ill-health, 
which led to his taking a sea-voyage in the 
hope of improvement. Five months spent 
in cruising upon the banks of Newfound- 
land, with the active life and plain whole- 
some fare of a cod fisherman, so restored 
his strength that he resumed his course of 
education, going to The Oneida Conference 
Seminary at Cazenovia, N. Y. Here he pur- 
sued his studies for eighteen months, having 
in view preparation for college, to which 
his taste and ambition led him. At this 
time his eyesight having become impaired, 
he was obliged to leave school and abandon 
the idea of obtaining a liberal education, but 
desired a wider and more active field than 
w-as offered by the life of a farmer among 
the secluded valleys of Madison County. 
An advertisement of ^Ir. S. Augustus 
Mitchell, a noted publisher of maps in Phila- 
delphia at that t-me, met his eye, and 
thinking it offered a favorable opportunity 
for commencing business and seeing some- 
thing of the country, he opened a corres- 
pondence which led to his undertaking the 
sale of maps. Witii one hundred dollars 



advanced by his father — the only pecuniary 
aid which he ever received during the life- 
time of his parents — he procured a supply of 
outline maps, suitable for use in school- 
rooms, and commenced a tour through the 
villages of New York and Pennsylvania. 
His success was such that Mr. Mitchell. 
though he knew his customer only by cor- 
respondence, offered him an agency for the 
State of C)hio for the sale of a wall-map of 
the L'nited States, which he had just pub- 
lished. With a supply of these maps he set 
out in the spring of 1843 ^or Ohio, by way 
of the Erie Canal and by steamboat on Lake 
Erie, and commenced work in Cleveland. 
The maps sold readily, and after canvass- 
ing a large part of the Western Reserve he 
later took the agency for New Orleans, 
meeting there with fairly profitable success, 
and in early spring embarked on a sailing 
vessel for New York, visiting Cuba on the 
way. His sales so far had yielded him a 
net capital of $800 for the year. In the fol- 
lowing year he pursued his map business in 
New York and the South, but soon after had 
an earnest desire to go West. 

An older brother, Mr. Read A. Williams, 
had already located in Chicago, and was 
there engaged in the lumber business. At 
the solicitation of his brother, and impress- 
ed with the advantages which the young city 
offered for business, Mr. Williams came 
to Chicago in the spring of 1848, accompa- 
nied by his cousin, \\'illiam W. Farwell. a 
lawyer, who afterwards was a Judge of the 
Superior Court of Cook County for many 
years. He soon formed a partnership with 
Mr. Walter Lull and opened a yard for the 
sale of lumber. Having occasion to visit 
Michigan for the purchase of lumber during 
the summer, he was there attacked by a 
severe and dangerous fever. \\'hile upon 
the sick-bed the tidings of the discovery of 
gold among the alluvial sands of California 
reached the East, and stimulated a wild 



I 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



523 



emigration to that distant, and then ahnost 
inaccessible, region. Mr. Williams disposed 
of his lumber business and determined to 
join the ranks of the gold-hunters. At St. 
Joseph, Mo., the fitting-out place for over- 
land emigrants, he joined a party of them, in 
company with hie cousin, Mr. Farwell. 

The story of the journey across the plains 
and over the mountains by the emigrants 
of 1849 has often been told, and Mr. Will- 
iams' experience was not unlike that of oth- 
ers. He drove oxen, toiled along dusty 
trails, crossed deserts, starved and suffered 
thirst through the long stretches of sage- 
covered plains, guarded' tlie camp by night, 
repulsing attacks from stealthy savage ma- 
rauders, climbed the ascent of the Rocky 
Mountains, and wandered among the preci- 
pices of the Sierra Xevadas, At the sink 
of the Humboldt River, having tired of the 
slow and toilsome progress of the ox-train, 
he procured a horse and pushed on with his 
cousin for the remainder of the journey, 
arriving at Sacramento on the first of Sep- 
tember, 1849, after a three months' jour- 
ney. He lost no time in seeking the placer 
grounds, which he entered upon at Good- 
year's Bar on the Yuba' River. \\'ith a 
shovel and rude rocker he began working 
the gravel of the bar, and in twenty-two 
days had taken out $900. Supplies of food, 
at this place and time, cost $3.50 per pound. 
The work was hard and the society rough. 
^^'itll the winter floods approaching, he left 
the diggings and returned to Sacramento. 
Going down to San Francisco he investei! 
his little capital in such goods as sperm can- 
dles, bacon, etc., and for two or three 
months carried on a lively little trade in the 
small towns along the river. He had ac- 
cumulated $1,000 by his labor and enter- 
prise, when, in January, 1850, in conse- 
■ quence of the news of his father's death, 
he started for his former home in New 
York, by way of the Isthmus of Panama. 



Among his fellow-voyagers were General 
John C. Fremont and his wife, the renowned 
Jessie (Benton) Fremont. After walking 
across the Isthmus, where he saw new and 
strange forms of tropical vegetation and a 
novel type of human life, he again embarked 
on the Atlantic, and reached Morrisville, his 
former home, in the early summer. 

On July 17, 1850, he was there married 
to Miss Elizabeth C. Smith, a daughter of 
Xathan and Roxana Smith, of Nelson, 
Madison County, N. Y. She accompanied 
her husband on his return to Chicago and, 
for forty-five years, shared his home at Chi- 
cago and at Evanston, to which they re- 
moved in 1868. Uniting with the First 
Congregational Church in its infancy in 
Chicago, Mr. and Mrs. Williams both bore 
a prominent part in the work of that de- 
nomination as charter members of the First 
Congregational Church of Evanston. In the 
latter part of the summer of 1850, Mr. Will- 
iams went to Elgin, which was then the 
temporary terminus of the Galena & Chica- 
go Union Railroad, and there opened a lum- 
ber yard. The next spring he formed a 
partnership, in Chicago, with Messrs Ryer- 
son & Norris, of which firm Mr. Martin 
Ryerson was a member. The firm of Will- 
iams. Ryerson & Company opened a luiuber 
yard on the corner of Fulton Street and 
the River, adjoining that of Leonard & 
Williams, and carried on the business for 
five years. He continued in the lumber 
business until i860, when he established a 
wholesale grocery business, but retired 
frijm that a few months later. In 1861, 
in connection with W. D. Houghteling, he 
engaged in the grain-buying and commis- 
sion trade, continuing it for several years. 
In iSCxj he went into a wholesale hardware 
business, and was so engaged wl'en the Chi- 
cago fire of 1871 swept it away and all the 
improvements upon his business lots. Being 
largely insured in English companies, his 



524 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



loss was not as great as that of many oth- 
ers, and he was one of the first to rebuild 
his business block on the corner of Fifth 
Avenue and Monroe Street, it being read_v 
for occupancy early in the following spring. 
After being destroyed by fire again in 1898, 
a modern fire-proof building was erected in 
Its place. 

Mr. Williams was a purchaser of lots in 
the west part of the city at the sales held 
by the Canal Trustees, and dealt in other 
realty with profitable results. He had con- 
fidence in Chicago and did not hesitate to 
stake his fortune on her growth and pros- 
perity. In business matters he seems to 
have been gifted with an accurate judg- 
ment. He was cautious and prduent, and 
invested freely when the times seemed pro- 
pitious. Fortune seems to have favored 
him, for, from the time he started out 
from his early home to engage in a humble 
trading venture up to the time of his death, 
his fortune had grown without any serious 
set-backs, until he was numbered among 
the many wealthy men of the city. He 
was one of the original stockholders of 
The First National Bank, of Chicago, and 
always continued his ownership in its stock. 
He was also one of the organizers of 
that wonderfully prosperous corporation. 
The Elgin Watch Company, in which he 
retained a large financial interest. His early 
knowledge of the lumber trade caused him, 
during the period of 1880 to 1885, to invest 
largely in pine timber-lands adjacent to the 
north shore of Lake Superior, Minn., on 
what is now termed the Mesaba Range of 
iron and pine lands. These lands embrace 
the famous Biwabik Iron Mine, one of the 
richest and most extensive iron mines on 
the range. 

While Mr. Williams' business career has 
been chiefly sketched thus far, it should not 
be overlooked that he was prominently iden- 
tified with the moral and religious move- 



ments of the period of his active life. His 
early home in Xew York was in the neigh- 
borhood of one of the early apostles of 
emancipation, the gifted Gerrit Smith, and 
he brought to the West such a lively sense 
of the abomination of slavery, that he class- 
ed himself with the then execrated, but now 
honored, abolitionists, and identified himself 
with all the agitations which preceded the 
war of the rebellion and the culmination 
in the adoption of the policy of emancipa- 
tion. He was ever afterward a steadfast 
friend of the colored man, and exemplified 
his friendship by his numerous benefactions 
for their education and the moral elevation of 
the race. He was also a liberal supporter of 
the religious and city mission work in Chi- 
cago, prosecuted by the Congregational 
churches. The Chicago Theological Semin- 
ary, long struggling with embarrassments, 
which repressed its growth, but now happily 
placed in an independent position, owes 
much to his liberal contributions, and the 
Chicago Commons also received much aid 
from him, and after his death his children 
manifested the same spirit by giving the 
family residence at the Commons as a me- 
morial to his honor, while the new Mater- 
nity Building of the Evanston Hospital is a 
memorial to their mother. 

Mr. and Mrs. Williams had a family of 
eight children, three boys and five girls. 
Lucian Marshall married Lucile Seaton, 
and they reside in Chicago. Walter Smith 
married Elia Gilbert, daughter of Mr, C. 
J. Gilbert, of Evanston, but died in 1801, 
leaving two children — John Marshall Will- 
iams and Margaret Williams. Another son, 
Xathan Wilbur, married Elizabeth Cook, 
and they reside in Evanston. Isabella mar- 
ried Charles L. Blaney, a son of Doctor J. V. 
Z. Blaney, formerly of Chicago, and they 
live at San Jose, Cal., and Anna married an- 
other son of Dr. Blaney, but both are de- 
ceased. Helen G. married Joseph J. Husser, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



525 



and they reside in Chicago. Edith married 
Robert C. Kirkwood, and they reside in 
Mountain View, Cal. Jessie B. married 
Parke E. Simmons, and they reside on the 
old homestead, in Evanston, at the corner 
of Hinman Avenue and Clark Street. 

Mr. Williams was at one time President 
of the Village Board of Evanston, and iden- 
tified himself with various interests of the 
city. During the last four years of his life 
he made his home in Mountain View, Cal., 
where he died on March 9, 1901, leaving a 
widow, Mrs. Annie (Dearborn) Williams, 
and a son Alan. 



ALDIN J. GROVER. 

Aldin J. Grover (deceased), pioneer set- 
tler of Chicago and early resident of Evans- 
ton, was born at Holland, Erie County, 
N. Y., near Buffalo, August 24, 1822, the 
son of Chester J. and Susan (Davis) Gro- 
ver, both of whom were natives of Brad- 
ford, Vt. His parents moved to Western 
New York while that region was still a 
wilderness, and settled upon the famous 
"Holland Purchase." Here the father died 
when the subject of this sketch was about 
three years old. Thus left fatherless at an 
early age, the son was compelled to face 
the problem of life about the time when 
most children are entering school. Having 
learned the carpenter's trade by the time 
he was twenty-two years of age he had ac- 
cumulated sufficient means to enable him to 
come to the city of Chicago, which he did 
in September, 1844. There being no rail- 
road connection from Chicago with the 
East at that time, the journey was made 
from Buffalo by the steamer "Empire 
State" around the lakes. He soon found 
employment with the American Car Works, 
which later came into the hands of the Illi- 
nois Central Railroad Company. For many 
years thereafter he resided in Lyons Town- 



ship, Cook County, owning several farms 
in the vicinity of Riverside and La Grange. 
In 1866 he removed to Evanston for the 
purpose of securing better educational ad- 
vantages for his children. In Evanston he 
engaged in business as a contractor and 
builder, and was quite an extensive dealer 
in real estate, in the meantime building for 
himself and others many of the older dwell- 
ings and business blocks in that city. His 
residence in Evanston, 111., from 1866 to 
1895 was at the corner of Grove Street and 
Sherman Avenue, on the present site of the 
"Grover Block," recently built by his ex- 
ecutors. 

In the early days Mr. Grover held sever- 
al Evanston township offices, and was a 
member of the Grand Jury that returned the 
indictments against the Chicago Anarchists 
after the Hay market riot of 1886. 

Mr. Grover was married twice, first to 
Eliza D. Reed, of Erie County, N. Y., and, 
as his second wife, to Mrs. Mary E. Skin- 
ner of Waukegan, who survives him. Six 
children — two sons and four daughters — 
were born of the first marriage, all still 
living, viz. : Frank R., Chester A., Etta 
(wife of Dr. Charles H. Thayer), Kath- 
erine S., Caroline G. (wife of Dr. Warren 
R. Smith of Lewis Institute), and Louise 
M. A stepson, Mortimer B. Skinner, also 
survives. 

Some ten years before his death Mr. 
Grover retired from business, and seven 
years later removed to Wilmette, where he 
spent the last three years of his life. His 
death occurred in his home at Wilmette on 
Sunday, April 6, 1902. 

Mr. Grover is remembered as a man of 
great physical and mental energy and in- 
dustry, his business activity extending until 
he was advanced in life. He left a name 
for sterling integrity and as a Christian 
gentleman of which his family may justly 
be proud, and which is recognized by a 
large circle of friends and fellow-citizens. 



526 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



FRANK REED GROVER. 

Frank Reed Grover, lawyer. Chicago, 
with residence in Evanston, 111., was born 
on a farm in Lyons Township, Cook 
County, 111., September 17, 1858, the son 
of Aldin J. and Eliza D. (Reed) Grover. 
In 1866 he came with his father's family to 
Evanston, and there received his education 
in the public schools, being a member of the 
second graduating class of the Evanston 
High School in 1877. Later he attended the 
Laiion College of Law of the Northwestern 
University for one year, and thereafter, 
until 1881, was engaged in business as a 
traveling salesman. During the year last 
named he entered the law office of Ela & 
Parker, Chicago, where he continued his 
law studies and was admitted to the bar in 
1883. Upon the dissolution of this firm in 
1885, he entered into partnership with one 
of its members and his former employer. 
John W. Ela, late President of the Chicago 
Civil Service Commission, under the firm 
name of Ela & Grover, and later under the 
name of Ela, Grover & Graves, which was 
continued until Mr. Ela's death in 1902. 
Since tlxat date the business has been 
carried on by Mr. Grover and his surviving 
partners, without change of the firm name. 

The official positions held by Mr. Grover 
include that of member of the Board of 
Trustees of the former Village of Evanston, 
in which, although the youngest member 
ever elected to the Board, he held the chair- 
manship of many important committees. 
Having declined a re-election he was subse- 
quently appointed Village Attorney, and 
while occupying this position, carried 
through all the legal work incident to con- 
solidation of the village of Evanston and 
South Evanston, laying the foundation for 
the present city government for the consoli- 
dated corporation. He was then elected as 
the first City Attorney and Corporation 



Counsel, and bore a prominent part in or- 
ganization of the new city government in 
its various departments, which was accom- 
plished in 1892. For the service thus ren- 
dered he received high commendation from 
the City Council in resolutions adopted by 
that body on his retirement from office. 

Mr. Grover is a member of the Chicago 
Bar Association and has conducted a suc- 
cessful practice of his profession for the 
past twenty years. For several years he 
was Chairman of a Committee appointed 
by citizens of Evanston in connection with 
the proposed constitutional amendment 
pending in the Legislature, providing for a 
new charter for the City of Chicago. The 
duties of this committee were to protect 
the City of Evanston from any scheme look- 
ing to the annexation of Evanston to the 
city, and in this they were entirely success- 
ful, as shown in the character of the amend- 
ment as finally adopted. I^.Ir. Grover is a 
charter member of the Evanston Historical 
Society, was elected its first Vice-Presi- 
dent and has served in that capacity ever 
since. During this period he has been an 
important factor in promoting the success 
of the Society, not only in the way of organ- 
ization and subsequent work in its behalf, 
but by his contributions on historical top- 
ics, especially with reference to matters con- 
nected with Indian history of this locality. 
An example of this is furnished in a chapter 
in this work relating to Indian history con- 
nected with the North Shore. (See Chapter 
II., "Our Indian Predecessors.") 

Mr. Grover's father, Aldin J. Grover, was 
one of the pioneers of Cook County, who 
came to Chicago from Erie County, N. Y., 
in 1844, and his mother, Eliza D. (Reed) 
Grover, who came from the same locality, 
was a member of the same family as 
Charles H. Reed, a former State's Attor- 
ney of Cook County. (See sketch. Aldin J. 
Grover, in this volume.) 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



527 



Mr. Frank R. Grover was married in 
1884 to Ella F. Smith, of Olmsted County, 
Minn., and one son has been born to them, 
namely : Mortimer C. Grover. 



WILLIAM EICHBAUN STOCKTON. 

William Eichbaun Stockton was born in 
Pittsburg, Pa., December 18, 1840, the son 
of Robert Clark and Martha Celeste (Lit- 
tle) Stockton, the father born near Mead- 
ville. Pa., and the mother in Pittsburg. 
The father was a member of the firm of 
Johnston & Stockton — afterward R. C. 
Stockton— who were engaged in the print- 
ing, publishing, bookselling and paper man- 
ufacturing business in Pittsburg. Among 
tlie publications issued by Johnston & Stock- 
ton was the "Western Calculator," an arith- 
metic which was popular and used for 
many years in Western schools. The au- 
thor was Joseph Stockton, A. M., the father 
of Robert C. Stockton, and grandfather of 
the subject of this sketch, who had studied 
theology with the noted John Mc]\Iillan 
and. in 1801, became pastor of a church at 
Meadville, Pa., whence he removed to 
Pittsburg to become Principal of the Acade- 
my at that place, now the Western Uni- 
versity of Pennsylvania. In 1819 he gath- 
ered together a little group of worshippers 
in Allegheny City, and established the first 
clnirch in that city. He published a series 
of school books, which proved a valuable 
aid to popular education of that period. Be- 
sides his interest in education he was skilled 
in medicine, and his services as a missionary 
and pastor of local churches were given, 
largely without compensation or reward, 
throughout all that region from Allegheny 
City to the United States Arsenal, and from 
Sharpsburg to Pine Creek, the churches at 
the two points last named being built under 
his care. This was before the davs of rail- 



road transportation, and travel was solely 
by means of horses or on foot. His father, 
Robert, was one of the first elders of the 
Presbyterian Church at Washington, Pa., 
and his grandfather (Thomas Stockton) 
was an elder of the church of Dr. Craig- 
head, at Rocky Springs, Pa., when that 
patriot pastor left his pulpit to lead the male 
members of his church into the ranks of the 
Continental Army. 

William E. Stockton was first employed 
in the railroad business at Pittsburg, Pa., 
but is now engaged in the iron and steel 
trade with office at 536 Rookery Building, 
Chicago, and, with the exception of one 
year, has been a resident of Evanston since 
1872. On April 25, 1861, he enlisted under 
the first "call for troops issued by President 
Lincoln in defense of the Union, was mus- 
tered into Company I, Twelfth Regiment 
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and after 
serving the three-months' period of his en- 
listment, was discharged at Pittsburg, Pa., 
August 5th following. On the last day of 
the same month (August 31, 1861), he re- 
enlisted as a member of Company A, First 
Regiment Illinois Volunteer Artillery, but 
was discharged under surgeon's certificate, 
for disability, at Memphis, Tenn., February 
15, 1863. A year later (February 15, 1864) 
he enlisted a third time as a member of 
Company A, Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cav- 
alry, was promoted to be Sergeant-Major of 
his regiment in the field September 20, 
1864, and was discharged at Pittsburg, 
Pa., January 16, 1865, on account of a gun- 
shot wound received at Fisher's Hill, Va. 

The civil offices held by Mr. Stockton in- 
clude those of Trustee of the Village of 
Evanston and Director of the Evanston 
Public Library. He is a pronounced Re- 
publican in political principles, but has not 
been a seeker for public office. His religious 
affiliations are as a member of the First 
Presbvterian Church of Evanston, in which 



528 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



he has held the position of Elder. He is 
a member of the John A. Logan Post, No. 
540, Grand Army of the Republic, and of 
Evans Lodge A. F. & A. M., Evanston. 

Mr. Stockton was married at Shields, Pa., 
May 7, 1872, to Eliza Leet Cook, a great- 
granddaughter of Major Daniel Leet of 
Virginia and Pennsylvania, who was an 
officer of the Continental Army during the 
War of the Revolution and a personal 
friend of Gen. George Washington. Two 
children have been born of this union: 
Martha Cook Stockton and John Wilson 
Stockton. The latter is a resident of Evan- 
ston and is associated in business with his 
father in the city of Chicago. u 



CHARLES GRAIN. 

Charles Grain, who was one of the earli- 
est settlers on the site of the present city 
of Evanston, and whose family still reside 
at the old homestead, thereby linking the 
earliest history of the city with the present, 
was born in Stockton, Chautauqua County, 
N. Y., July 16, 1822. He came of an old 
New England family, which is now widely 
represented throughout the United States, 
the names Grain and Crane being traceable 
to the same origin, and their genealogv 
to the same parent place in New York 
State, and here Mr. Grain gained his early 
education in the schools of Stockton. In 
1833, his father's family removed to Ohio 
and settled in the town of Leroy, where they 
lived during the next three years. From 
there they came west as far as Hamilton, 
now in Steuben County, Ind., where 
Charles Grain received his last schooling 
and was fitted, by thorough industrial train* 
ing for an active business life. He made 
his first visit to Illinois in 1840. coming 
to Chicago, which then had a population of 
about four thousand souls. The same year 



he traversed the North Shore region, which 
was later to become his home, and saw 
much of the then unbroken and totally 
unimproved land about Chicago. His cous- 
in, John Miller, had settled at what was then 
called Dutchman's Point, now Glenview, 
and Mr. Grain was in his employ during 
part of the following year. Then return- 
ing to Indiana in 1841, he remained there 
until after the death of his mother in 1842. 
In company with his brother, O. A. Grain, 
he then came again to Illinois, determined 
to make here his permanent home. The 
settlement, which a little later became 
known as Ridgeville, and still later devel- 
oped into the Town of Evanston, was then 
called Gross Point, and here the brothers 
cast their lot with the few pioneers then to 
be found in this region. In 1844, they set- 
tled on the farm by which they were after- 
ward so closely identified with Evanston, 
and which is now part and parcel of the 
city. From 1845 to 1850 the brothers 
were engaged in the cooperage business 
there and were pioneer craftsmen in that 
line. 

The gold discoveries in California, in 
1849, stirred the spirit of adventure within 
them, however, and, early in 1850, they 
were members of a company that outfitted 
a wagon train for the long and, in those 
days, perilous trip across the plains and 
over the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific 
Coast. There were thirty men in the com- 
pany, in all, which, besides Charles Grain, 
included three of his brothers and a cousin 
of the same name. On April 8, 1850, the 
company left what was known as the Buck- 
eye Inn, an old-time Evanston tavern, and 
reached Georgetown, Gal., in August fol- 
lowing, having been a little more than four 
months on the way. This was considered 
a very quick trip in those days, and by rea- 
son of the fact that this wagon train passed 
pretty near everything on the road, it was 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



52') 



called the "Lightning Express." After 
mining for something less than a year. 
with varying degrees of success, the com- 
pany returned to Illinois in 185 1, bringing 
with them the recollection of many thrill- 
ing and interesting experiences. Safely 
they had crossed the arid plains of Kansas, 
the tortuous steeps and chasms of the 
Rocky Mountains, and the desert wastes 
beyond. They had traversed, unharmed, 
a region infested with wild animals and 
wilder men. They had seen herds of buffa- 
lo so vast that they seemed like moving 
plains ; and they came back, if not rich in 
purse, rich in knowledge and stories of ad- 
venture with which to regale their children 
and grandchildren, neighbors and friends, 
in later years. Upon their return, Mr. 
Grain and his brother, O. A. Grain, turned 
their attention to farming and gardening, 
and carried on a profitable business in this 
line for many years, and until the growth 
of the city created a demand for the sub- 
division of the lands and the building up 
thereon of city homes. Mr. Charles Grain 
bought a 44-acre tract of land on which 
he originally settled in 1846, upon which 
he resided during the remainder of his 
life, dying at his home on this farm, June 
2, 1 89 1. In all respects he was a typical 
pioneer. Honest, upright, generous and 
kindly, he was much esteemed by the pio- 
neers who were his earliest neighbors and 
friends, and equally esteemed by the later 
generation who grew up around him. He 
was one of the pioneer members of the Ma- 
sonic Order in Evanston, and very soon 
after its organization he affiliated with the 
Evans Lodge, and died a member of this 
Lodge, which buried him with the honors 
due a steadfast and faithful brother. 

Mr. Grain was married, in 1846, to Miss 
Sarah Burroughs, who was born in Ashta- 
bula Gounty, Ohio, and came with her sis- 
ter. Mrs. Gaptain Beckwith, and her broth- 



er, Alonzo Burroughs, to Gross Point in 

1842. There was a bit of history kindred 
to romance connected with the coming 
thither of the pioneer Beckwith. He sailed 
a vessel on the lakes for fourteen years prior 
to 1841 without accident, but in the fall of 
that year his boat went ashore at what is 
known as Hubbards Hill. The captain was 
not aboard himself at the time of the wreck, 
but soon reached the disabled boat, and 
while making his way to Ghicago by wagon, 
fell in love with the country along the lake 
shore and determined to settle here, where 
his wife, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law 
joined him the following spring. Mrs. 
Grain's father, David Burroughs, who was 
a soldier in the War of 1812, came from 
Ashtabula Gounty, Ohio, to what is now 
Evanston, with the rest of his family in 

1843. He rented, for a time, the farm 
which Gharles Grain purchased two years- 
later, and this place has now been Mrs. 
Grain's home continuously for more than 
sixty years. The old homestead is still a 
cherished possession of Mrs. Grain, and 
here, where she passed her later girlhood 
and young womanhood, she is growing old 
gracefully, a veritable encyclopedia of in- 
formation concerning the pioneers and pio- 
neer life of Evanston and its environments. 
From time to time she has contributed to 
the local press and to the Evanston Histori- 
cal Society much interesting data of this 
character. The history of her family, as 
well as that of her husband's family, is 
closely interwoven with the earliest history 
of Evanston, and representatives of both 
families bore an honorable part in laying 
the foundation of "the Glassic Gity." 

Grain Avenue was so named in honor 
of the Grain family. Besides Mrs. Grain, 
the members of this pioneer family living 
in 1905 were Mrs. Malvina (Grain) 
Angle, Mrs. Alice (Grain) McDougal, 
Miss Lucy J. Grain of Evanston, William 



530 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



E. Grain, living in Wayne Gounty, 111. ; 
Gharles E. Grain of Pittsburg, Pa. ; Mrs. 
Francis (Grain) Blake of non Gity, 
of Golo. ; George H. Grain, real estate oper- 
ator of Evanston, and Harvey E. Grain 
of Park Ridge, 111. 



ROBERT McLEAN GUMNOGK. 

Robert McLean Gumnock, A. M., L. H. 
D., Director of the School of Oratory, 
Northwestern University, at Evanston, 111., 
has been a resident of Evanston for thirty- 
eight years. Professor Gumnock is of 
Scotch nativity, having been born in the 
town of Ayr, Scotland, on May 31, 1844. 
At a very early period of his life he was 
brought to America by his father, who set- 
tled in New England, and the years of his 
boyhood were spent in Massachusetts and 
New Hampshire. His preparation for a col- 
legfiate course was obtained at Wilbraham 
Academy, Wilbraham, Mass., and, in the fall 
of 1864, he entered Wesleyan University at 
Middletown, Gonn., from which he was 
graduated with the class of 1868. Three 
years later his Alma Mater conferred upon 
him the degree of A. M., and in 1903, he re- 
ceived from Dickinson Gollege the degree 
of L. H. D. 

Professor Gumnock was married, in 1877, 
to Annie E. Webster, of Evanston. The 
children resulting from this union are Wal- 
lace Webster Gumnock, who was born April 
28, 1880, and Glaude B. Gumnock, born 
July 31, 1884. Professor Gumnock has 
been connected with the Northwestern Uni- 
versity since 1868, and to his assiduous care, 
in the special department of instruction over 
which he presided, has been entrusted the 
mental molding of many pupils who have 
achieved useful and notable careers. 



JOSIAH SEYMOUR GURREY. 

The Gurrey family traces its ancestry to 
Richard Gurrey, who came from Scotland 
when a young man and settled in West- 
chester Gounty, N. Y., about the year 1700. 
The county records and Bolton's History of 
that county mention the names of Richard 
Gurrey and his descendants frequently dur- 
ing the period from 1707 to the present time. 
Richard Gurrey had a son of the same 
name, born in 1709, who died in 1806, hav- 
ing attained the extreme age of ninety- 
seven years. His son Stephen, one of nine 
children, was born in 1742 and died in 
1830. Stephen married Frances, a daugh- 
ter of Thomas Moore of New York Gity, 
and they reared a family of seven children. 
Stephen served in a New York regiment for 
a time during the Revolutionary War. The 
family lived near Peekskill, in Westchester 
Gounty, almost from the beginning of the 
settlement of that region, and many of the 
descendants, now very numerous, are still 
living there. One of the sons of Stephen 
was Thomas, who was born in 1773 and 
died in 1862. He married Rebecca Ward 
and their children were nine in number. 
The youngest was James, the father of the 
subject of this sketch, who was born in 1814 
and died in 1891. He married Eliza Fer- 
ris of Peekskill and had a family of six 
children. 

losiah Sevmour Gurrey, the eldest son of 
James and Eliza (Ferris) Gurrey, was born 
on a farm near Peekskill, N. Y., October 
2, 1844. In his childhood he attended the 
schools of the neighborhood, and when thir- 
teen years of age, removed with his parents 
to Illinois, the family making its home at 
Ghaiuiahon, in Will Gounty, where his 
father carried on the farming business. In 
1862 the family removed to Ghicago, and in 
1867 to Evanston. His father was engaged 
for some years in the lumber business at 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



531 



Evanston, frequently receiving cargoes 
from lake vessels at the old Davis Street 
pier, now in ruins. 

In 1862, Seymour Currey, as he is usually 
known, enlisted in the Sixty-seventh Regi- 
ment Illinois Volunteer Infantry (a 3- 
months' regiment). After serving the 
period of his enlistment on guard duty at 
Chicago and Springfield, he was discharged 
October 6th, following. Later in the war 
he enlisted again in one of the "hundred- 
day" regiments — the One Hundred and 
Thirty-fourth Illinois. During and after 
the war Mr. Currey became engaged in 
various employments, one year as teacher 
in a country district school near Aurora, 
111., for some years serving as an assistant 
in the oldtime drug-store of Bliss & Sharp 
at 144 Lake Street, Chicago, and later 
spending a year in attendance at the North- 
western University in Evanston. His first 
appearance in the place where he ha? since 
made his home was in the spring of 1867, 
and in the following fall he regularly en- 
tered the Lfniversity as a member of the 
class of 1871. His course was not finished, 
but the next year other activities were en- 
tered upon, and since that time he has been 
engaged in various mercantile employments, 
most of the time as an accountant, in which 
capacity he attained considerable proficien- 
cy. In 1895 he became connected with the 
New England Mutual Life Insurance Com- 
pany of Boston, which has been continued 
to the present time. 

Mr. Currey was married November 24, 
1875, to Miss Mary Ella Corell, by Rev. 
E. N. Packard of the Congregational 
Church of Evanston. Miss Corell was born 
at Portland, Chautauqua County, N. Y., 
September 1 1, 1852. the daughter of Joseph 
Corell of that place. The Corell family had 
lived in Chautauqua County since the days 
of the "Holland Purchase" early in the 
nineteenth centurv. Mr. and Mrs. Currev 



have had seven children, six of whom are 
living. The oldest, Helen Marguerite, was 
born May 27, 1877, graduated from Vassar 
College in 1901 ; the second, Harold Young, 
born June 10, 1879, graduated from the 
Massachusetts Irjstitute of Technology in 
1902; the third, Frances Moore, born 
March 21, 1882, married Ralph M. Ashby, 
November 2, 1905 ; the fourth, Rachel, 
born October 25, 1883, graduated from 
Wellesley College in 1905 ; the fifth, Fred- 
erick Seymour, born August 5, 1885, died 
December 21, 1888; the sixth, Richard 
Channing. born September 20, 1891 ; the 
seventh, Ruth Seymour, born July 28, 1896. 
All were born in Evanston, and the two 
last named are attending the schools in 
Evanston. 

Among the ancestors of, and those im- 
mediately related to, the Curreys are the 
names of many well known families and 
men who have attained eminence. Frances 
Moore, previously mentioned, was the 
daughter of Thomas Aloore of New York 
and Elizabeth Channing, who was the 
daughter of William Channing, the agent of 
the British navy in New York. Frances was 
one of a family of eleven children, born in 
1750 and died in 1824. A brother of Fran- 
ces, John Moore, was the agent of the Brit- 
ish government in New York from 1765 to 
1783, and was naturally unfriendly to the 
American cause. He was denounced in a 
report made to the Provincial Congress in 
1776. The sympathies of the family were 
divided, however, as another brother. Ste- 
phen Moore, was Colonel of an American 
regiment, and was owner of the land on 
which the buildings of the West Point 
Academy are now situated, which he sold 
to the American Government after the war 
for $10,000. Ann Moore, a sister of Fran- 
ces, became the wife of Jedediah Hunt- 
ington, a Major-Ceneral in the .American 
armv, and Frances herself was the wife of 



532 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



Stephen Currey, a private in the same army. 
Another brother of Frances was Richard 
Channing Moore, who was the Protestant 
Episcopal Bishop of Mrginia from 1814 to 
1841. and rector of the Monumental Church 
of Richmond. 

Going back a generation we find that 
John Aloore, the father of Thomas Aloore, 
held appointments from the British govern- 
ment in colonial times, was a member of 
"His Majesty's Council" in New York, 
and Colonel of a city regiment. He mar- 
ried Frances Lambert, a member of a 
Huguenot family, and they were the parents 
of eighteen children, one of whom, Thomas 
Moore, above mentioned, is in the line of 
ancestry we are here tracing. The line of 
descent is as follows : John Moore, 1687 
to 1749; Thomas Moore, 1722 to 1784; 
Frances Moore, 1750 to 1824, who married 
Stephen Currey, previously mentioned. In 
Trinity churchyard. New ifork, within a 
few yards of the passing throng in Broad- 
way, may be seen the family vault of the 
Moore family. In this vault lie the remains 
of John Moore and Frances Lambert, his 
wife ; Thomas Moore and Elizabeth Chan- 
ning, his wife : and a number of the chil- 
dren of both families. 

The Ward family were residents of 
Peekskill in colonial times, and at the time 
of the Revolutionary War, Benjamin Ward 
became Cajjtain of a company of loyalists, 
or "Tories," and entered the British serv- 
ice. He was present at the storming of 
Ft. Montgomery in 1777, being one of the 
first to scale the walls. After the war he 
became reconciled to the new order of 
things and lived in Peekskill the remainder 
of his life. John Paulding, one of the cap- 
tors of Major Andre, married a sister of 
Benjamin Ward, and one of the children, 
Hiram Paulding, became a Rear-Admiral 
in the L'nited States Navy about the time 
of the Civil War. Benjamin Ward's daugh- 



ter, Rebecca, was born in 1776 and died in 
1864. She married Thomas Currey in 1796 
and they had a large family of children, one 
of whom w'as James Currey, the fp.ther of 
the present subject. 

Of the Ferris family the first mention is 
made of Jeffrey Ferris, who came from 
England about 1635, and was a resident of 
Stamford, Conn., where he died in 1666. 
His son John was born about 1650 and died 
in 1715. The next in order of descent was 
Peter, who became a resident of Westchest- 
er, N. Y., where in 1721 his name is men- 
tioned in a deed in the county records. His 
son Jonathan was born in 1732 and died 
in 1798. Jonathan was a soldier in the 
Revolutionary War, and member of a com- 
pany raised in Peekskill. It is a singular 
fact that Jonathan Ferris and Stephen Cur- 
rey, previously mentioned, were members 
of the same company, namely ; Capt. Eben- 
ezer Boyd's company of Col. Drake's regi- 
ment of New York troops ; and that their 
descendants — a great-granddaughter o"f the 
former and a grandson of the latter — should 
have become man and wife. And thus the 
present subject of this account, J. Seymour 
Currey, is able to trace his Revolutionary 
ancestry, on both the maternal and paternal 
sides to men who were fellow soldiers in 
the same company. Jonathan raised a fam- 
ily of fourteen children, the eldest of whom 
was Joseph, who was born in 1757 and died 
in 184 1. He married Lydia Seymour in 
1786. and they had a family of ten chil- 
dren. The eldest was Josiah Seymour, for 
whom the subject of this account wa§ 
named. He was born in 1788 and died in 
1882. He was married to Elizabeth Royce 
of Peekskill in 1814 and they had nine chil- 
dren. He was for many years a custom 
house officer in New York, where the fami- 
ly lived a great part of their lives. One 
of the daughters of the family was Eliza, 
who was born April 7, 1825, married James 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



533 



Currey, October 22, 1843, and she is still 
living in good health at the age of eighty- 
one. The eldest child of this union is the 
subject of this sketch. 

Of the uncles of Mr. Currey on his 
father's side one was Daniel Curry who 
spelled his name at variance with the usage 
of his ancestors. In 1827 he graduated 
from the Wesleyan University, Middletown, 
Conn., and entered the ministry of the 
Methodist Church. He received the de- 
gree of Doctor of Divinity, and in 1854 be- 
came President of Indiana Asbury Univer- 
sity (now De Pauw). In 1857 he became 
editor of the New York "Christian Advo- 
cate," and was the author of numerous 
works. A biographical account of him is 
given in the American Cyclopedia, and in 
the New York papers at the time of his 
death in 1887. Another uncle, a twin 
brother of James Currey, was John Currey, 
still living in California at the advanced age 
of ninety-two years. John Currey was 
graduated at Wesleyan University and af- 
terwards entered upon the practice of law 
in Peekskill. In 1849 he went to California 
and has resided there ever since. He was 
an occupant of the Palace Hotel, where he 
had lived some thirty years, at the time 
of its destruction by earthquake and fire, 
April 18, 19O6, but escaped in safety, 
though suffering a severe property loss. In 
1859 he was a candidate for Governor of 
the State of California, and though defeat- 
ed, he conducted one of the liveliest cam- 
paigns in the political history of the State. 
In 1864 he was elected Chief Justice of the 
Supreme Court of the State, which office 
he held for eight years. In 1870 the degree 
of LL. D was conferred upon him by Wil- 
liams College of Massachusetts. His de- 
cisions as Judge occupy a large space in the 
California reports, and are highly esteemed 
by lawyers. Edward Currey, a brother of 
Josiah Seymour, was at one time Secretary 



of State of the State of Arkansas, and was 
a prominent banker in the West at the time 
of his untimely death in 1904. Another 
brother, Arthur L. Currey, is a practicing 
lawyer of Chicago widely known in the 
community. 

As will be observed, the family of Mr. 
Currey has been closely identified with the 
history of the country at all periods since 
colonial times. In the Revolutionary War 
some of its members were found in the 
ranks and some among the officers on both 
sides. They are found in the legal and min- 
isterial professions, and some have risen to 
eminence. Large families and a remark- 
able average of longevity have been charac- 
teristics of the different branches above 
described. One of the family, who in 1883 
was engaged in writing a family history 
(which, however, was not completed), esti- 
mated that there were (or had been) 600 
descendants of Stephen Currey and Frances 
Moore. 

Since his residence in Evanston, Mr. Cur- 
rey has been honored by the citizens by be- 
ing elected a Director of the Evanston Pub- 
lic Library, for a succession of terms. In 
the spring election of 1886, when Evanston 
was under a village form of government, 
he was elected for a term of three years, 
and re-elected twice thereafter. The village 
having been succeeded by a city form of 
government in 1892, the office of Library 
Director became thereafter an appointive 
one, and Mr. Currey has received the 
appointment each time his term has 
expired up to the present time, mak- 
ing a continuous service in this line 
of over twenty years. He is now Vice- 
President of the Board, and Chairman of 
the Building Committee having in charge 
the new Public Library building now in 
course of construction. In 1898 he was 
the principal mover in the formation of the 
Evanston Historical Society of which the 



534 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



late Harvey B. Kurd was President up to 
the time of his death in January, 1906, when 
Mr. Currey was elected his successor and is 
now President of the Society. Mr. Currey 
is a member of the Caxton Club of Chicago, 
the American Historical Association, the 
Illinois State Historical Society, the Illi- 
nois State Library Association, Grand 
Army of the Republic, the Sons of the 
American Revolution and the Society of the 
Colonial Wars. 



COXRAD HERMAN POPPENHUSEN. 

Conrad H. Poppenhusen, lawyer, Evans- 
ton and Chicago, was born on Long Island, 
New York, July 21, 1871, and is the son 
of Herman C. Poppenhusen, a former man- 
ager of the Long Island Railroad, and his 
wife, Caroline C. Funke. The family name 
is one of social and financial prominence 
and will, for a great measure of time, be 
perpetuated in the educational history of 
Long Island, because of the beneficence of 
Conrad Poppenhusen, the paternal grand- 
father of the subject of this narrative, who 
was a man of affairs, being then the con- 
trolling owner of the Long Island Railroad. 
Commemorative of his fiftieth anniversarv, 
he presented to the village of College Point, 
Long Island, a suitable plat of ground, 
along with an endowment of one hundred 
thousand dollars, in which deed is written 
the initial chapter of Poppenhusen Institute. 

The early education of Mr. Poppenhusen 
was obtained in private schools, and at the 
age of eleven years he was sent to Europe 
where he remained until his eighteenth year, 
attending the best schools during that en- 
tire period. Returning to America, he lo- 
cated in Evanston and entered the Evanston 
High School, from which he was graduated 
after six months' attendance. In the same 
year (1890) he matriculated in the Union 



College of Law, now the School of Law 
of the Northwestern University, and re- 
ceived his degree in 1892. In the year 1893 
he was admitted to the Chicago bar and 
then began the practice of his profession. 
Several years afterward he entered the law 
partnership of Gregory, Poppenhusen & 
McXab, which firm occupies a position of 
high rank in the Cook County Bar. 

Following the precepts of his father and 
paternal grandfather, Conrad Herman Pop- 
penhusen takes a leading interest in educa- 
tional matters. From 1898 down to the 
date of this sketch he has been continuously 
a member of the Evanston High School 
Board of Education, serving with 'distinc- 
tion during the term 1902-03 as President 
of that body. In his political affiliations, 
he is identified with the Republican party, 
and has been honored, at the solicitation of 
his party, with office. In 1895 he was Sec- 
retary and Chief Examiner of the Evanston 
Civil Service Commission, and from 1895 
to 1897 served as Alderman in the Evanston 
City Council. He is a member of the Re- 
publican Club of Evanston. 

The social status of Mr. Poppenhusen is 
exemplified by his membership in the fol- 
lowing social and other organizations : 
Evanston Club, Evanston Golf Club ; 
Onwentsia Club, Lake Forest ; Union 
League, Chicago ; Chicago Athletic Club ; 
City Club, Chicago; Lawyers' Club, New 
York ; Chicago Bar Association ; Illi- 
nois Bar Association ; Municipal Asso- 
ciation, Evanston, and the Civic Fed- 
eration of Evanston, and is also a member 
, of all Masonic bodies. He is a believer in 
the Presbyterian faith and a member of the 
First Presbyterian Church of Evanston. 

At Evanston, June 25, 1895, Mr. Poppen- 
husen was united in marriage to Miss Har- 
riet Mae Gunn, born May 9, 1872, the 
daughter of Alexander H. Gunn, Esq., a 
graduate of Yale College, class of 1854, and 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



535 



of Yale Law School. Her mother, Emily 
(Dyer) Gunn, is a daughter of Charles 
Dyer, M. D., of Burlington, Wis., and a sis- 
ter of Judge Charles E. Dyer, of Milwau- 
kee, Wis. 



SIMON VEDER KLINE. 

Simon \'eder Kline (deeased), whose res- 
idence in Evanston dates from 1850, before 
the advent of railroads at this point, was 
formerly a substantial and prosperous mer- 
chant of the place. He was born in Fonda, 
N. Y., June 12, 1821, and his ancestors were 
of German extraction. He was reared in 
the village of Fonda, where he attended 
the common schools, and in his youth 
learned blacksniithing. After living for a 
time in Syracuse, N. Y., he came to Chi- 
cago, where he engaged in the manufacture 
of threshing machines and farming imple- 
ments under the firm name of Wemple, 
Kline & Company. In 1866. they disposed 
of the business, and Mr. Kline entered upon 
the manufacture of lumber at Glencoe, 111., 
and also had a contract for supplying the 
Northwestern Railroad with wood for en- 
gines at that point. After the disposal of 
these interests along in the 'seventies, he did 
not engage again in mercantile pursuits, but 
operated a farm which he owned north of 
Evanston until 1880. At that time he went 
into the grain business in Evanston, and 
also conducted a grocery store. This he 
continued until 1891, when he withdrew 
from active business and lived in retirement 
until his death, December 18, 1893. 

Mr. Kline served as Assessor of the 
Township of Evanston for several years ; 
he was also Township Collector for a num- 
ber of years, and subsequently served as 
Village Trustee. 

The subject of this sketch was twice mar- 
ried. His first wife was Mary Foster, 



whom he wedded in 185 1. She bore him 
one child, James D., born February 28, 
1852, who married Anna Gedney ; he died 
in 1880. For his second wife Mr. Kline 
married Laura Northrup Ostrander, of Wa- 
tervale, N. Y., November 16, 1853. The 
issue of this union was George Romyne, 
Mary Virginia, Carrie Anna, Frank J., and 
Charles Gaffield. George Romyne was 
born November 15, 1854, and died October 
20, 1901. Mary Virginia, who is deceased, 
married Fred. R. Merrill, of Evanston, and 
they had four children, three of whom are 
living. Frank J. married Anna C. Franz, 
of Evanston, and they have four children. 
Charles Gaffield, born January 6, 1863, mar- 
ried Harriet E. Franz, and they have six 
children. In politics, the subject of this 
sketch was a Republican, and in religious 
belief, a Universalist. Socially he was a 
member of the I. O. O. F. His widow is 
still living. 



GEORGE ROMYNE KLINE. 

George R. Kline (deceased ), formerly a 
prosperous merchant of Evanston, 111., 
where he lived forty-five years, was born in 
Chicago, November 15, 1854. His father, 
Simon \'eder Kline, one of the pioneer res- 
idents of the place, who was a merchant 
and farmer, was born in Fonda, N. Y., 
June 12, 1821, and his ancestors were of 
German origin. His mother, formerly 
Laura Northrup Ostrander, was born in 
Watervale, N. Y., and was married to 
Simon V. Kline, November 16, 1853. 
George R. Kline came with his parents to 
Evanston when he was two years old, and 
there attended the public school, which 
stood a little north of the lighthouse and 
was very primitive in those days. Dwellings 
were few and the wolves could be heard 
howling around the home at night. 



536 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



George was an apt pupil, and took pride 
in recalling the time when he won a picture 
of George Washington in the old school 
house, for being the best speller. He grew 
up in the midst of pioneers trained to farm- 
ing, and was accustomed to till the soil 
where fine houses and grounds now mark 
the landscape and excite the beholder's 
admiration. About the year 1882, when the 
city of Evanston began to build up more 
rapidly, Mr. Kline abandoned the farming 
and dairying business which he had carried 
on in company with his father, and in com- 
pany with the latter went into the flour and 
feed business, conducting also a grocery 
store. Shortly before the death of his fa- 
ther he sold his interest in the grocery, but 
continued in the flour and feed trade. In 
1899, he disposed of his store and purchased 
a large farm near Lake Forest, to which he 
gave a large share of his attention thereafter 
until his death, which occurred at his coun- 
try home October 20, igoi. He had led a 
very active life and died at a comparatively 
early age. Besides his farm he was owner 
of valuable real estate in Evanston, and had 
been for some time part owner and operator 
of an elevator at Rockwell, Iowa. 

The subject of this sketch was married in 
Chicago, in 1875, to Mary Jones, a daugh- 
ter of James W. and Margaret (Snyder) 
Jones, who still survives him. Mrs. Kline's 
parents came to Evanston from Peekskill, 
N. Y., in 1857. They first settled at what 
is now Wilmette, when Mrs. Kline was four 
years of age, but two years afterwards 
established their home on the site of the 
present corner of Church Street and Chi- 
cago Avenue, in Evanston. The children 
of Mr. and Mrs. Kline are Rolland R., Mrs. 
Laura (Kline) Thomas, of Evanston, and 
Mrs. Jennie (Kline) Payne, also of Evan- 
ston. Here Mrs. Kline spent her girlhood, 
removing subsequently with her father's 
family to Chicago, where she was married. 



In political views, Mr. Kline supported the 
Republican party, and participated with 
lively interest in its campaign work. He 
served as Tax Collector in Evanston during 
the years 1898, 1899 and 1900. He was an 
estimable man, honest and upright in all his 
transactions and left a name free from re- 
proach. 



CHARLES GAFFIELD KLINE. 

Charles G. Kline, President of the Kline 
Bros. Coal and Grain Company and for- 
mer manager of the Evanston branch of 
the Peabody Coal Company, in which he is 
a stockholder, was born in Evanston, Illi- 
nois, January 6, 1863. His parents, Simon 
v. and Laura (Ostrander) Kline, were 
pioneer residents of Evanston. His father 
who was a merchant and farmer, was born 
in Fonda, N. Y., June 12, 1821, his ances- 
tors being of German origin. He married 
Laura Ostrander, November 16, 1853. 

Charles G. Kline was reared in Evanston, 
and enjoyed the advantages of the public 
schools. In 1884 he became associated with 
his father and brother in the flour and feed 
business, to which he had been trained in 
his father's store. Lntil 1890 he was jun- 
ior partner of the firm of S. V. Kline & 
Sons. Then his brother, George R., took 
the feed business in which, in 1892, Charles 
G. became a partner with him. The same 
year they engaged in the coal trade, taking 
over the business of the Evanston Elevator 
and Coal Company. This connection con- 
'tinued until 1899, when George R. Kline 
retired from the firm. Charles G. Kline 
conducted the business until December 31, 
1904, when the concern was absorbed by the 
Peabody Coal Company, whose coal inter- 
ests in Evanston Mr. Kline superintends, 
having gained an extensive patronage. Mr. 
Kline has had this trade under his personal 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



537 



direction since 1892, and has developed it 
into large proportions. He has charge of 
all the interests of the Kline estate, acting 
also as administrator of the estate of his 
brother George, since the death of the latter 
in 1901. 

Mr. Kline was married in Evanston, in 
1885, to Harriet E. Franz, a daughter of 
Jacob Franz, of Evanston. Mrs. Kline's 
parents were early settlers in Chicago, and 
in later years made their home in Evanston. 
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Kline are: 
Carrie M., Merritt C, Elida F. Helen, 
Walter E. and Harriet E. Politically, 
the subject of this sketch is a Repub- 
lican, and fraternally, he is a member of the 
Modern Woodmen of America. 



TUNIS ISBESTER. 

Tunis Isbester (deceased) was born in 
Kinderhook, N. Y., on May 10, 1849, 3"d 
was engaged in business in Rochester, N. 
Y., until about 1887. when he removed to 
Evanston, 111., which continued to be his 
residence until his death, which occurred 
January 15, 1902. During the latter years 
of his life and at the time of his decease, 
Mr. Isbester was the Western Manager of 
the Westinghouse Air-Brake Company, and 
was widely known in business circles 
throughout the United States. His par- 
ents were of Scotch descent, but resided in 
Kinderhook, N. Y., for many years, finally 
removing to Niagara Falls. Mrs. Isbester 
was born in Nashville, Tenn., in 1849, the 
daughter of John H. and Christene (Cul- 
len) Campion, and comes of Scotch ances- 
try. Her family removed from Nashville, 
Tenn., to New York City about 1854, a few 
years after her birth, and she was married 
at Buffalo, N. Y., to Mr. Isbester December 
29, 1873. 



JOHN J. FOSTER. 

John J. Foster (deceased) was born in 
Syracuse, N. Y., April 16, 1832, the son 
of William and Mary Foster, the former 
born in Ireland and the latter in New York 
State, who came West with their family in 
the fall of 1839, making their home for six 
months in Chicago. In the spring of 1840 
they removed to Gross Point, purchased a 
farm and remained there for six years. 
Sometime in 1846 they came to the newly- 
laid-out town of Evanston, locating on what 
was known as the "Old Ridge Road," now 
Ridge Avenue and Grant Street. Mr. Fos- 
ter received his education in the public 
schools, and in his seventeenth year (1849) 
left home with his father for an overland 
trip to California. Of the experience per- 
taining to this journey much might be said. 
It was at length accomplished in safety, and 
the young man spent three fairly successful 
years in the West. Upon his returning to 
Illinois, Mr. Foster located at Evanston, 
where he was engaged at different times, in 
the coal and lumber trades. While dealing 
in coal, he built what was known as the 
"Foster Pier," where much merchandise of 
various sorts was handled during a long 
period. This pier, which, during the last 
quarter of a century, was so important a 
feature of the lake trade at Evanston, as 
well as the landing place of passengers from 
lake vessels, was a place of much historic 
interest. Here schooners and other vessels 
were accustomed to discharge their cargoes 
of coal and other fuel for consumption in 
the city of Evanston and surrounding coun- 
try, while numerous lake steamers used it as 
a landing place for parties of excursionists 
from Chicago and other points, who had 
come to visit and admire the college sub- 
urb. Through all its history was associated 
with it the name of Mr. Foster, its origina- 
tor and builder. 



538 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



On June 12, 1852, Mr. Foster was united 
in marriage to Miss Marietta, daughter of 
Oliver Jellerson, a native of Bangor, Maine, 
who came to Illinois in 1839, first settling in 
Chicago, but removing to Evanston in 1846, 
purchased land on what is now Ridge Av- 
enue and Leonard Street. The old home- 
stead where Mrs. Eoster spent her girlhood 
days is yet standing. Mr. Jellerson accom- 
panied Mr. Foster and his son, John J., on 
their overland California trip in 1849, and 
there the former died. Mr. and Mrs. Fos- 
ter were the parents of six children, three of 
whom are living: Edward, John H., and 
Mrs. Olive M. Corlett, all residents of 
Evanston. 

In his political views Mr. Foster was a 
Republican, and he and his wife were mem- 
bers of the Baptist Church. Mr. Foster 
had all of the pioneer resident's pride in 
the town in which he had always felt so 
loyal and deep an interest, and in the devel- 
opment of which he was so important a fac- 
tor. The growth and prosperity of Evan- 
ston meant much to one who, like him, had 
never for a moment doubted the supremacy 
of the college town. His death, which oc- 
curred February 12, 1898, was sudden, be- 
ing the direct result of an accident, in which 
he received an injury while unloading a 
coal vessel at Foster's Pier. His widow 
survives, residing at No. 2236 Ridge Av- 
enue, Evanston. 



ANDREW SCHWALL. 

Andrew Schwall (deceased), former cit- 
izen of Evanston. 111., was born near Ber- 
lin, Germany, October 11, 1846, the oldest 
son of Jacob and Katherine (Rieden) 
Schwall, both of whom were natives of the 
vicinity of their son's birthplace, where the 
father was a farmer by occupation. The 
parents came to America in 1847, when the 



son was one year old, and buying sixty 
acres of land at Gross Point, five miles 
northwest of Evanston, the father there 
resumed his vocation as a farmer. The 
opportunities then afforded for acquiring 
an education in that locality were extremely 
meager, and his mother having died when 
he was seven years old, the son Andrew 
assisted his father in supporting the family 
until he was fourteen years of age, when he 
came to Evanston, and there engaged in 
working wherever he could find employ- 
ment. In this he was so successful that he 
soon after purchased an express wagon, and 
still later a carriage, which he used for some 
time for the accommodation of passengers 
arriving or departing by the Chicago & 
Northwestern trains. On January i, 1873, 
he entered into partnership with Earl S. 
Powers in the livery business, the concern 
becoming the well-known firm of Powers & 
Schwall. Mr. Powers having died in 
August 1891, Mr. Schwall purchased 
his deceased partner's interest, thus 
becoming sole proprietor of the estab- 
lishment, which he conducted success- 
fully for the remainder of his life. 

On November 23, 1881, Mr. Schwall was 
married at No. 1505 Ashland Avenue, in 
Evanston, to Lydia J. Kinder, who was born 
May 31, 1856, near the village of Des 
Plaines in the Town of Maine, Cook Coun- 
ty, the youngest daughter of Edwin and 
Mary Kinder, who came from Yorkshire, 
England, in 1842. Airs. Schwall's mother 
died October 3, itj03. at the age of eighty- 
four years, while the father is still living 
about the same age. Mr. and Mrs. Schwall 
had three children : Myrtle Lavinia, born 
December 15, 1882; ]\Iartha Marion, born 
August ir, 1885. and Rowland Rieden, born 
January 10. 1891. The older daughter. 
Myrtle, was married September 7, 1904, to 
John G. Seyfried, of Oak Park, 111. The 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON. 



539 



two other children still reside with their 
mother at 1423 Benson Avenue, Evanston. 
Mr. Schwall was admitted to the Ma- 
sonic fraternity as a member of the Evan- 
ston Lodge, May 9, 1870, in which he took 
the third degree, March 26, 1871, and on 
June 4, 1878, became a member of ApoHo 
Commandery, Knights Templar. While 
not a member of any church, he was a lover 
of the highest order of personal integrity, 
adopting as his motto, "Let not thy left 
hand know what thy right hand doeth." 
His political affiliations were with the Re- 
publican party. As the result of a stroke 
of paralysis which he had suffered on May 
28, 1901, his decease occurred at his home 
in Evanston, December 19, 1901, and he was 
buried in Rose Hill Cemetery on the 23rd 
of that month. He was a kind and loving 
husband and father, and his taking away 
was deeply lamented by a large circle of 
appreciative friends, especially by the poor 
of his locality who had been indebted to him 
for many favors. 



JOSEPH McGEE LYONS. 

Joseph McGee Lyons, retired banker, and 
a resident of Evanston, 111., for more than 
forty-two years, was born in Coleraine, 
Franklin County, Mass., August 6, 1835, 
and is a son of Lucius and Jane Ross (Mc- 
Gee) Lyons. His father, who was by oc- 
cupation a cabinet-maker, was born in 1803. 
The Lyons' family is of French extraction, 
and the ancestors of Joseph M. Lyons went 
to England with William of Normandy in 
the year 1000. In 1640 his more immediate 
ancestors came to America and settled at 
Roxbury, Mass. Mr. Lyons' grandfather, 
Jesse Lyons, was born in Roxbury, May 
18, 1767, and moved to Coleraine while 
still a young man. The great-grandfather, 
was one of the famous Boston "Tea Partv." 



The house built by Jesse Lyons still stands, 
and is among the oldest houses in Cole- 
raine. 

Joseph McGee Lyons received his early 
mental training in the common schools, 
in Coleraine, and the academy at Shelburne 
Falls, Mass. When nineteen years of age, 
he went West and obtained employment in 
a bank in Cincinnati, Ohio. There he re- 
mained five years, serving the last as cashier 
of the bank. During that year his father 
died, and he returned home to settle up the 
estate. After remaining at home for two 
years, he came to Chicago in 1861 and es- 
tablished a banking and brokerage business, 
which he conducted for ten years. In 1864 
he moved to Evanston, where he has since 
resided. After retiring from the banking 
business Mr. Lyons established a brick man- 
ufacturing plant in Evanston, which he 
operated until 1873, when he disposed of it. 

When Mr. Lyons came to Evanston in 
1864 he purchased a tract of twenty acres 
of land just west of Ridge Avenue. In 
1870, in connection with Gilbert & Wood- 
ford, who owned the twenty acres adjoining 
he platted, improved and sold this ground, 
which became known as the Lyons, Gilbert 
& Woodford Addition to Evanston. In 
1865, Mr. Lyons bought twenty acres more 
lying west of his former purchase, which he 
used for the manufacture of brick. This 
he sold in 1873 to Merrill Ladd, who sub- 
sequently platted it as an addition to the 
City of Evanston. One of the streets of 
Evanston is named for Mr. Lyons, and a 
building erected by him bears his name 
—"Lyons' Hall." 

Mr. Lyons was married at Groton, Mass., 
on November 24, 1859, to Mary Helen Far- 
mer, and three children were the issue of this 
union, all of whom died in infancy. Po- 
litically, Mr. Lyons is a Republican. He 
cast his first vote for John C. Fremont, and 
has voted for every Republican candidate 



540 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



for the presidency since that day. During 
the four years from 1876 to 1880, he was 
engaged in the office of the County Treas- 
urer of Cook County. Prior to 1880 he 
served one year as Town Assessor, and 
with the exception of a year's interval, has 
filled this office continuously up to the pres- 
ent time. He was formerly a member of 
the Board of Village Trustees. 

Mr. Lyons is the "Nestor" of Evans 
Lodge No. 524, A. F. & A. M. In 1857 
he joined Woodward Lodge, No. 149, I. O. 
O. F., in Cincinnati, and was affiliated with 
that order for some time after coming to 
Evanston, but relinquished his membership 
on account of the pressure of other duties. 
He is a member of St. Mark's Episcopal 
Church. 



HENRY LEONIDAS BOLTWOOD. 

Henry L. Boltwood (deceased educa- 
tor) was born at Amherst, Mass., Janu- 
ary 17, 1831, the son of William and 
Electa (Stetson) Boltwood, both of whom 
were natives of Massachusetts, the former 
born at Amherst, July 3, 1802, and the 
latter at Abingdon, same State, April 7, 
1808. His ancestors had been New Eng- 
land farmers for eight generations, which 
was the vocation of the father, and in 
which the son gave assistance during his 
boyhood and youth. Several of the fam- 
ily were killed during the Indian wars in 
New England, and Mr. Boltwood's great 
grandfather was an officer in the Provin- 
cial wars. His maternal grandfather 
moved from Abingdon, Mass., his moth- 
er's birthplace, in 1812. The father was 
a man of reserved temperament, well-in- 
formed and suffered from lameness most 
of his life. The mother died at Ottawa, 
Kan., a few years ago, aged nearly nine- 
ty-two years. Of their eleven children, of 



whom Henry L. was the third, nine grew 
to maturity and six were living in 1905, 
previous to the death of the subject of 
this sketch. Lucius Boltwood, an uncle 
of Henry L., was the first candidate for 
Governor of Massachusetts on the old 
Abolition ticket in 1840, and a brother. 
Captain Edmund Boltwood, of Ottawa, 
Kan., served as a soldier for four and a 
half years in the Civil War, and was a 
Captain of the Twentieth Kansas Vol- 
unteers in the Philippines during the 
Spanish-American War, while still an- 
other brother (now deceased) was an en- 
gineer in the Government service during 
the Civil War. 

Brought up on a farm in his early boy- 
hood, Mr. Boltwood had the opportunity 
of only three months' attendance each 
year at the district schools, but between 
the ages of nine and fifteen, residing with- 
in a mile of Amherst Academy and Col- 
lege, he was naturally inspired with a 
desire for a higher education, although 
the family means did not permit its grati- 
fication. Through the influence of the 
Principal of the Academy which he first 
attended, his father was induced to grant 
him his time, except such help as he could 
give on the farm during vacation, or out 
of school hours. He obtained his board, 
washing and fuel at home during this 
period, but no other compensation for his 
labor. He thus worked his way through 
the Academy for three years, and for four 
years in college, graduating from the lat- 
ter in 1853. This he was able to do with- 
out losing his rank in his class. A vora- 
cious reader and having access to the col- 
lege library through the favor of student 
friends, he took a high rank in college, 
though often compelled to be absent to 
earn money by teaching or otherwise to 
pay expenses. During this period he 
taught every winter, at first receiving 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



541 



only four dollars per week while board- 
ing "round. His tastes were for the 
languages and literature, and he also be- 
came quite an expert in botany and chem- 
istry. 

After graduation in 1853, Mr. Boltwood 
took charge of an academy at Limerick, 
Maine, but six months later accepted the 
principalship of a high school at Palmer, 
Mass., where he remained one year, when 
he assumed charge of the Blanchard 
Academy at Pembroke, N. H., remaining 
there two years. In 1857 he went to Der- 
ry, N. H., and there had charge of the 
Pinkerton Academy for four and a half 
years, when he succeeded to the prin- 
cipalship of the high school at Law- 
rence. Mass.. a little more than a 
year later accepting a business po- 
sition as photographic chemist in New 
York City. Starting out with the in- 
tention of entering the ministry, he had 
by this time become deeply interested 
in educational work, although in the 
meanwhile doing much missionary and 
pastoral work in feeble and destitute' 
churches, but without having taken a 
course in theology. For one year (1859) 
he also served as School Commissioner of 
Rockingham County. X. H. 

On April I, 1864, he entered into the 
service of the Lhiited States Sanitary 
Commission in the Department of the 
Gulf, remaining until June. 1865, and 
being present at the capture of Fort Hlake- 
ley near Mobile, which was the last bat- 
tle of the war. occurring on the day of 
Lee's surrender at Appomattox. During 
this period he served for a time as Chap- 
lain of the Sixty-seventh United States 
Colored Infantry, but was never formally 
mustered in. 

After returning from the army. Mr. 
Boltwood came to Illinois and was soon 
after appointed School Superintendent 



and Principal of the High School at 
Griggsville, Pike County, remaining there 
two years (1865-67). During the latter 
year he removed to Princeton, Bureau 
County, and there organized the first 
Township High School in the State, 
which proved a success, and in connec- 
tion with which he remained eleven years, 
when (1878) he went to Ottawa, La Salle 
County, and organized a similar school 
there. Five years later (1883) he came 
to Evanston, there organized his third 
Township High School, of which he con- 
tinued to be Principal for the remainder 
of his life — a period of over twenty-two 
years. He has been widely recognized as 
the father of the township high school 
system, with which he was continuously 
connected for nearly forty years, and 
for a longer period than any other teacher 
in the State. In all, his experience as a 
teacher, both East and West, covered a 
period of nearly fifty-three years. In- 
cidentally, during his teaching service. 
Prof. Boltwood did much outside work 
as a teacher and lecturer in Teachers' In- 
stitutes in New Hampshire. Massachu- 
setts, Iowa and Illinois. In 1876 he was 
appointed a member of the Illinois State 
Board of Education, serving eight years, 
and was elected President of the State 
Teachers' Association for the year 1891. 
He was never a candidate for political of- 
fice, though once proposed for the nomi- 
nation for State Superintendent of Public 
Instruction. 

While in college. Professor Boltwood 
was a member of the Alpha Delta Phi 
fraternity, and became a charter member 
of the Phi Beta Kappa Society at Am- 
herst ; was also identified with most of 
the great religious organizations of the 
Congregational Church, of which he be- 
came a member in his college days, in his 
religious faith following in the footsteps 



542 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



of his parents. He was also connected 
with the Tariff Reform and Anti-Cigar- 
ette Leagues of Evanston, and various 
benevolent, literary and historical socie- 
ties. Educated as a Whig and a protec- 
tionist, he was active at an early day in 
his support of the principles of the Re- 
publican party. The opportunity of see- 
ing the condition of the factory operatives 
during his residence in Lawrence, Mass., 
led to a change in his views on the sub- 
ject of protection, and he became a strong 
advocate of tariff reform and an "inde- 
pendent" in politics, as well as an earnest 
opponent of all classes of monopolies. 

Beginning with his college days. Prof. 
Boltwood manifested a strong fondness 
for athletics, and was one of the best 
long-distance runners in college, often 
walking a distance of twenty miles or 
more. He kept up his practice in base- 
ball and football until forty-five years of 
age, and was fond of hunting, fishing and 
forest life. His favorite sciences were 
chemistry and botany, and he was also an 
enthusiastic student of the languages, be- 
sides his vernacular and the classics, hav- 
ing gained a fairly intimate acquaintance 
with German, French, Italian, Spanish 
and Portuguese, besides some knowledge 
of Bohemian. He was also the author of 
an English Grammar, several readers, two 
spellers, a "Topical Outline of General 
History." besides many articles on educa- 
tional topics. He was deeply interested 
in labor issues and, in 1889, delivered an 
address on Tariff Reform which attracted 
much attention and was widely quoted. 

On June 17. 1904, after completing fifty 
years of actual school work. Professor 
Boltwood was tendered a public recep- 
tion by the Evanston Township High 
School Board, which was attended by 
several hundred of his friends and former 
pupils. Near the close of the exercises 



he was presented by President George P. 
^lerrick with a purse containing fifty ten- 
dollar gold pieces, and still later the 
alumni of the school presented him with 
a beautiful silver loving-cup. In the fifty- 
odd years of his school experience he had 
never lost a day on account of illness until 
within the last three or four years of 
his life. While connected with public 
school work, he received several invita- 
tions to accept positions in connection 
with colleges, but, being devoted to the 
work in which he was already engaged, 
invariably declined. Of some 6,000 
pupils who came under his instruction, 
nearly one thousand have entered over 
forty different colleges, professional or 
technical schools, scattered over the 
world. These have included foreign mis- 
sionaries, regular officers. professors, 
doctors, lawyers, financiers, railroad of- 
ficials, eminent teachers and a host of 
prominent business men and refined and 
useful women. 

Professor Boltwood was married at 
Charlemont, Mass., July 31. 1835, to 
Helen Eugenia Field, born in that city, 
June 18 1830, the daughter of Eugene 
and Abigail (Hawkes) Field, and grand- 
daughter of Joseph Field, who was a pas- 
tor of the Congregational Church at Char- 
lemont for many years, later becoming a 
Unitarian, and who lived to be ninety- 
four years of age. An uncle. Dr. Joseph 
Field, was with Fanning's command 
which were the victims of a brutal massa- 
cre at the hands of the Mexicans, at Go- 
liad, Texas, during the war for Texan in- 
dependence, but was spared by the victors 
to care for their wounded, finally escap- 
ing after a season of great peril and hard- 
ship. Professor and Mrs. Boltwood had 
one son, who was born at Pembroke, N. 
H., April 28, 1856, graduated from Am- 
herst College in 1881, and died of di])h- 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



542 



theria at Peoria, 111., unmarried, Decem- 
ber 27,, 1884. Professor Boltvvood died at 
his home in the city of Evanston, Janu- 
ary 23, 1906, deeply lamented by a large 
circle of appreciative and admiring 
friends. His widow, Mrs. Helen E. Bolt- 
wood, still survives. 



WILLIAM LISTON BROWN. 

William Listen Brown, a longtime resi- 
dent of Chicago and Evanston, Cook 
County, 111., the record of whose career, as 
herein contained, speaks with no uncertain 
sound, was born in St. Joseph, Mich., Aug- 
ust 23, 1842. He is a son of Hiram and 
Jane Reese (Liston) Brown, the former 
born in Locke, N. Y., June 15, 1804; and the 
latter, born in Columbia, Pa., June 15, 1810, 
and a member of a Quaker family who set- 
tled in Michigan in 1830. The paternal 
grandfather. Liberty Brown, recruited a 
company of troops in Western New York 
during the War of 1812, which he led to 
Fort Niagara. Hiram Brown first em- 
barked in business in Rochester, N. Y., 
whence, in 1834, he removed to Michigan, 
locating in St. Joseph. There he remained 
until 1848, when he removed to Chicago, 
and for several years operated a line of 
boats on the Illinois and Alichigan Canal, 
returning to St. Joseph in 1861. He died 
August 17, 1883. his wife passing away 
July 7, 1854. 

Mr. Brown passed his early youth in 
Chicago in the manner customary for most 
boys in a large and growing village, such as 
Chicago was at that time. He was thor- 
oughly familiar with all the streets and 
points of interest, and was ever on the alert 
for new and notable features. An intent 
observer, his watchful eyes left no occur- 
rence unnoticed in the successive stage of 
development which the future metropolis of 



the West was undergoing. His education 
was mainly obtained in public and private 
schools in Chicago, and he completed his 
educational training in what was known as 
the Garden City Academy. After finishing 
the course of study there, he was employed 
as a clerk, and afterwards as bookkeeper, in 
a grain commission house, continuing in this 
position from 1857 until 1862. In July of 
the latter year. Mr. Brown enlisted as a pri- 
vate in the Chicago Mercantile Battery, 
Light Artillery, and actively praticipated in 
all of its field activities, serving with it in 
Tennessee, at the sieges of Vicksburg and 
Jackson, Miss., and later in the campaigns 
in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and 
Texas. During the entire period of his 
enlistment he was continually in active serv- 
ice. He was mustered out as Quarter- 
master's Sergeant in July, 1865. On re- 
turning home he became connected with the 
iron business in the capacity of a clerk, and, 
in 1870, was admitted to the enterprise as 
partner. In 1883 he reorganized the con- 
cern as Pickands, Brown & Co., which is its 
present designation. He also organized the 
Chicago Ship Building Company in 1890. 
He devotes his attention largely to the 
manufacture of pig-iron, iron ore mining, 
and ship-building, and has developed these 
industries in Chicago and the Northwest to 
extensive proportions. 

In addition to his duties as President and 
member of the Board of Directors of Pick- 
ands, Brown & Co., Mr. Brown sustains 
numerous other important commercial and 
financial relations, as follows : as member, 
and chairman of the Board of Directors of 
the American Ship Building Company. ; 
Director of the Bay City Ship Building 
Company : President and Director of the 
Calumet Transit Company ; President and 
Director of the Chicago Ship Building Coitl- 
pany : Director of the Dental Protective 
Supply Company of the United States ; Di- 



544 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



rector of the Detroit Ship Building Com- 
pany ; President and Director of the Fed- 
eral Furnace Company ; Vice-President and 
Director of the Federal Steamship Com- 
pany; Director of the First National Bank 
of Chicago ; Director of the First Trust and 
Saving Bank of Chicago ; Director of the 
Interlake Company ; Director of the Inter- 
national Steamship Company ; Vice-Presi- 
dent and Director of the Manitou Steam- 
ship Company ; Director of the Milwaukee 
Dry Dock Company : Director of the Na- 
tional Safe Deposit Company : Director of 
the Sea & Lake Insurance Company ; Presi- 
dent and Director of the South Chicago 
Furnace Company ; Director of the Supe- 
rior Ship Building Company : and Director 
of the Zenith Furnace Company. Mr. 
Brown is also a member of the Board of 
Trustees of Northwestern L'niversity, and a 
member and Trustee of the Chicago 
(Thomas) Orchestral Association. 

On September 27, 1871, Mr. Brown was 
united in marriage with Catherine Seymour, 
of Smithville. N. Y., a daughter of Dr. 
Stephen and Harriet (Weeks) Seymour, 
natives of New York and \'ermont. Dr. 
Seymour was one of the founders of the 
Hahnemann Medical College, of Chicago, 
and was a physician of high standing dur- 
ing his life in that city. The attractive and 
hospitable residence of Mr. and I\Irs. Brown 
is situated at No. 217 Dempster Street, Ev- 
anston. While the tastes and inclinations of 
Mr. Brown are strongly domestic, he is fond 
of outdoor recreation, and takes pleasure in 
occasional travel, having visited almost ev- 
ery point of interest in his own country, 
and made several tours in foreign lands. 
Socially he is a member of the Chicago, 
Mid-Day, Commercial, Glen View, Onwent- 
sia, and Evanston Country clubs : the Ket- 
chi-Gammi, of Duluth, Minn. : the Union & 
Tavern Clubs of Cleveland, O. ; the Casta- 



lia Fishing Club ; the Point IMoullie Shoot- 
ing Club ; and the Tolleston Club. 

In politics Mr. Brown has always been a 
pronounced and unswerving Republican, al- 
though never an aspirant for political pre- 
ferment. His religious connection is with 
the Chicago Society of the New Jerusalem 
( Swedenborgian) Church. Fraternally he 
is identified with the Grand Army of the Re- 
public, and with the Ancient (Jrder of 
Free and Accepted Masons, in which he 
is a Blue-Lodge member, although not at 
present actively affiliated with any lodge. 
Mr. Brown is one of the most prominent 
characters in the industrial, commercial and 
financial circles of the \\'est. 



ARTHUR W. LITTLE, D. D., L. H. D. 

Arthur W. Little, D. D.. L. H. D., 
Episcopal clergyman, Evanston, 111., was 
born in lirooklyn, N. Y., October 6, 
1856, the son of William H. and Caro- 
line F. (Cobb) Little. The father was 
a native of Castine, Maine, born in 1806, 
and a merchant, manufacturer and bank- 
er by occupation, while the mother was 
born in Gouldsborough, Maine, in 1823, 
Both parents were people of education, 
refinement and personal piety. The son 
acquired his education in Dr. Pingry's 
school at Elizabeth, N. J.: Knox Col- 
lege, Galesburg, 111., and the General 
Theological Seminary, New York. In 
1881 he was ordained to the priesthood, 
and, during the same year, became rector 
of St. Paul's Church at Portland, Maine, 
where he remained until i888, when he 
removed to Evanston, 111., becoming rec- 
tor of St. Mark's Episcopal Church of 
that city, where he has remained ever 
since, at the present time being the long- 
est settled pastor connected with any 
church in Evanston. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



545 



The most notable work accomplished 
by Dr. Little since coming to Evanston 
has been the erection of a beautiful 
church edifice and parish-house and the 
building up of a prosperous parish, which 
has been attended by good work for the 
souls and bodies of his parishioners and 
others who have come under his influ- 
ence. He has been a member of Standing 
Committees of the Dioceses of both 
Maine and Chicago, has represented both 
in the General Convention of the Episco- 
pal Church, and has been a lecturer on 
Ecclesiastical History in the \\'estern 
Theological Seminary of the Episcopal 
Church in Chicago. He has also been, 
for many years, Examining Chaplain to 
the Bishop of Chicago Diocese. His fra- 
ternal relations are with the Phi Delta 
Theta Society, Sons of the Revolution, 
Masonic Fraternity, and the University 
Club of Chicago. In politics he is a Re- 
publican. 

In 1889 Dr. Little was married, in the 
city of New York, to Caroline Ferris, 
who was a native of Portland, Maine. In 
his religious and professional relations 
he is recognized as a hard-working par- 
ish-priest and eloquent preacher, a man 
of wide culture and scholarship and a 
successful writer. His principal publica- 
tions are : "Reasons for Being a Church- 
man," which has passed through several 
editions and is recognized as a standard 
authority for the Anglican Church ; "The 
Times and Teaching of John Wesley ;" 
"The Intellectual Life of the Priest;" 
"The Character of Washington ;" "The 
Maintenance and the Propagation of the 
Church Idea ;" etc. Socially he is genial 
and witty, and much in demand as an 
after-dinner speaker. 



MILTON S. TERRY, A. M., D. D., LL. D. 

Milton Spenser Terry, A. M., D. D., 
LL. D., who has held a professorship 
in the Garrett Biblical Institute, at Evans- 
ton, 111., for more than twenty years, and 
is a widely known minister of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church, was born in Coey- 
mans, Albany County, N. Y., on Febru- 
ary 22, 1840. the youngest son of Johiv 
and Elizabeth (McLoen) Terry, of whom 
the former was born at Swansea, R. I., 
March 13, 1786, and the latter in New 
York City, on April 15, 1796. The oc- 
cupation of John Terry was that of a 
farmer, in which he met with reasonable 
success. In 1794, he moved from Swan- 
sea, R. I., to Coeymans, N. Y., together 
with his father, Philip Terry, and his 
grandfather, George Terry. The family is 
of English origin, and some of Dr. Terry's 
ancestors settled at an early period in the 
New England colonies. 

Milton S. Terry spent his early youth 
on the paternal farm, and, as a boy, was 
inclined to be studious and to make dili- 
gent use of his opportunities for mental 
instruction. He obtained the rudiments 
of an education in the public schools of 
his native place, and afterwards pursued 
a course of study at Charlotteville Semi- 
nary, in New York, and a theological 
course in the Divinity School of Yale Col- 
lege. After graduating from the latter 
institution, he entered the ministry of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, having 
pastoral charges at Hancock, N. Y., and at 
Hamden, Delhi, Peekskill, Poughkeepsie, 
Kingston and New York City, in succes- 
sion. From 1879 to 18S3, Tie was the 
Presiding Elder of the New York District 
of the New York Conference, and since 
1884 he has occupied the position of 
Professor in the Garrett Biblical Institute 
at Evanston. 



546 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



On May 15, 1864, Dr. Terry was united 
in marriage at Delhi, N. Y., with Frances 
Orline Atchinson, who was born at Ham- 
den, N. Y., on October i, 1841. Her 
ancestors were of New England origin, 
and made their home in Schoharie Coun- 
ty, N. Y., at an early day. Of this union 
there are two children, namely : Minnie 
Ruth, born in 1870, and Arthur Guy, 
born in 1878. 

Politically Dr. Terry has been a sup- 
porter of the Republican party since 1864, 
when he voted for Abraham Lincoln, 
whose election to the Presidency he ad- 
vocated in public speeches. Dr. Terry is 
a clear, forceful and convincing preacher, 
a highly efficient instructor, and a bibli- 
cal scholar of profound research. His at- 
tainments as a theologian are recognized 
throughout his denomination and in other 
evangelical fields, and he is the author of 
a number of widely read books. Among 
these are volumes entitled, "Biblical Her- 
meneutics," "Biblical Apocalyptics," 
"Biblical Dogmatics," "The New Apolo- 
getic," "Moses and the Prophets," "The 
New and Living Way," "The Mediation 
of Jesus Christ," "The Prophecies of Dan- 
iel Expounded," "The Sibylline Ora- 
cles," "Commentary on Genesis and Exo- 
dus," "Commentary on Judges, Ruth, 
First and Second Samuel," "Commentary 
on Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah 
and Esther," and "Rambles in the Old 
World." Dr. Terry has been a most ob- 
servant traveler in foreign lands, and 
has made good use, in his ministerial and 
institutional work, of the experience thus 
gained. 



STEPHEN JOSEPH HERBEN. 

Rev. Stephen Joseph Herben, Litt. D., 
D. D., of Evanston, 111., editor of the 
"Epworth Herald," was born in London, 
England, May 11, 1861. In boyhood he 



underwent his primary mental training in 
the public schools. After completing a 
course of study in the Preparatory 
School of Northwestern University, in 
1885 he entered the College of Liberal 
Arts of that Institution, from which he 
was graduated in 1889, with the degree 
of A. B. He then became a student in 
the Garrett Biblical Institute, graduating 
therefrom in 1891, with the degree of B. 
D. During his preparatory course, he 
was a member of the Philomathia So- 
ciety, and in college, a member of the 
Hinnian Literary Society and the Phi 
Kappa Psi Fraternity, and was President 
of the Twentieth Century Club. He is a 
member of the Phi Beta Kappa Frater- 
nity. He was a successful contestant for 
the Marcy Botany Prize, the Hinman Es- 
say Prize, and the Sheppard Political 
Economy Prize. He competed in the Kirk 
Oratorical Contest, and was on the edi- 
torial staff of the "Syllabus." 

The subject of this sketch joined the 
Rock River Conference of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church in 1889. From 1890 to 
1895, he was assistant editor of "The Ep- 
worth Herald," and from 1895 until 1904, 
was associate editor of "The New York 
Christian Advocate." In May, 1904, at 
the General Conference in Los Angeles, 
Cal., he was elected editor of "The Ep- 
worth Herald." Dr. Herben was a dele- 
gate to the Third Methodist Ecumenical 
Conference at London, England, in 1901. 
He received the honorary degree of Litt. 
D. from Syracuse University in 1897, and 
that of D. D. from Garrett Biblical Insti- 
tute in 1904. 

On May 27, 1891, Dr. Herben was 
united in marriage at Park Ridge, 111., 
with Grace Ida Foster, and two children 
have been born to them, namely: George 
Foster, born March 17, 1893; and Stephen 
Joseph, born March 14, 1897. 

Mrs. Herben was born at Lanark, 111., 



I 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



547 



September 19, 1864. In girlhood, she re- 
ceived her primar}' education in the pub- 
lic schools, completed a course in the 
Northwestern University Preparatory 
School in 1885, and in 1889 was graduated 
from the University, with the degree of 
B. L., and received the degree of M. A. 
from Allegheny College in 1890. During 
the undergraduate period, she was a 
member of the Eugensia Society ; the Al- 
pha Phi Sorority; the Ossoli Literary 
Society; and the Twentieth Century 
Club. From 1889 until 1891, she held 
the position of Preceptress in Allegheny 
College. In October, 1895, she was ap- 
pointed Secretary of the Woman's For- 
eign Missionary Society in New York- 
Conference, and in October, 1905, was 
elected Home Secretary of Northwestern 
Branch, W. F. M. S. 



GEORGE PECK MERRICK. 

George P. Merrick, attorney-at-law, 
Chicago, with residence in Evanston, 111., 
was born at Manteno, Kankakee County, 
111., October 4, 1862, the son of Dr. 
George Clinton and Mary Elizabeth 
(Peck) Merrick, the former born in 
Franklin, N. Y., December 11, 1824, and 
the latter in Troy, same State. The fath- 
er graduated at Rush Medical College, 
Chicago, after coming to Illinois, and 
practiced his profession at Manteno for- 
ty-four years. Dr. George C. Merrick re- 
moved with his parents from their home 
in New York to Fremont, Ohio, when he 
was about nine years of age, and later to 
Palmyra, Wis., where he married Mary 
E. Peck who was the daughter of Joel M. 
and Amanda Peck, the latter being a 
daughter of Judge Purdy of Steuben 
County, N. Y. Joel M. Peck removed 
about 1840 to Wisconsin and settled at 



West Troy, Walworth County, later re- 
moving to Palmyra, where he spent the 
remainder of his life. 

The parents of Dr. George C. Merrick 
— and paternal grandparents of the sub- 
ject of this sketch — were Sylvester M. and 
Mercy (Loveland) Merrick, both of old 
Colonial families of Massachusetts. 
Thomas Merrick, the first of the name 
in America, came from Wales and settled 
in Springfield, Mass., in 1630. His de- 
scendants in direct line were: Joseph, 
James, Perez, Sylvester, George C. and 
George P. — making the latter of the sev- 
enth generation in America. James Mer- 
rick, the grandson of Thomas, was a sol- 
dier and served as a Lieutenant in the 
Continental army. 

George P. Merrick received his ele- 
mentary education under private tutors,' 
after which he entered Northwestern Uni- 
versity, graduating in the class of 1884. 
He then began the study of law in 
the office of Judge Elbridge Hanecy, 
and two years later (June, 1886) was ad- 
mitted to the bar. In 1889 he entered into 
partnership with his preceptor, but since 
the promotion of Judge Hanecy to the 
Circuit Court bench in 1893, has prac- 
ticed alone. 

Mr. Merrick was married at Gales- 
burg, 111., January 21, 1885, to Miss 
Grace Thompson, daughter of James S. 
and Nancy (Willitts) Thompson. Mrs. 
Merrick was born in New Boston, Mercer 
County, 111., and she and her husband 
are the parents of three children, namely: 
George Clinton, born January 18, 1886; 
Grace Willitts, born October i, 1896; 
and Thompson, born March 29. 1900. 
George C, who is a student in Yale LTni- 
versity, at the close of his freshman year 
(1906). was chosen a member of the edi- 
torial board of the "Yale Daily News" 
for the year 1906-07. Mr. George P. Mer- 



548 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



rick attends the Methodist Church of 
which his wife is a member, and for sev- 
eral years has been one of the Trustees of 
Northwestern University. The profession- 
al, fraternal and social organizations with 
which he is identified include : the Ameri- 
can, the Illinois State and the Chicago Bar 
Associations ; the Chicago Law Institute ; 
the University and Evanston Clubs ; the 
Glen \'iew Golf Club ; the Law Club ; the 
Knights Templar and subordinate Ma- 
sonic orders. 



ANSON MARK. 

Anson Mark, manufacturer, formerly 
of Chicago, but now a resident of Evanston, 
III, was born at Annville Mills, Dauphin 
County. Pa.. April 21, 1867, the son of 
Cyrus and Rebecca (Strohm) Mark. His 
parents were both natives of Lebanon Coun- 
ty, Pa., the father born August 8, 1836, and 
the mother Alarch ii_, 1840, the former 
being engaged in mercantile business. The 
subject of this sketch came to Chicago in 
boyhood, and was there educated in the 
public schools, after which he was engaged 
in the dry-goods trade as an employe of 
James H. Walker & Company, wholesale 
dealers, remaining with this firm from Sep- 
tember 4, 1886. to July i; 1890. On the lat- 
ter date he became connected with the Mark 
Manufacturing Company, which had been 
established by his father and a brother 
in. 1889, and with which he is still 
identified. At the time Mr. Mark entered 
into the business, the company employed 
six men. It now maintains two manufact- 
uring plants, one at Evanston and another 
at Zanesville, Ohio, employing twelve to 
fourteen hundred men. It is engaged in 
the manufacture of drive-well points, ar- 
tesian and tubular well cylinders, pump 
fi.xtures, plumbers' and steamfitters' tools. 



wrought iron pipe and other products in 
this line. The general ofiices of the com- 
pany, formerly in the First National Bank 
Building, Chicago, are now located in the 
city of Evanston. 

Mr. Mark removed from Chicago to 
Evanston in May, 1902, which continues 
to be his home. On September 5, 
1893, he was married at Van Buren, 
Ark., to Allie Willis Ribling, who was born 
in that place January 27, 1867, and they 
have two children : Geraldine Rebecca 
Mark, born in Chicago, September 28, 
1896, and Anson Mark, Jr., born in Evans- 
ton, September 9, 1902. Mr. Mark's suc- 
cess as a business man is demonstrated by 
the phenomenal growth of the manufac- 
turing enterprise with which he has been 
connected during the past fifteen years of 
its existence. 



AARON NELSON YOUNG. 

Aaron Nelson Young, a grain merchant 
of the Chicago Board of Trade of long 
standing, who has been a resident of 
Evanston, 111., for the past thirty-five 
years, was born in Morrison, 111., in 1838, 
and married at Sterling, 111., to Anna M. 
Correll. He received a common school 
education at Morrison and early em- 
barked in the grain and lumber business. 
About the time of the great Chicago fire 
he moved to Chicago and became a part- 
ner in the firm of S. H. McCrea & Co. ; 
later, in 1883, established the firm of 
Young & Nichols, in which he was active- 
ly interested until 1903, when he retired 
from business. He has always been deep- 
ly interested in the Evanston public 
schools, and served in the capacity of 
President of the Evanston Board of Edu- 
cation for many years, during a period 
when they required very able and care- 



II 



Jl 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



549 



ful financial management. He was Trus- 
tee of the Northwestern University for 
several years, and has been a Director 
in many business enterprises. 



HOMER HITCHCOCK KINGSLEY. 

Prof. Homer H. Kingsley, educator, 
Evanston, III., was born at Kalamazoo, 
Mich., June 9, 1859, the son of Moses and 
Clarissa (Beckley) Kingsley, the father 
born in Boston, Mass., March 5, 1810, and 
the mother in Chautauqua County, N. Y., 
in 1818. The occupation of his father 
was that of a farmer and, after reaching 
the school age, the subject of this sketch 
attended the district school five miles 
west of Kalamazoo until twelve years of 
age, when he spent six years in the graded 
schools of Kalamazoo, going from his 
home each day a distance of five miles 
and graduating from the Kalamazoo High 
School in 1877. Then entering the Uni- 
versity of Michigan, he graduated there- 
from in 1881, when at once he began 
teaching as instructor in mathematics in 
the high school at East Saginaw, Mich. 
This relation continued three years, when 
IMr. Kingsley went to Alexandria, the 
county seat of Douglas County, Minn., 
where he had charge of the city schools 
for one year. He was then recalled to 
the University of Michigan as Instructor 
in Mathematics, in place of one of the pro- 
fessors who was disabled by reason of 
sickness. After remaining in connection 
with the University two years, in 1886 he 
accepted the Superintendency of the 
schools at Evanston, 111., which he has 
retained continuously to the present time, 
a period of twenty years. From boyhood 
Professor Kingsley had a strong predilec- 
tion for teaching as a profession, and his 
success in that line, during an experience 



of twenty-five years, has demonstrated 
the accuracy of his judgment. Undoubt- 
edly one reason for that success is to be 
found in his enjoyment of his profession 
and the enthusiasm which he has thereby 
been able to impart to others. The es- 
tmiation in which his abilities in his 
chosen profession are held is indicated 
by the fact that, during the summer of 
1898, by special invitation he delivered a 
course of lectures on "School Supervis- 
ion" at the University of Chicago. 

Professor Kingsley was married at 
Hopkinton, Mass., August 18, 1886, to 
Nellie Appleton Fitch, who was born at 
Peoria. 111., October 4, 1862, and three 
daughters have been born of this union, 
namely : Margaret Appleton, born July 
3, 1887; Katharine Winslow, born June 
18. 1892, and Helen Dewey, born Decem- 
ber 3 1895. In politics, although in gen- 
eral accord with the principles of the 
Republican party on national issues, Mr. 
Kingsley is inclined to vote independent- 
ly and for "the best man" on questions of 
a local character. In this he seeks to secure 
the best interests of the people. 

Aside from his profession as a teacher, 
both Professor Kingsle}' and his wife 
have devoted some attention to literary 
work, as shown by the issue by the former 
in 1901 of a volume entitled "The New 
Era W'ord Book," and by the publication 
in 1900, from the pen of the latter, of a 
"History of the Lewis and Clark Expedi- 
tion," and in 1902 of the story of "Four 
American Explorers." 



NEWELL CLARK KNIGHT. 

Newell C. Knight, manager of the Bond 
Department of the Royal Trust Com- 
pany of Chicago, was born in St. Louis. 
Mo., April 25 1862, the son of Augustus 



55<: 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



and Fanny (French) Knight. He re- 
ceived his preparatory education in the 
Saint Louis pubHc schools and the aca- 
demic department of Washington Uni- 
versity, and graduated from Yale Llni- 
versity in 1884. After graduation, intend- 
ing to engage in business as a shoe-manu- 
facturer, and in order first to learn it, he 
entered the factory of the Hamilton- 
Brown Shoe Company, working at the 
block and handling machines. Two years' 
experience of ten hours a day physical 
labor somewhat impaired his health: he 
therefore accepted a position as Secretary 
of an investment company at Wichita, 
Kan., but soon after retired to engage 
with his brother, Harry F., in the same 
line of business, under the name of The 
Knight Investment Company, dealing in 
mortgages and commercial paper. This 
business was discontinued in 1893, when 
Mr. Knight came to Chicago, and in 
connection with Reuben H. Donnelley, 
organized the firm of Knight. Donnelley 
& Company. From a small beginning this 
firm became one of the very large stock, 
bond and grain houses in Chicago, being 
members of all the leading exchanges. 
Its failure in June. 1905, resulted in its 
dissolution, and Mr. Knight soon after 
became the ^Manager of the Bond Depart- 
ment of the Royal Trust Company. 

A Cleveland Democrat politically, Mr. 
Knight, during the campaigns of 1896 and 
1900, was an active supporter of Mc- 
Kinley and of Roosevelt in 1904. In 1899 
he was elected President of the Evanston 
'•Four-mile League" and later served as 
Chief of Police of the City of Evanston 
without pay, devoting his attention to the 
strict enforcement of all the city ordi- 
nances, especially the law prohibiting the 
establishment of saloons within four miles 
of Northwestern University. He kept 
the town clean. Mr. Knight was mar- 



ried in 1886 to Annie Louise, daughter of 
James L. Sloss of Saint Louis. Five chil- 
dren have been born to them : Augustus, 
Francis McMaster, Katharine, Newell 
Sloss and Nancy Louise. His office is 
with the Royal Trust Company, 169 
Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, and his resi- 
dence is at 1326 Asbury Avenue, Evanston. 



ALBERT R. JONES. 

Alijert R. Jones, oil operator, residing 
in Independence, Kan., and engaged in 
the production of crude oil, was born at 
Pekin, 111.. September 14, 1874. In boy- 
hood he attended public school, and was 
a pupil in the \'irginia (111.) High School 
in 1891-92. In the latter year, he entered 
the Northwestern Academy, from which 
he was graduated in the fall of 1895. He 
then matriculated in Northwestern Uni- 
versity, graduating therefrom with the 
class of 1899, and receiving the degree 
of B. S. From 1899 to 1902, he applied 
himself to the study of law in the Law 
School of Illinois Wesleyan University, 
at Bloomington, 111., from which he gradu- 
ated with the degree of B. L. 

Mr. Jones is a member of the Sigma 
Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. He was a 
member of the "Deru" Society, the Rog- 
ers Debating Club, Young Men's Chris- 
tian Association, and was Captain of the 
L^niversity track team during the seasons 
of 1898 and 1899. On June 29, 1904. at 
Springfield, 111.. Mr. Jones was united in 
marriage with Mabel Neer. of that city. 



NELSON LLOYD STOW. 

Nelson Lloyd Stow, whose residence 
in Evanston, Cook County, 111., covers 
the period of a generation, during which 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



551 



he has maintained a record free from re- 
proach, was born in New Haven, Conn., 
January 8, 1833, a son of Henry and Lydia 
(Goodrich) Stow, both natives of Con- 
necticut, where the former was born in 
Milford, December 15, 1804, and the lat- 
ter in Berlin, September 9, 1805. The 
occupation of Henry Stow was that of a 
manufacturer of wheels and wheel ma- 
terial for vehicles, in New Haven, and he 
was the first manufacturer in the United 
States to make these by machinery. He 
was a devoted member of the Baptist 
Church in New Haven, in which he 
served as deacon for more than sixty 
years, and he died in that city at the age 
of ninety-one years. 

The Stow family is descended in a di- 
rect line from Lord Thomas Stow, of» 
England, and certain of the ancestors of 
the subject of this sketch came to this 
country previous to the Revolutionary 
War, and held superior rank in the Con- 
tinental Army during that conflict. A 
fine monument in honor of one of them 
stands in the cemetery at Milford, Conn., 
erected by the State. 

Nelson Lloyd Stow received his early 
mental instruction in the public and high 
schools of his native State. He finished 
his school studies at the age of sixteen 
years, and then spent five years in learn- 
ing the trade of carriage manufacturing. 
On September 17, 1854, when twenty- 
one years old, he located in Chicago and 
engaged in selling carriage materials. He 
was the first dealer in such goods in Chi- 
cago and in the West, none being manu- 
factured at that time west of New York. 
In this business Air. Stow continued un- 
til 1880, when he was engaged as man- 
ager of the most extensive iron concern in 
the city, and acted in that capacity for 
twenty-five years. He became a resident 



of Evanston in 1873, and has made his 
home there ever since. 

In 1863, Mr. Stow was united in mar- 
riage, at Milford, Conn., with Sarah Ma- 
ria Merwin, who was born May 21, 1844. 
She is descended from Puritan stock, be- 
longing to one of the oldest families of 
Connecticut, and a monument to one of 
her ancestors, in the cemeter)^ at Milford, 
marks the oldest grave in that oldest of 
Connecticut cemeteries. The union of 
Mr. and Mrs. Stow resulted in six chil- 
dren, namely : Ada Merwin, born Sep- 
tember 17, 1864; Harry Jared, born De- 
cember 8, 1866; Helen Webster, born 
July 8, 1870; Charles Goodrich, born Oc- 
tober 2, 1871 ; Nelson Lloyd, born De- 
cember 12, 1872 : and Mary Goodrich, 
born October 5, 1875. Charles died in in- 
fancy and Nelson died at the age of twen- 
ty-two years. 

In politics Mr. Stow has long been an 
unswerving adherent of the Republican 
party, and a prominent and influential fac- 
tor in the local councils of that organi- 
zation. In 1887 he was elected a member 
of the Evanston Board of Education for 
District No. 76, and served in this capac- 
ity eleven years, acting for six years as 
President of the board. He was elected 
Alderman from the Fourth Ward in 
Evanston in 1895, and twice re-elected, 
and filled the position of acting Mayor 
of Evanston one year. "He drafted many 
of the statutes which conserve the welfare 
of the city, among them being the Curfew 
Law. The erection of street signs was ac- 
complished through the personal efforts 
of Mr. Stow, and under his personal su- 
pervision as President of the School 
Board, the Lincoln and Central schools 
were erected. By individual exertion he 
also raised over $600, with which to put 
up the fountain on the Central School 






552 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



grounds, which commemorates the hero- 
ism of teachers who saved the hves of 
their youthful pupils, on the occasion of 
the destruction by fire of the old school 
building. The name of Mr. Stow is cut 
in panels on both of the school buildings 
above mentioned. 

Since making his residence in Evans- 
ton, Mr. Stow has been identified almost 
continuously with the public afifairs of the 
city. He was a member of the Cook 
County Federation, and served on the 
Drainage Canal Committee, acting with 
the late Judge Harvey B. Hurd, in tracing 
the route for the canal through West 
Evanston. He was also chairman of the 
Evanston Army and Navy League, or- 
ganized in 1898. While a member of the 
City Council, Mr. Stow drafted the stat- 
ute for the protection of animals and 
birds, the law to preserve street signs 
from damage, and that prohibiting the 
sale of cigarettes to minors, besides other 
statutory provisions. During the Civil 
War Mr. Stow was a member of the Sani- 
tary Commission. 

The subject of this sketch has long 
been a zealous adherent of the faith of 
the Baptist denomination. He united with 
the First Baptist Church of Evanston in 

1873, being transferred from the Second 
Baptist Church of Chicago, and has main- 
tained his membership in the former ever 
since. In 1875 he was elected clerk of 
that church,, and has held that office con- 
tinuously until the present time. He has 
conducted Sunday services at the Indus- 
trial School for Girls, in Evanston, since 

1874, and served twelve years as a mem- 
ber of the Board of Directors of that In- 
stitution, acting as President of the board 
for three years. His influence has always 
been exerted in behalf of the best inter- 
ests of the community. 



LEONIDAS P. HAMLINE, M. D. 

Dr. Leonidas P. Hamline, who became 
a resident of Evanston at a comparatively 
early date, and whose family has since 
been closely identified with the social and 
religious life of the city, was born in 
Zanesville, Ohio, August 13, 1828, the son 
of Bishop Leonidas L. Hamline, a dis- 
tinguished member of the Episcopacy of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a 
pulpit orator of rare force and eloquence. 
In the youth of the son Bishop Hamline 
was actively engaged in ministerial work, 
and under the itinerary system then pre- 
vailing in the Methodist Church, the fam- 
ily changed its residence at frequent in- 
tervals. Thus it happened that the young- 
er Hamline was educated in the schools 
of Tarrytown, N. Y. ; Yellow Springs, 
Ohio, and Greencastle, Ind., finally fin- 
ishing his academic studies at Lebanon, 
111. He then began the study of medi- 
cine, and received his doctor's degree 
from Castleton Medical College, Castle- 
ton, Vt. For a time thereafter he prac- 
ticed medicine at Hydeville, Vt., and was 
physician and surgeon to the corporation 
operating large marble quarries at that 
place. He came west from Vermont and 
first established his home at Mt. Pleas- 
ant, Iowa, where he gained professional 
distinction and was in active practice dur- 
ing nine years following. While the 
Civil War was in progress he took an 
active part in caring for the sick and 
wounded Cnion soldiers, acting as sur- 
geon in the hospitals at Dubuque, Iowa. 
He retired from practice at the close of 
the war and removed to Evanston in 1865. 
He was among the pioneer men of means 
who established homes in Evanston, and 
one of the first to make building and other 
improvements which have since made the 
city noted for its beauty. His father, 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



553 



Bishop Hamline, had been an early and 
fortunate investor in Chicago real estate, 
and the care and management of these 
interests occupied a large share of Dr. 
Hamline's attention in later years. After 
the death of Bishop Hamline at Alt. 
Pleasant, Iowa, in 1864, his widow re- 
moved to Eva^nston, and that city contin- 
ued to be her home until her death, which 
occurred in 1881. It was in the infancy 
of Northwestern University and in the 
village days of Evanston that Dr. Ham- 
line came to Evanston to live, and for 
more than thirty years thereafter he was 
an esteemed citizen of the place. He and 
Mrs. Hamline were members of the First 
Methodist Church established here, and at- 
tended services in the primitive church 
edifice in the days when the Methodists 
shared it with other denominations not 
able to have places of worship of their 
own. During the later years of his life. 
Dr. Hamline and Mrs. Hamline traveled 
extensively both in this country and 
abroad, and much of their time was spent 
away from Evanston. Dr. Hamline was 
married in 1850 to Miss Virginia Moore, 
daughter of John Moore of Peoria, 111., 
and died in Evanston in 1897. Mrs. Ham- 
line, who still survives, residing in Evans- 
ton, was born in Ripley, Ohio. The 
other surviving members of this pioneer 
family are: Leonidas N. Hamline, of 
Chicago, and Mrs. Virginia (Hamline) 
Creighton, of Evanston. Another son, 
John H. Hamline, a distinguished mem- 
ber of the Chicago Bar, died February 
14, 1904. 



JOHN H. HAMLINE. 

John H. Hamline, lawyer (deceased), 
Evanston and Chicago, was born in Rot- 
terdam, near Schenectady, N. Y., March 
23, 1856, the son of Dr. Leonidas P. 



Hamline, who was the son of a Bishop of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1865 
his father. Dr. L. P. Hamline, removed 
with his family to Evanston, 111., where 
the son spent his youth attending the 
public schools and Northwestern Uni- 
versity, and graduating from the latter 
with the degree of A. B. in 1875. After 
two years of study in the Columbia Law 
School, New York, he graduated from 
that institution in 1877, taking his ex- 
amination and was admitted to the bar 
September 14, 1877, and immediately en- 
tered upon the practice of his profession 
in the city of Chicago, yvhich continued 
to be his professional headquarters dur- 
ing his business career. At this time his 
home was still in Evanston, where he 
served as Corporation Counsel from 
1880 to 1884. While occupying this of- 
fice he framed a complete municipal code 
for Evanston, which was published in 
1882. 

About 1885 he removed to 1621 Prairie 
Avenue, Chicago, where he continued to 
reside for the remainder of his life. In 
October, 1886, he entered into partner- 
ship with his life-long friend, Frank H. 
Scott, under the firm name of Hamline & 
Scott, which later, by the admission of 
Frank E. Lord, became Hamline, Scott 
& Lord, Redmond D. Stephens being ad- 
mitted to the firm in 1902. In 1887 he 
was elected a member of the Chicago 
City Council, serving one term, during 
which time he won a great deal of promi- 
nence by advocating for the first time in 
that body the principle of compensation 
for municipal franchises. Though never 
afterwards a candidate for political office, 
he continued to take an active part in 
public affairs, and his opinions were often 
sought after in connection with municipal 
issues. Besides being associated with 
many local clubs and fraternal societies. 



554 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



he was a member of the American Bar 
Association, the Chicago Bar Association 
(of which he was elected President in 
1891), and the Illinois State Bar Associa- 
tion, serving as President of the latter 
for the year 1896-97. In 1895 he was 
chosen President of the Cnion League 
Club, and also served one term as Presi- 
dent of the Chicago Law Club. 

(3ne of the most conspicuous services 
rendered by Mr. Hamline was as member 
of a board consisting of three members 
appointed by Mayor George B. Swift, 
in 1894, for the purpose of devising a 
merit system in connection with the Po- 
lice Department of the City of Chicago. 
In conjunction with his colleagues he 
gave a vigorous support to this measure, 
which resulted in the passage by the Leg- 
islature of the Civil Service Act of 1S95. 
Later he was a zealous supporter of a 
similar measure for the whole State, and. 
although it failed at the time, the final 
enactment of the State Civil Service Law, 
approved May 11, 1905, authorizing the 
(jovernor to appoint a Civil Service Com- 
mission with power to prescribe rules 
for the examination and appointment of 
persons for service in connection with the 
State institutions, was undoubtedly the 
outcome of these early efforts. 

Mr. Hamline was married May 19. 
1880, to Miss Josephine Mead, daughter 
of Henry Mead of Norwich, N. Y., and 
two children were born to them — Jose- 
phine and John H., Jr. Mr. Hamline died 
at his home in the city of Chicago Febru- 
ary 14, 1904, and the event was deeply 
deplored by a large circle of personal 
friends and members of the bar, who had 
learned to admire his profound modesty, 
his high integrity and unselfish devotion 
to public interests, and his talents as a 
citizen and a lawyer. His former partner, 
Frank H. Scott, Esq., in an "In Memo- 
riam" pamphlet, paid the following trib- 



ute to his memory; "Taking into account 
not merely disposition toward public af- 
fairs, nor ability nor energy, but all of 
these combined, it may safely be asserted 
that, in the^past twenty years, Chicago 
has had no better citizen. For himself he 
claimed nothing, giving credit to others 
for the fruits of his own eiiforts. He was 
concerned only in effecting results, and 
not at all as to where credit should be be- 
stowed." 



CURTIS H. REMY. 

Curtis H. Remy, a well-known attor- 
ney-at-law, who has been a resident of 
Evanston, Cook County, 111., for many 
years, is a native of the State of Indiana, 
where he was born in the town of Hope, 
Bartholomew County, April 29, 1852. He 
is a son of Allison Clark and Sophia R. 
Remy. The father was a farmer by oc- 
cupation, and was successful in that 
sphere of industry. The subject of this 
sketch spent his early youth on the farm, 
utilizing the opportunities afforded by 
the district schools in the vicinity of his 
home. His education was accjuired in 
part at Nazareth Hall, in Pennsylvania, 
and was completed at Transylvania Col- 
lege, Lexington, Ky. 

Mr. Remy was married in Boone Coun- 
t)', Ind.. on October 28, 1875, and is the 
father of two sons and one daughter. In 
politics Mr. Remy is a supporter of the 
Republican party, and has served the pub- 
lic in several local offices, and often been 
suggested for others. Fraternally he is 
affiliated with the Masonic order, in 
which he has passed all the degrees, and 
he is also a member of several clubs. His 
religious belief is in accordance with the 
creed of the Methodist Church. He has 
made his home in Evanston since Novem- 
ber, 1876. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



555 



CLAUDIUS BUCHANAN SPENCER. 

Claudius B. Spencer, A. B., A. M.. D. 
D.. Litt. D., LL. D.. Kansas City, Mo., 
was born at Fowlerville, Mich., October 
20, 1856, prepared for college at How- 
ell, Mich., matriculated in Northwestern 
University, Evanston, 111., in 1877, and 
four years later (1881) graduated from 
the College of Liberal .\rts with the de- 
gree of A. B. still later, in due course, 
receiving the degree of A. AI. During 
his undergraduate career he was a mem- 
ber of Hinman Literary Society, his fra- 
ternity was the Phi Kappa Sigma. He 
is a Plii Beta Kappa. He was editor of 
"The Tripod" (the College paper), and 
succeeded I. E. Adams on the "Evans- 
ton Index." He edited the college "Mu- 
sical Register." Immediately after grad- 
uation he joined the Detroit Conference of 
the M. E.' Church, and preached for two 
years on Lake Superior ; four years in 
Detroit ; three years in Owosso, Mich., 
and two years again in Detroit. In 1892, 
he was transferred to Christ Church, 
Denver, Colorado Conference. He was 
elected by the General Conference Com- 
mission editor of the "Rocky Mountain 
Christian .\d\ocate." In i8(;5 he was as- 
signed to Asbury Church, Denver. In 
1896 he was again elected editor of the 
"Rocky Mountain Christian .Xdvocate," 
by the General Conference Commission ; 
and resigned the pastorship to devote his 
attention to editorial work. In 1900 he 
was elected, by the General Conference, 
held that year in Chicago, editor of the 
"Central Christian .Advocate," at Kansas 
City, Mo., and four years later was re- 
elected at Los .\ngeles, Cal., to the same 
position, which he still retains. He was 
Secretary of the Conference of Young 
People's Societies, held in Cleveland, 
Ohio, in May. 1889, which organized the 



Epworth League. He is a member of 
the Board of Managers of the Freedmen's 
Aid and Southern Education Society. 
On October 20, 1886, Mr. Spencer was 
united in marriage with Miss Mary L. 
Mitchell, of Brockport, N. Y., and three 
children have been born to them, namely: 
Helen Mitchell, Marjorie Elizabeth, and 
iMildred Isabel. 



THOMAS C. HOAG. 

Thomas C. Hoag (deceased), former 
prominent citizen and banker, Evanston, 
111., was born in Concord, N. H., Sep- 
temlier 7, 1825. His father, who was a 
book-publisher in New Hampshire, came 
\\'est with his family in the fall of 1840, 
and spent the following winter in Chi- 
cago, after which he 'removed to a farm 
near Plainfield, Will County. In 1845, 
Thomas C. Hoag came to Chicago and 
engaged in the wholesale and retail gro- 
cery business in partnership with Oliver 
L. Goss, under the firm name of Goss & 
Hoag. This business was continued until 
the great Chicago fire of 1871, when their 
stock having been destroyed with the 
mass of Chicago business houses, Mr. 
Hoag removed to Evanston and there 
established himself in the grocer}' busi- 
ness in a building still occupied by his 
succes.sors in the same line. There being' 
no banking facilities in Evanston in those 
days, in 1874 Mr. Hoag established a 
private bank in the rear of his store, which 
was conducted under the name of T. C. 
Hoag & Company. In 1894 it was re- 
moved to the building now occupied by 
the State Bank of Evanston, which was 
incorporated under that name in 1892, 
Mr. Hoag having, at that time, sold out 
his interest and retired from the banking 



556 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



business. In addition to his other busi- 
ness interests, Mr. Hoag was, for a time 
commencing in 1870, President of the 
Lumbermen's Fire Insurance Company of 
Chicago. 

Mr. Hoag was married May i, 1851, to 
Marie L. Bryant, who was born in Can- 
terbury, N. H., in 1827. In 1857, while 
still engaged in business in Chicago, he 
became a resident of Evanston, purchas- 
ing the homestead at the southwest cor- 
ner of Davis Street and Hinman Avenue, 
then directly across the street from the 
original building of the Northwestern 
L^niversity, of which he was a Trustee 
for thirty years, and for over twenty 
years business manager. Of four chil- 
dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Hoag, three 
are still living, namely: Dr. Junius C. 
Hoag, of Chicago ; William G. Hoag, 
Cashier of the State Bank of Evanston, 
and Dr. Ernest B. Hoag, of Pasadena, 
Cal. A daughter, Rebecca B. Hoag, was 
one of the first two women to become 
students in Northwestern University, 
which she did in 1870. pursuing a clas- 
sical course until her death in her junior 
year. On May i, 1901, Mr. and Mrs. 
Hoag celebrated the fiftieth anniversary 
of their wedding, the occasion being 
memorable on account of the presence of 
a large number of their early friends in 
Chicago and Evanston. 

Soon after retiring from the banking 
business in Evanston, Mr. Hoag removed 
to Pasadena, Cal., where he purchased a 
home, there spending the remaining 
years of his life in practical retirement, 
though still maintaining his interest in 
public enterprises. While a resident of 
Pasadena he served as a member of the 
Board of Trustees of that city, and on the 
Board of Trustees of the Throop Poly- 
technic Institute founded by Mr. A. G. 
Throop, a former resident of Chicago. 



Mr. Hoag's demise occurred at his home 
in Pasadena, April 16, 1906, and his re- 
mains were brought to Chicago and in- 
terred in Rose Hill Cemetery, where 
impressive ceremonies were held in the 
chapel on the cemetery grounds on Sun- 
day afternoon, April 22. He is survived 
by his widow and three sons mentioned in 
the preceding sketch. 



\\ ILLIAM GALE HOAG. 

William Gale Hoag, Cashier of the Ev- 
anston State Bank, was born in Evanston, 
111., Novemljer 19, i860, the son of Thom- 
as C. and Maria L. (Bryant) Hoag, who 
were natives of New Hampshire, the for- 
mer born at Concord in 1825, and the lat- 
ter at Canterbury in 1827. The Hoag 
family was of Xew England Quaker 
stock, and the father of William G. was 
prominent in Chicago and Evanston busi- 
ness circles for more than fifty years. (See 
sketch of Thomas C. Hoag in this vol- 
ume.) \\'illiam G. Hoag received his edu- 
cation in the local schools and North- 
western University Academy, enjoying 
the rare advantages of books and friends 
from his youth in a university town. 

After leaving school Mr. Hoag at once 
entered upon a business career in connec- 
tion with his father in the private bank 
conducted by the latter — now the State 
Bank of Evanston — with which he has 
been continuously associated ever since, 
and of which he has been Cashier for 
twenty years. His whole life has been 
spent in the [ilace of his birth without 
change of occupation or business rela- 
tions. The official positions held by Mr. 
Hoag have been wholly in connection 
with local benevolences, having served as 
Treasurer and Director, and member of 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



557 



the Executive Committee of the Evans- 
ton Hospital for many years. 

The Hterary, social and business organ- 
izations with which i\Ir. Hoag is associ- 
ated include : The University Club, The 
Evanston Club, Evanston Country Club, 
the Evanston Golf Club, and the Bankers' 
Club of Chicago. His religious associa- 
tions are with the First Methodist Epis- 
copal Church of Evanston, and politically 
he supports the policies of the Republi- 
can party. Indulging the quiet tastes of 
a bachelor, he feels a deep interest in the 
social life and happiness of those around 
him, and takes pleasure in contributing his 
share to the comfort and welfare of others. 



JEAN FREDERIC LOBA, A. M. D.D. 

Jean Frederic Loba, pastor of the First 
Congregational Church, Evanston, 111., 
was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, Oc- 
tober 17, 1846, the son of Frederic and 
Julie (Sider) Loba. Both parents were 
natives of Switzerland, as their ancestors 
had been for an indefinite period — the 
father born in Berne Canton, December 
25, i8og, and the mother at Echallens. 
The father was a chemist and lived in 
Canton de Vaud ; came to the United 
States in 1853 and died in Illinois March 
14, 1864. Mr. Loba was educated at Olivet 
College, Mich., at Basle in his native 
country, Yale College and Chicago Theo- 
logical Seminary. Hampered by limited 
means, his youth was spent in toil and 
wandering from place to place in search 
of employment, but being a lover of books, 
he was a voracious reader of everything 
that came into his hands, thus acquiring 
a literary bent of mind. After leaving 
college he spent two years (1873-75) ^*^ 
teacher of Greek in Knox College, Gales- 
burg. 111., later was a student at Basle 



L'niversity, Switzerland, 1875-76; a stu- 
dent in Yale Divinity School, 1876-77 ; 
pastor at Kankakee, 111., 1877-78, and at 
Kewanee, 111.. 1878-82; Professor of Mod- 
ern Languages at Olivet College, Mich., 
1882-88; pastor at Kalamazoo, Mich., 1888- 
91 ; in Paris, France, 1891-92, and from 
1892 to 1906 in his present position as 
pastor of the Congregational Church at 
Evanston. He has been a member of the 
Congregational Church since June, 1866. 

On September 22, 1864, he enlisted as 
a soldier of the Civil War in Company I, 
Thirteenth Missouri Veteran Volunteer 
Cavalry, and after serving nearly two 
3'ears, was mustered out May 17, 1866. He 
is a member of the Evanston Grand Army 
Post, and was Commander of the Post in 
Olivet, Mich. He is also a member of the 
Phi Alpha Pi Literary Fraternity. In 
politics he is a Republican, but on local 
questions is inclined to act independently, 
and on one occasion voted the Prohibiti- 
tion ticket. 

On September 4, 1877, Mr. Loba was 
united in marriage at Penacook, near Con- 
cord, N. H., to Lucene M. Bradley, born 
at Adams, N. Y., January 10, 185 1, and of 
this union five children have been born : 
Lucene S. (now Mrs. McConnell), born 
December 25, 1879; Julie B. (Mrs. Col- 
lins), born September 17, 1882; Winifred, 
born September 2, 1885, died April 25, 
1905 ; Marguerite, born December 25. 
1891, and Jean F., Jr., born September 10. 
1894. The Bradley family, to which Mrs. 
Loba belongs, is of Revolutionary stock, 
and many still reside in Concord, N. H. 
Possessing no advantages until he had 
reached his nineteenth year, by a life of 
self-denial and sturdy effort, aided by a 
vivacious and enthusiastic temperament, 
Rev. Mr. Loba has developed a strong 
character which has placed him in the 
front rank of Evanston clergymen. A 



558 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



lover of nature, he is also a lover of men 
and of books, and enjoys life as pastor of 
his flock while contributing to the enjoy- 
ment of others and promoting their as- 
pirations to a higher life. In 1876 he re- 
ceived the degree of M. A. from his Alma 
Mater and in 1891 the degree of D. D. 
fiom the same institution. 



WILLIAM S. HARBERT. 

A\'illiam Soesbe Harbert, lawyer, born 
September 17, 1842, at Terre Haute, Ind., 
is the son of Solomon and Amadine (Wat- 
son) Harbert — the former a descendant 
of a Virginian family of English extrac- 
tion, and the latter a native of Bards- 
town, Ky. At an early age the subject of 
this sketch attended the public schools of 
Terre Haute, preparatory to a course in 
Franklin College, at Franklin, Ind. From 
that institution he went to Wabash Col- 
lege, Crawfordsville, Ind., and from there 
to the University of Michigan, where he 
remained till he completed his sophomore 
year. In 1862 he enlisted as a volunteer 
in the Union Army, and on his return from 
the field, matriculated in the Law Depart- 
ment of the University of Indiana at 
Bloomington, Ind., remaining there one 
year, when he entered the Law Depart- 
ment of the University of Michigan, at 
Ann Arbor, where he received his degree 
in 1867. The same year he located at Des 
Moines, Iowa; was admitted to the bar, 
remaining there seven years, within that 
time serving as Assistant LTnited States 
District Attorney, and being also a mem- 
ber of the law firm of Harbert & Clark. 
Success attended his stay in Des Moines, 
but the desire to operate in a field afiford- 
ing greater opportunities led to his re- 
moval to Chicago in 1874, where he 
resumed practice as the senior member of 



the firm of Harbert & Daly. This part- 
nership was succeeded by that of Har- 
bert, Curran & Harbert, the junior part- 
ner being the only son of the subject of 
this narrative. Upon the death of his son, 
Arthur Boynton Harbert, in 1900, the 
firm was dissolved, since which time Mr. 
Harbert has practiced alone. 

The year following the outbreak of the 
Civil War and while a student, then 
twenty years of age, William Soesbe Har- 
bert enlisted as a private in Company C 
Eightj'-fifth Indiana Volunteers and was 
in active service until 1865. During the 
period of his military career, he served on 
the stafif of Gen. John Colburn, Gen. Ben- 
jamin Harrison, and Major-General W. 
T. Ward. He was engaged in the cam-' 
paigns against Atlanta and Savannah and 
was with General Sherman on his famous 
march to the sea. At the first battle of 
Franklin (Tenn.) he was taken prisoner 
and spent two months in Libby Prison. 
He was brevetted as Captain "for distin- 
guished meritorious services." Mr. Har- 
bert is prominent in philanthropic work 
and, for seven years, was President of the 
Board of Managers of the "Forward 
Movement," a social settlement organ- 
ization having beautiful assembly 
grounds, which Mr. Harbert spent much 
time in procuring for the organization. 
He holds membership in and is active in 
furthering the enterprises of a number of 
jihilanthropic organizations. 

In his religious and political affiliations, 
Mr. Harbert is independent. He believes 
in municipal control of public utilities, as- 
sisted in the establishment of the Juve- 
nile Court, the adoption of the indeterminate 
sentence law and advocates the placing 
of a limitation on the power to grant, by 
will, large sums to single individuals. 

^Ir. Harbert. on October 18, 1870, was 
united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Mor- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



559 



rison Boynton, a woman of high Hterary 
attainments and social rank, a sketch of 
whom also appears herein. Three chil- 
dren. Arthur Boynton (deceased), Cor- 
inne Boynton, and Boynton Elizabeth, 
wife of Ashley D. Rowe, of Pasadena, Cal- 
ifornia, were born to them. Continuously 
since 1874 the Harberts have been resi- 
dents of Evanston. and their spacious 
home is not the least of its attractions. 
For twenty years they have dispensed a 
generous hospitality at their pleasant 
summer home at Lake Geneva, Wis. 



ELIZABETH BOYNTON HARBERT. 

Mrs. Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, author, 
lecturer, reformer and philanthropist, was 
born in Crawfordsville, Ind. She is the 
eldest child of William H. Boynton, of 
Nashua, N. H., and Abigail Sweetser 
Boynton, a native of Boston, Mass. Her 
maiden name was Elizabeth Morrison 
Boynton. Her journalistic signature was 
Lizzie M. Boynton. She was educated in 
the Female Seminary at Oxford, Ohio, 
and in the Terre Haute Female College, 
graduating from the latter with honors. 
Growing up in Crawfordsville, under the 
shadow of a college into which girls were 
not permitted to enter, she early learned 
the value of educational privileges and 
claimed them for her sister women. 

After vain attempts to slip the bolts of 
prejudice and precedent that barred out 
the daughters of the State from the halls 
of learning, she strove to rouse, with pen 
and voice, those whose stronger hands 
could open wide the doors. The faculty 
of Wabash College had allowed, as an 
especial privilege, four young women — 
Emma Hough Fairchild, Mary Krout, 
Mary Cumberland Jennison and Eliza- 
beth Boynton Harbert — to attend lectures 



on Physics by Prof. John L. Campbell, 
who was later the Secretary of the Phila- 
delphia Centennial Exposition. Although 
these lectures were substantially repeti- 
tions of those required in the college cur- 
riculum, the young men were excluded. 
Dr. White, the first President of Wabash 
College, shortly before his death, prom- 
ised Mrs. Harbert a diploma upon the 
completion of her course. Not long 
after the same four young women, in com- 
pany with nineteen others, petitioned the 
faculty for permission to enter the college 
and receive the benefit of its teachings. 
The letter written in reply to the petition 
of the young ladies was to the effect that 
the faculty expressed its extreme regret 
that the facilities of the preparatory de- 
partment were such that the department 
was inadequate for its needs, and hence 
the college would not be able to admit 
the young women. Each one of these 
young women had progressed far beyond 
the "preparatory" department. It is dif- 
ficult for Airs. Harbert to speak of this 
letter without manifesting, in some man- 
ner, a slight touch of the profound impres- 
sion it produced, although, when meas- 
ured by its after effect upon her career, 
it should be considered of inestimable val- 
ue. The first ten dollars she received as 
the result of her own work, was from the 
"New York Independent" for an account 
of this attempt to obtain a college edu- 
cation. 

This group of twenty-three girls, under 
the leadership of the four, had purchased 
the town flag, the church organ and the 
first fire engine. In their indignation and 
disappointment, they determined to se- 
cure for their own use, and the town, a 
public library. With this object in view, 
they advertised the presentation of a com- 
edy, entitled "The Coming Woman," in 
which they burlesqued themselves and 



56o 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



their unsuccessful efforts. In a relent- 
less manner, the male students issued bur- 
lesque handbills and posters. In one day 
not less than five varieties were issued. 
The ladies were styled "the Twenty-three 
Sorry Sisses," in an attempt to pun upon 
the word "Sorosis," which latter organ- 
ization was attracting considerable atten- 
tion in the East. It is needless to say 
that the adverse criticism attracted an 
unusually large audience, and a consid- 
erable sum was netted with which was 
purchased the nucleus for a circulating 
library. At that time Miss Boynton was 
but twenty years old. 

Oberlin was then the only college which 
admitted men and women on an equality. 
At the suggestion of friends. Miss Boyn- 
ton prepared an address which she enti- 
tled, "Before Suffrage, What?" which 
was a plea for the education of women as 
an essential preparation for their enfran- 
chisement. This was delivered first in 
Crawfordsville, after a most flattering in- 
troduction by Gen. Lew Wallace. The 
following week the same address was 
given at La Fayette, and the next week 
at Cleveland before an immense audience. 
Following this was another success at 
Cincinnati in the opera house. Mrs. Mary 
A. Livermore, who was at this time a 
most helpful and encouraging friend of 
Miss Boynton, wrote to one of the Wom- 
an's journals, as follows : "The speech of 
the day and evening (referring to a con- 
vention in Ohio), was made by Lizzie 
Boynton, although among the speakers 
were Susan B. Anthony, Mrs. Stanton 
and myself. She held the audience on the 
platform, as well as that in the hall, spell- 
bound for an hour." A journalistic sketch 
of Miss Boynton said, "by one stroke she 
had placed herself beside Fanny Fern and 
Gail Hamilton." 

During the Civil War Miss Boynton 



energetically devoted her time to the care 
of the soldiers and the duties of the hour. 
Her sympathies were keenly allied to the 
cause of the L^nion, although she was 
always too inclusive in her love of human- 
ity to indulge in any bitterness of feeling. 
Her first book, "The Golden Fleece," was 
published in 1867. In 1870 she was mar- 
ried to Capt. William S. Harbert, a brave 
soldier and successful lawyer. After their 
marriage Mr. and Mrs. Harbert lived in 
Des Moines, Iowa, and there Mrs. Har- 
bert published her second book, "Out of 
Her Sphere," and her first song, "Arling- 
ton Heights." 

While living in Des Moines, Mrs. Har- 
bert took an active part in the Woman's 
Suffrage Movement, being elected Presi- 
dent of the State Association. She suc- 
ceeded in inducing the Republicans of 
Iowa to put into their State platform a 
purely woman's plank, "winning the 
members of the committee appointed to 
prepare a platform for the State Con- 
vention, by her earnest and dignified pres- 
entation of the claims of women." Thus 
was earned the distinction of being the 
first woman to design a woman's plank 
and secure its adoption by a great politi- 
cal party of a state. 

In the winter of 1874, Mr. and Mrs. 
Harbert moved to Illinois, and from that 
time have made their home in Evanston. 
The family now consists of two daugh- 
ters, Corinne and Boynton. In 1900 their 
only son, Arthur Boynton Harbert, hero- 
ically surrendered his earthly life, mean- 
while bequeathing to parents, sisters and 
friends the memory of a beautiful, self- 
sacrificing, loving life, he being then in 
his twenty-eighth year. 

IVIrs. Harbert was for two years the 
President of the Social Science Associa- 
tion of Illinois. She was Vice-President 
of the Woman's Suffrage Association of 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



561 



Indiana, President of the ^^'()man's Suf- 
frage Association of Iowa, and for 
twelve years President of the Illinois 
Woman's Suffrage Association. She was 
a member of the Board of Managers of 
the Girls' Industrial School of South Ev- 
anston, and Vice-President of the Associa- 
tion for the advancement of women, 
known as the Woman's Congress. 

As editor for seven years of the 
"Woman' Kingdom," a regular weekly 
department of the Chicago Inter Ocean, 
she has exerted a widespread influence 
over many homes. As editor of the New 
Era, in which she was free to utter her 
deepest convictions, she devoted a year's 
service. In 1891 the Ohio Wesleyan Col- 
lege conferred upon her the honorary de- 
gree of Doctor of Philosophy. 

During the year of the World's Colum- 
bian Exposition, and the \\'orld's Con- 
gress, auxiliary thereto, popularh' known 
as the \\'orld's Parliament of Religions, 
Mrs. Harbert served on several commit- 
tees, among which was the Committee on 
Organization of the ^^'orld's Congress of 
Representative ^\'omen. otherwise known 
as the "Department of \\'oman's Progress 
of the World's Congress Auxiliary of the 
World's Columbian Exposition of 1893." 
Of that committee, Mrs. j\Iay \\'right Se- 
well, of Indianapolis, Ind., was Chairman; 
Mrs. Rachel Foster Avery, of Somerton, 
Pa., Secretary, and Mrs. Sarah Hacket 
Stevenson, M. D., Mrs. Julia Holmes 
Smith, M. D.. Mrs. Coonley Ward, ]Miss 
Frances E. Willard and Mrs. William 
Thayer Brown, members. These con- 
gresses resulted in a number of organi- 
zations of both national and international 
scope. Mrs. Harbert was also a member 
of the Committee of the Woman's Branch 
of the World's Congress Auxiliary on Gov- 
ernment Reform Congresses, and subse- 
c|uently became Associate Chairman of 



the Government Reform Congress of the 
\\'orld's Congresses. 

The list of charter members of the Il- 
linois Woman's Press Association con- 
tains the name of Mrs. Harbert. She was 
also a member of the Illinois Press As- 
sociation. She was President and Direc- 
tor of the National Household Economic 
Association, and Vice-President for 
Illinois of the National Woman Suffrage 
Association. 

The Woman's Club of Evanston was 
organized and presided over by Mrs. Har- 
bert, and after seven years' service as such 
— during which time the meetings of the 
Club were held at the Harbert homestead 
— she was elected Honorary President of 
the Cluli, which honor she declined. 

The immediate outcome of the World's 
Congresses was the formation of two or- 
ganizations, namely: The Religious Par- 
liament Extension, of which the late Hon. 
Charles C. Bonney was President and Dr. 
Paul Carus, Secretary ; and The World's 
Unity League, of which Hon. Charles 
Carroll Bonney (until the time of his de- 
cease) and Mrs.- Harbert were Associate 
Chairmen. At present Mrs. Harbert is 
the acting chairman, no one having yet 
been appointed to succeed Mr. Bonney. 
Mrs. Ella A. W. Hoswell and Miss Ida C. 
Heffron are its secretaries. 

From the official report of Air. Bonney, 
made to the representative participants in 
the "Congress Auxiliary," we quote the 
following: 

The Woman's Committee on Religious Par- 
liament Extension. — Mrs. Elizabeth Boynton 
Harbert. Chairman, and Mrs. Frederick Hawk- 
ins, Secreta-y thereof, have determined to cir- 
culate for signatures, in all parts of the world, 
the pledge of the World's Religious Unity, 
with which the Religious Extension Movement 
was inaugurated. This pledge, of which Mrs. 
Harbert is the author, was the bond of union 
p-esented and signed at the first E.xtension 
meeting and is in the following words: 



5f>2 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



BOND OF UNION. 

"Recognizing the interdependence and solidari- 
ty of humanity, we will welcome light from every 
source, earnestly desiring to grow in knowledge 
of Truth and the Spirit of Love and to manifest 
the same by helpful service." 

• Mrs. Harbert is associated with many 
organizations which have for their object 
the recognition of the divinity of hu- 
manity, one of her favorite statements be- 
ing, "There are no common people, since 
we all belong to the divine familyhood of 
the Creator and the created." 

Notwithstanding all the work implied 
in filling so many important offices. Airs. 
Harbert finds her greatest pleasure in her 
hospitable home and with her family. 
However, the basic principle of all her 
work has ever been found in the home, 
and the recognition of the fact that the 
civilization of tomorrow inheres in the 
children of today. 

Mrs. Harbert is versatile to a remark- 
able degree. She has won the unstinted af- 
fection of her townsmen and women, 
which has manifested itself in the gift of 
a fountain, works of art, etc., from these. 
In al! her endeavors she has been nobly 
sustained by her husband, whose clear 
judgment and generous sympathies have 
made his aid invaluable. 

As a writer she is poetic, pointed, witty, 
vigorous, convincing. On two occasions 
she has addressed the Judiciary Committee 
of the Senate of the United States, 
making a plea for an amendment to the 
Federal Constitution prohibiting the dis- 
franchisement of United States citizens 
on account of sex. She also addressed 
the New York General Assembly at a 
joint session of the Assembly and Senate 
of that State, upon the same subject. 
\Vith Mrs. Catherine Waugh McCulloch, 
of Evanston, and Mrs. Helen M. Gougar, 
of La Favette, Ind., Mrs. Harbert went 
to Springfield, 111., where they addressed 



the House and Senate in favor of the bill 
allowing the women of Illinois to vote 
upon school questions, and secured the 
passage of the bill. 

She has made addresses before the Leg- 
islative Assemblies of Wisconsin, Iowa 
and Illinois. She* was one of the two 
women appointed by the National Wom- 
an's Suffrage Committee, as delegates from 
the United States at large to the National 
Republican Convention that nominated R. 
B. Hayes, at which she made an address 
before the platform committee. 

Among the most important of Mrs. 
Harbert's essays and lectures are the fol- 
lowing: "Before Suffrage, What?" 
"Homes of Representative Women"; 
"The ' Domestic Problem"; "Men's 
Rights": "Conversation and Conversers" ; 
"The Ideal Home" ; "George Eliot" ; 
"Litcretia Mott"; "Statesmanship of Wom- 
en"; "Aims, Ideals and Methods of Wom- 
en's Clubs" ; "A Woman's Dream of Co- 
operation" ; "The Message of the Madon- 
na" : "Lyric Poets of Russia" ; "An Hour 
with the Strong Minded." Her publica- 
tions are: "The Golden Fleece": "Out of 
Her Sphere": "Amore ;" "The Illinois 
Chapter in the History of \\"oman Suf- 
frage." Songs: "Arlington Heights"; 
"What Have You Done with the Hours?" 
"The New America" (words); "The 
Promised Land" (words). Poems: "The 
Little Earth Angel" ; Lines to My Anony- 
mous Friend," and others. 

The narrative in the foregoing sketch, 
with but slight and immaterial changes, 
from the pen of Mrs. Harbert's only son, 
Arthur Boynton Harbert, who passed 
from this life in 1890, was found among 
his papers after his death. 

To Mrs. Harbert is due the full credit 
of the chapter in this volume under the 
title of "Homes and Home-Makers of Ev- 
anston." 



k 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



563 



FRANK M. ELLIOT. 

Frank M. Elliot, who for nineteen years 
has resided at No. 225, Lake Street, Evan- 
ston. 111., and is engaged in the real estate 
and loan business in Chicago, was born at 
Corinna, Maine, March 27, 1853, the son of 
Jacob Smith and Sarah (Moore) Elliot, 
both natives of New England. Jacob 
Smith Elliot, who was a physician by pro- 
fession, continued to live in Maine until 
1855, when the family moved to Minneap- 
olis, Minn. He preempted 80 acres of land 
on which he established his western home 
and which is now within the limits of that 
city. Dr. Elliot was one of the leading 
practitioners of medicine in his locality for 
twenty-five years. Subsequently, he went 
to California, where he died, aged eighty- 
three years. 

The subject of this sketch spent his boy- 
hood on the paternal farm, and received his 
early mental training in the public schools 
of Minneapolis. He afterwards pursued a 
course of study in Northwestern L'niver- 
sity, at Evanston, from which he was grad- 
uated with the class of 1877. After his 
graduation he studied law, and then held a 
position in the Recorder's Office of Cook 
County, for two years. At the end of this 
period, he entered into the real estate and 
loan business in Chicago, in which he has 
since been successfully engaged. He at- 
tends to the management of estates and con- 
ducts a general business in real estate. 
He has been a director in the State Bank 
of Evanston, since the organization. 

On November 13, 1878, Mr. Elliot was 
united in marriage, at Evanston. 111., with 
Anna Shuman, whose father, Andrew 
Shuman, was for many years, the editor of 
the "Chicago Evening Journal" and who 
filled the position of Lieutenant Governor of 
Illinois. In politics Mr. Elliot has always 
been an earnest supporter of the Republican 



party. In 1887 he held the office of Village 
Trustee of Evanston. He has been an of- 
ficer of the Evanston Hospital Association 
since its organization in 1891, acting for 
fifteen years on the Executive Committee 
and has been the President for eleven years. 
In 1884-85 he was President of the Alumni 
Association of Northwestern University. 
Socially, Mr. Elliot belongs to the Sigma 
Chi Fraternity, in which he was Grand An- 
notator from 1884 to 1886; and to the 
Evanston Club, the Glen View Golf Club, 
and the University Club of Chicago. His 
religious connection is with the First Con- 
gregational Church of Evanston. He is 
regarded as a public-spirited and useful 
member of the communitv. 



BENJAMIN ALLEN GREENE, D. D. 

Rev. Benjamin A. Greene, an eminent 
minister of the Baptist church, resid- 
ing in Evanston, 111., was born in Harris- 
ville, R. I., November 6. 1845, the son of 
Alvin and Maria (Arnold) Greene, of 
whom the former was born in Killingly, 
Conn., in December, 1820, while the latter 
was a native of Rhode Island, where she 
was born in February, 1820. The occupa- 
tion of Alvin Greene was that of superinten- 
dent of a cotton mill. The genealogical 
line of the family is traceable back to John 
Greene, who lived in Warwick. R. I., in 
1639. 

In early youth the subject of this sketch 
attended the common schools of his native 
place. After reaching the age of twelve 
years, he worked half of the time in the 
cotton mills and spent the other half at 
school. He recalls the fact that he began 
to read the "New York Tribune" editorials 
of Florace Greeley, at the beginning of the 
Civil War. For two years he lived in Yar- 
mouth, Maine, but most of his later boy- 



564 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



hood was spent at White Rock, R. I. He 
spent 1866-68 in preparation for college, in 
the Connecticut Literary Institute, at Suf- 
field, and entering Brown University, grad- 
uated there in 1872, and from Newton The- 
ological Institution in 1875. In 1893 he 
received the degree of D. D. from the for- 
mer institution. From July, 1875, to April, 
1882. Dr. Greene followed his ministerial 
calling in ^Massachusetts, during that period 
serving as pastor of the First Baptist 
Church at Westboro, and later as pastor of 
the Washington Street Baptist Church, at 
Lvnn, Mass., from April, 1882, to March, 
1897. Then coming West he assumed his 
present charge in Evanston. Dr. Greene 
has officiated as President of the Massachu- 
setts Conference of Baptist Ministers, and 
as lecturer on homiletics at Newton Theo- 
logical Institution, Crozer Theological 
School, Rochester Theological Seminary. 
and Chicago University Divinity School. 

On June 25. 1875, Dr. Greene was united 
in marriage, at Providence. R. I., with Ella 
Fairbrother. who was born in Pawtucket, 
R. I., in 1840. Two children have been 
born of this union, namely: Ruth M. (Mrs. 
J. F. Pierson ) . born February 27, 1877 ; and 
Marian F., born January 4, 1886. On May 
12, 1891 . the mother of this family having 
died. Dr. Greene was married again, his 
second wife being Xancy W. Maine, who 
was born January 19, 1856. In his politi- 
cal views. Dr. Greene is a supporter of the 
principles of the Republican party. 



HENRY B. HEMENWAY. M. D. 

Dr. Henry Bi.xby Hemenway, who 
is successfully engaged in the practice of 
medicine in Evanston, 111., was born in 
Montpelier, Vt., December 20, 1856, the son 
of Francis Dana and Sarah Louise (Bi.xby) 
Hemenwav, natives of Chelsea, \'t.. where 



the former was born November 10, 1830, 
and the latter, March 2, 1828. The pater- 
nal grandparents, Jonathan Wilder and 
Sally (Hibbard — or Hebard) Hemenway, 
were born in Barre. Mass., and Brookfield, 
\'t.. respectively. On the maternal side the 
grandparents were Ichabod Bi.xby, born at 
Belchertown, Mass., March 19, 1784, and 
Susanna (Lewis) Bixby, in Walpole, N. 
H., August 31, 1789. The maiden name 
of the great-grandmother, on the paternal 
side, was Sarah Davidson. The great- 
grandparents on the maternal side were 
Ichabod and Lydia (Orcutt) Bi.xby, James 
and Grace (Paddock) Lewis — the first men- 
tioned (Ichabod Bixby), born January 9, 
1757. The great-great-grandfather of 
]\Irs. Hemenway, Solomon Bixby, was 
born in 1732, and died January 27, 18 13. 
His father, Nathan Bixby, was born in No- 
vember, 1694, the father of Nathan was 
Benjamin and his father was Joseph Bixby, 
who died in 1706. The father of Joseph 
Bixby was Nathaniel Bixby, who came 
from Boxford, Suffolk County, England 
and settled in Salem, Mass., in 1636. Dr. 
Hemenway "s father, Francis Dana Hemen- 
way, was a clergyman who, at the time of 
the doctor's birth was pastor of a church 
in Montpelier, \'t., and Chaplain of the 
State Senate. He first located in Evanston 
in 1857. During periods in i86i to 1862 
and 1863 to 1865, he had a pastoral charge 
at Kalamazoo, Mich., and for a time in 
1862-63, served as pastor of the First Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church in Chicago. On lo- 
cating in Evanston he was elected to a pro- 
fessorship in the Garrett Biblical Institute 
but from the fall of 1861 imtil the spring 
of 1866. availed himself of leave of absence 
from the institution. In 1876 he was a re- 
viser of the Methodist Episcopal Hymnal. 
Henry Bi.xby Hemenway received his 
mental training in the Preparatory School 
and College of Liberal Arts of Northwest- 



fl 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



565 



ern University, receiving his degree of A. 
B. in 1879, A. M.. in 1882. and that of M. 
D., from the medical department of the 
University in 188 1. While taking his 
course in the College of Liberal Arts he 
taught a district school at Deerfiekl, 111., in 
1878-79, In 1881 he entered upon the 
practice of his profession in Kalamazoo, 
I\Iich,, continued therein until 1890, when 
he moved to Evanston, where he has since 
practiced with successful results. He 
served in the capacity of Health Officer of 
Kalamazoo in 1884-85, was secretary of 
the Kalamazoo Board of the U, S, Examin- 
ing Surgeons, from January 1887 to Sep- 
tember 1890; was also Treasurer of the 
Michigan State Medical Society from 1886 
to 1890 and was Secretary and Librarian 
of the Kalamazoo Academy of Medicine, 
He was a member of the Finance Com- 
mittee of the Ninth International Medical 
Congress ; is now a member of the Ameri- 
can Medical Association, the American 
Academy of Medicine, the Chicago Medical 
Society, the Illinois State Medical Society, 
etc. 

Dr. Hemenway has been twice married, 
first in Evanston, on May 2, 1882, to Lilla 
Maggie Bradley, who was born at Cottage 
Hill. Ill,, August 25, 1856, and died March 
29, 1883, She was descended from an old 
New England family, Benjamin Bradley, 
a London Apothecary, being the ancestor of 
the family. His son, Daniel, born in 161 5, 
came to Massachusetts in 1635 and was 
killed by Indians August 13, 1689, The 
doctor's second wife was Victoria Steven- 
son Taylor, to whom he was united in mar- 
riage at Kalamazoo, Mich,, October 13, 
1885, She was born in Kalamazoo, Febru- 
ary 16, 1861, a daughter of Andrew and 
Victoria (Bangs) Taylor, her father being 
a native of Kelso, Scotland, Her maternal 
grandparents were Samuel and Susan 
(Payne) Bangs, the birthplace of the latter 



being in Virginia, Samuel Bangs received 
a grant of eleven leagues of land from the 
Mexican Government, for services rendered 
previous to 1840, Dr. Hemenway became 
the father of three children, namely : Ruth 
L,, born March 23, 1883: Hazel, who was 
born March 24, 1887, and died March 28, 
of the same year : and Margaret, born De- 
cember 14, 1888. 

In politics, the subject of this sketch is a 
supporter of the Republican party, but is 
averse to mingling national with local is- 
sues. His religious connection is with St. 
Mark's Episcopal Church, In fraternal 
circles, the doctor is identified with the A. 
F. & A. M., belonging to the R, A, M., and 
Knights Templar organizations. He is also 
affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the 
U. O. F. ; the I. O. O. F. : and the Colum- 
bian Knigfhts. 



ANDREW J. BROWN. 

Andrew J. Brown (deceased), one of the 
oldest and most favorably known citizens of 
Evanston, 111., and a lawyer of distinction, 
was a native of the State of New York, 
born at Cooperstown, in that State, in 1820. 
Mr. Brown received his early education in 
the common schools of his native place, and 
subsequently studied law with Robert 
Campbell, of Cooperstown, In the autumn 
of 1840, he removed to Illinois and settled 
in De Kalb County, where, on his twenty- 
first birthday, he was elected Probate Judge 
of that county. 

After remaining four years in De Kalb 
County, Judge Brown located in Chicago, 
where he rapidly built up a remunerative 
practice. In 1850, he entered into a law 
partnership with the late Harvey B. Hurd, 
of Evanston, which was continued until 
1854, Soon after entering into this part- 
nership he became interested in North Shore 



566 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



realty, and about the year 1863, became the 
owner of a tract of land containing 248 
acres, which mainly constitutes the site of 
the present city of Evanston. In 1850 Mr. 
Brown, in conjunction with Grant Good- 
rich, Dr. John Evans, Orrington Lunt, and 
others, took part in a conference held in the 
city of Chicago, to consider the founding 
of "a university in the Northwest under the 
patronage of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church." Mr. Brown served as Secretary 
of this conference, was appointed a member 
of the committee to propose a form of char- 
ter which was adopted at a subsequent 
meeting, and still later, in an act passed by 
the Legislature in January, 185 1, author- 
izing the establishment of such an institu- 
tion, was named as a member of the First 
Board of Trustees. As one of the incorpo- 
rators he assisted in the formal incorpora- 
tion of the new institution, meanwhile serv- 
ing as Secretary of the Board. Two years 
later ( 1853) he took a prominent part in the 
search for a permanent site for the LTniver- 
sity, which, on or about the Fourth of July 
of that year, resulted in the selection of the 
present location, and the founding of the 
village of Evanston named in honor of Dr. 
John Evans, at that time President of the 
Board of Trustees and a potent factor 
in the founding of the institution. It is 
claimed that, as early as 1852. Mr. Brown 
had selected this as . the proper site 
of the coming university, thus anticipating 
the views of his colleagues on the Board of 
Trustees, of which he was the only member 
then living in Evanston. After the estab- 
lishment of the L^niversity, Judge Brown, 
who had acquired considerable financial re- 
sources, was one of its most steadfast sup- 
porters, and became security for many of 
the loans negotiated to tide it over the emer- 
gencies in its early history. The land in 
that vicinity which he purchased early in the 
'sixties in anticipation of the future devel- 



opment of his educational project, was dis- 
posed of by him in such a manner as to 
promote the best interests of the city of 
Evanston, and to him is largely attributable 
the reputation which Evanston now enjoys 
as a center of material elegance, intellectual 
culture, and sound moral sentiment. 

Mr. Brown was married to Abigail Mc- 
Tagg, who survives her husband, as do also 
their son and daughter, Robert P. Brown, 
and Mrs. W. A. S. Graham. His death, as 
the result of an attack of grip, occurred at 
liis home in Evanston early in the year 1906. 



PETER CHRISTIAN LUTKIN. 

Peter Christian Lutkin, whose career in 
technical music during the twenty-five years 
which have passed since his first connection 
with Northwestern University, has given 
him a high reputation throughout the West 
as a master of that art, is a native of Wis- 
consin, born at Thompsonville, in the vicin- 
ity of Racine, that State, March 27, 1858. 
His father and mother, who were of Danish 
nativity, came to the LInited States in 1844. 
In 1859, they moved from the small village 
where their son Peter was born to Racine, 
and thence, in 1863, to Chicago, where they 
spent the remainder of their lives. Both 
died in 1872. 

Before the death of his parents, the sub- 
ject of this sketch had made diligent use of 
the opportunities for mental training af- 
forded by the Chicago public schools, and 
had been for one year a pupil in a select 
school in that city. On being left an or- 
phan when just entering upon his 'teens, 
further attendance at school became impos- 
sible. He had gained some experience, 
however, at an earlier age, as boy-alto in 
the choir of the Cathedral of SS. Peter and 
Paul, in Chicago. He was the first boy to 
sustain that part in the church choirs of the 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



567 



city, as he was also the first one of his age 
in this section of the country to render solos 
in oratorio music. He was then nine years 
old, and three years later, without previous 
tuition, he presided at the cathedral organ 
during the regular daily services. At the 
age of thirteen years, in conjunction with 
W. F. Whitehouse, a son of Bishop White- 
house, he played that instrument in the 
cathedral on occasions of Sunday worship. 
He was then appointed organist of the ca- 
thedral when fourteen years old, and acted 
in that capacity for nine years. During this 
period he had studied with Clarence Eddy, 
Regina Watson and Frederick Grant Glea- 
son in organ, piano, and the theory of music, 
respectively. 

On going to Europe in 1881, Mr. Lutkin 
became a pupil of .August Haupt, Oscar 
Raif and Waldemar Bargiel, in Berlin, in 
the respective branches of organ, piano and 
composition. In 1882 he took a course in 
the Hochschule, in that city, and was one of 
the sixteen students (he being the only for- 
eigner) accepted for the study of theory and 
composition in the Royal Academy of Arts, 
Berlin. Later he went to Vienna, where he 
attended the piano classes of Theodor 
Leschetitzky ; and subsequently visited 
Paris, there becoming a pupil of Moszkows- 
ky, in piano and composition. ]\Ir. Lutkin 
then returned home and received the ap- 
pointment of organist and choirmaster of 
St! Clement's Church, in Chicago. From 
1890 to 1896, he acted in the capacity of 
organist of St. James' Episcopal Church, in 
the same city, which established the stand- 
ard for ecclesiastical music in this section 
of the country. 

Before entering upon his studies in Eu- 
rope, Professor Lutkin had been a teacher 
of piano in the Conservatory of Music in 
Evanston, and after his return to this coun- 
try, he was for a considerable period the 



principal theory teacher in the American 
Conservatory of Music in Chicago. In 
1 891, while temporarily retaining his con- 
nection with the latter institution, he was 
placed in charge of the Conservatory, to 
which he devoted a portion of his time, re- 
organizing the school and soon uplifting it 
from a state of deterioration to a condition 
of high efficiency and prosperity. In 1892 
Professor Lutkin resigned his position in 
the American Conservatory, and was for- 
mally appointed Director of the Depart- 
ment of Music of Northwestern University 
and Professor of Music in the College of 
Liberal Arts. Five years later the progress 
of the Department warranted its reorganiza- 
tion as a separate School of the University, 
with Professor Lutkin as Dean of the new 
faculty. He was one of the organizers of 
the LTniversity Club, and received the degree 
of Mus. D. from Syracuse LTniversity in 
1901. 

The Evanston Musical Club was organ- 
ized by Professor Lutkin during the 'nine- 
ties, and he has acted as its director since 
1895. He was director as well of the Ra- 
venswood Musical Club from 1897 to 1905. 
and that society made signal progress under 
his leadership. These two organizations 
were awarded $4,500 in prizes, during com- 
petitions held at the Louisiana Purchase 
Exposition at St. Louis in 1904. Professor 
Lutkin is the composer of music to a con- 
siderable extent for use in the worship of 
the Episcopal Church, to which denomina- 
tion he belongs, and some of his composi- 
tions are used in the services of the Estab- 
lished Church of England. Although an 
Episcopalian, he was chosen as one of the 
two musical editors engaged on the revision 
of the hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, a fact which notably attests the 
rank generally conceded to him in the musi- 
cal profession. 



568 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



CHESTER P. WALCOTT. 

Chester P. Walcott (deceased), for a 
number of years one of the most worthy, 
useful and highly esteemed citizens of 
Evanston, 111., was born in Providence. R. 
I., November 24, 1859, the son of Erastus 
L. and Harriet (Pratt) Walcott. Mr. 
Walcott was reared in his native place, 
where, in early youth, he made diligent use 
of the opportunities afiforded by the public 
schools. In 1876, he located in Chicago, 
and sometime afterwards became connected 
with the business of dealing in plumbers' 
supplies. For many years, in partnership 
with Mr. Hurlbut, he carried on a large 
business under the firm style of Walcott, 
Hurlbut & Co., being identified with the 
trade in this line until the time of his death, 
which occurred April 25, 1899. He had es- 
tablished his residence in Evanston in the 
spring of 189 1, and there passed away at 
his home. No. 11 14, Judson Avenue. Al- 
though a quiet, undemonstrative man, Mr. 
Walcott was energetic in the conduct of his 
afifairs, in which he manifested superior 
business capability and won merited success. 

October 2-]. 1881, Mr. Walcott was unit- 
ed in marriage, at the Fourth Presbyterian 
Church in Chicago, with Martha C. Howe, 
a daughter of Samuel Howe, one of the 
pioneer grain merchants of that city. The 
children born of this union are : Chester H. 
Walcott, who graduated from Princeton 
University with the class of 1905 ; and Rus- 
sell S. Walcott, who is a high school student 
in Evanston. Mr. Walcott was reared an 
Episcopalian, but after his marriage united 
with the Presbyterian Church, to which de- 
nomination his wife belonged and with 
which she is still connected. On settling 
in Evanston he became a member of the 
First Presbyterian Church, and took a 
prominent part in promoting its welfare. 
He was a member of the Board of Trustees 



and of its building committee. He was also 
a member of the committee which extended 
the call to the Rev. Dr. Boyd to become 
pastor of the church, in which relation that 
gentleman still officiates. 

Socially, Mr. Walcott was identified with 
the Evanston Club. He had a wide ac- 
quaintance, and his genial nature, kindly de- 
portment and helpful disposition, attracted 
to him hosts of friends. By those who 
were brought into intimate contact with him 
in the daily walks of life, he was regarded 
with warm afifection, and his unswerving 
probity and sterling traits of character 
commanded the sincere respect of all with 
whom he had business transactions. 



COL. NATHAN H. WALWORTH. 

Col. Nathan H. Walworth (deceased), 
formerly one of the most prominent, popu- 
lar and widely known citizens of Evanston, 
111., was born in Western (now Rome), 
Oneida County, N. Y., February 14, 1832, 
the son of Elisha and Sarah (Halbert) 
Walworth, natives of New York State. 
Elisha Walworth was a farmer and manu- 
facturer by occupation. The Walworth 
family was one of the oldest and most noted 
in the Empire State, and among its most 
distinguished representatives was the emi- 
nent jurist. Chancellor Walworth. 

The boyhood of Nathan H. Walworth 
was passed on the paternal farm in the Mo- 
hawk Valley, and he received his primary 
training in the public schools in the vicinity 
of his home. His education was completed 
at Rome Academy and in Cazenovia Semi- 
nary. He remained on the farm during his 
youth and, when about twenty-two years 
of age, after finishing his studies, he came 
west to Fulton County. 111., where he oper- 
ated a large farm in 1855 and 1856. At a 
later period he went to Oneida, Knox Coun- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



569 



ty, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits. 
In Oneida he was prominent both as a mer- 
chant and as a citizen, serving as Supervisor 
of his town, and filHng other positions of 
trust and responsibility. While in New 
York, Col. Wadsworth had some experience 
as Captain of Artillery, in the National 
Guard of that State, and in the early sum- 
mer of 1861, organized a company of infan- 
try for service in the Union Army. This 
company became a part of the Forty-second 
Regiment, Illinois \'olunteer Infantry, in 
which he was commissioned as Captain July 
22, 1861. In December of that year he was 
promoted as Major, and in October, 1862, 
became Lieutenant Colonel. On February 
15, 1863, he was promoted to the Colonelcy 
and was constantly in command of his reg- 
iment from the time he became Major until 
J\lay 15, 1864, when he resigned. At the 
battles of Chickamauga and Mission Ridge 
he commanded a brigade. His services in 
the field began under Fremont and Hunter 
in Missouri. In February, 1862, he was 
sent to reinforce Grant at Fort Donelson, 
and was then ordered down the Mississippi 
River to Island No. 10. There he con- 
ceived the idea of surprising the Confeder- 
ate water battery, located above the bend of 
the river. His suggestion was carried out 
by Col Roberts in the famous exploit of 
April I, 1862, in which the guns of the bat- 
tery were spiked, and our gunboats ran the 
gauntlet at the island, cutting ofif the retreat 
of the Confederates and compelling them to 
surrender. The regiment was later engaged 
in the siege of Nashville, and became part 
of the Army of the Cumberland. Col. Wal- 
worth was a close personal friend of Gen. 
Sheridan, who relied much on his military 
judgment. 

After leaving the army, Col. Walworth 
returned to Oneida, 111., where he became 
a stock breeder in that vicinity, and operated 
a lumber vard in the town, which he con- 



ducted until 1868. In that year he located 
in Chicago with C. H. Conger, and was 
largely interested in the firm of Conger, 
Walworth & Co., lumber dealers. About 
the same time the firm purchased the busi- 
ness of Roberts, Calkins & Hull, and Col. 
Walworth having bought the Conger inter- 
est, the firm became Bushnell, Walworth & 
Reed in 1871. In 1875 the company 
engaged in the manufacture of lumber 
at Cedar Springs, Mich., and also estab- 
lished lumber yards, drying kilns, etc., at 
that place, where it conducted business un- 
til 1880. The Chicago yard was sold in 
1876, and Mr. Bushnell withdrew from the 
firm. Mr. Reed became President and the 
concern carried on a retail lumber business 
at a dozen or more points in Nebraska, 
having a trade in the aggregate of 30,- 
000,000 feet of lumber per year. The firm 
abandoned the lumber business in 1889, 
but Col. Walworth and Mr. Reed contin- 
ued together in the real estate line until the 
death of the former, at his home in Evans- 
ton, October 29, 1892. They were also the 
owners of large live-stock interests, opera- 
ting an extensive ranch at Holdredge, Neb. 
as the Holdredge Live Stock Company. 
Besides these interests, they owned mills 
at Muskegon, Mich., which the firm had 
bought in 187 1 and continued to operate 
until 1885, when they moved to Minneapo- 
lis. In 1880 the firm sold a half-interest in 
the Cedar Springs plant, and moved the 
business to Montague, Mich., and in 1884, 
the Walworth & Reed Lumber Company 
was incorporated, with Col. Walworth as 
President. 

In 1855, at Delta, N. Y., Col. Walworth 
was united in marriage with Adelia E. 
Cornish, who was a native of New York 
and a daughter of Hosea Cornish of that 
town. Mrs. Walworth is the only surviv- 
ing member of the family, although she 
and her husband cared for and educated 



570 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



several children. Politically, Col. Wadworth 
was an earnest supporter of the principles 
of the Republican party. Socially, he was 
a prominent member of the Loyal Legion ; 
the Union League' and Evanston Clubs ; 
and the George H. Thomas Post, G. A. R. 
His religious connection was with the Con- 
gregational Church. Throughout his ac- 
tive career, the strain of his varied and ex- 
tensive business responsibilities was inces- 
sant and severe, and he found it necessary, 
in 1888-89, to indulge in a vacation for the 
benefit of his health, spending the period 
in European travel. 

It was the nature of Col. Walworth to 
be kindly and helpful, and his friends 
loved him as few men are loved. He was 
ever charitable and took special interest in 
assisting young men. He was steadfast in 
friendship and devoted to his old comrades 
in arms. His home life was ideal, and his 
intercourse with his wide acquaintance was 
befitting the character of a brave soldier 
and chivalrous gentleman. 



RICHARD CONOVER LAKE. 

Richard C. Lake, retired, Evanston, 
111., was born in Montour County, Pa., 
July 20, 1846, the son of James and Han- 
nah (Dey) Lake, natives of the State of 
Pennsylvania. Mr. Lake is most fortunate 
in his ancestry. On the paternal side, he 
is a descendant of John Lake, one of the 
Lady Deborah Moody party who consti- 
tuted the first English settlement on Long 
Island in 1643; the line of descent being 
from John through Daniel, John, Richard, 
Benjamin and James to Richard C. On the 
maternal side, the Dey family are Holland 
Dutch, and were among the first emigrants 
to land in New Amsterdam, now New 
York City. Dey Street is named for this 
family. Thus it will be seen that through 



descent, both maternal and paternal, as well 
as by collateral lines, the subject of this 
sketch is related to many of the most prom- 
inent and distinguished families known to 
American history, among them being the 
Randolphs, Harrisons, Berkleys, etc. 

James Lake, the father of Richard C, 
was a well-known agriculturist, who at the 
time of his decease was an associate Judge 
in the County of Columbia, State of Penn- 
sylvania. Richard C. received a common 
school education, which has been supple- 
mented by study in later years. Until he 
was twelve years of age, his youth was 
spent upon a farm. He then went to 
Espy, Columbia County, Pa., where he 
was employed by a mercantile house until 
his seventeenth year, when, in company 
with some older brothers, he removed to 
Central City, Colo. There he went to work 
for a mercantile firm, later becoming a 
partner in the concern. In 1877 he dis- 
posed of his interest and embarked once 
more on the mercantile sea in Deadwood, 
S. D. A little later he engaged in the bank- 
ing business in that city, and in 1879 was 
elected President of the First National 
Bank. For twenty years thereafter he con- 
tinued in this business, becoming President 
of the First National Bank of Rapid City, 
S. D., in 1884, and later President of a bank 
in Hot Springs, S. D., and another at Chad- 
ron. Neb. 

On September 14, 1871, Mr. Lake was 
married to Mary, daughter of John R. Ran- 
dolph of Providence, R. I., whose father 
was a cousin of the celebrated John Ran- 
dolph of Roanoake. Mr. and Mrs. Lake 
were the parents of six children: Jessie, 
Amy (now Mrs. Walter G. Pietsch), Rich- 
ard Randolph, Margaret, George Ernest 
(now a midshipman in the U. S. Navy), 
and Gertrude. In 1893, the family removed 
to Evanston, 111., where Mrs. Lake died 
September 14, 1894. Shortly after coming 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



571 



to Illinois, Mr. Lake disposed of his bank- 
ing interests in the West, but was made 
\'ice-President of the Union National 
Bank of Chicago, which relation he con- 
tinued to occupy for nearly two years, 
when, having been elected President of 
the Masonic Fraternity Temple Associa- 
tion, and being a large stockholder therein, 
he resigned the vice-presidency of the 
bank and took personal charge of the Ma- 
sonic Temple Building. For two years 
thereafter — or until the building was 
placed on a dividend-paying basis — he held 
this position. He then resigned, and since 
that time has devoted his attention exclu- 
sively to his private business affairs, most 
important among which may be mentioned 
the Range Cattle Industry in South Dakota 
and Texas, a business in which, for the 
past twenty years, he has been interested 
to a greater or less extent. 

On February 9, 1899, Mr. Lake was 
united to Helen M. Kitchell. daughter of 
Mrs. E. E. Willis, of Evanston, 111., but 
there is no living issue from this marriage. 
In his political affiliations, Mr. Lake is a Re- 
publican. He is a thirty-second degree Ma- 
son, and has filled nearly every position in the 
order. He is a member of the Union 
League Club of Chicago, the Glenview Golf 
Club, the Evanston Club, and the Country 
Club of Evanston. He is likewise a Direct- 
or of the Evanston Free Public Library, 
and a member of the School Board of that 
city. He and his family are members of the 
Episcopal Church. 



EDWARD W. LEARNED. 

Edward W. Learned, a prominent resi- 
dent of Evanston, 111., since 1865, was born 
in the town of Homer, Cortland County. 
N. Y., April 30, 1823. His parents were 
Edward W. and Polly (Briggs) Learned. 



Edward W. Learned, Sr., was a farmer by 
occupation and the son was reared in the 
neighborhood made famous in the story 
of David Harum. Here he enjoyed the 
educational advantages of the common 
schools of Homer and Solon, and after a 
course in the Cortland Academy at Homer, 
in his early manhood engaged in teaching. 
He came west in 1845, locating at Racine, 
Wis., on June 5, of that year. His elder 
brother had come to this section the year 
before, and he took a tramp beyond Rock 
River to visit some old New York friends. 
There he hired out to a farmer who lived 
near what was then Southport, but is now 
Kenosha. He worked there at $12.50 per 
month, taught school the following winter 
and. when the term was over, went to Port 
Washington, where he and his brother en- 
tered government land, receiving a deed 
therefor from President James K. Polk. 
Mr. Learned still owns this farm. 

Except for a period of six years spent in 
California, Air. Learned remained in Wis- 
consin, engaged in building and farming, 
for twenty-one years. He went to Califor- 
nia in 185 1, sailing from New York and 
rounding Cape Horn. The voyage from 
New York to San Francisco consumed 155 
days, and during this period thirteen bur- 
ials at sea and ten cases of yellow-fever 
came under his observation. He was en- 
gaged in the building line in San Francis- 
co and Sacramento five years, was connect- 
ed with the Vigilantes, and made money 
rapidly. In 1857 he returned from Cali- 
fornia, via the Isthmus of Panama, and re- 
turned to Port Washington where he re- 
sumed building and continued in this line 
until 1866, when he came to Evanston. 
Here he was actively engaged in building 
operations until he retired from business. 
Prior to his removal to Evanston (in 1865) 
he built the second brick residence in Ev- 
anston. He put up several buildings for 



572 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



himself, and made judicious investments 
in real estate. He also conducted a grocery 
in Evanston for a time, and, by diligent ef- 
fort, secured a competency for old age. 

In 1857. Mr. Learned was married in 
Homer, X. Y., to Carrie M. Shuler, a 
daughter of Jacob Shuler, of that place. 
Their only child was Ella Elizabeth 
(Learned) Betts, who died in 1884, leaving 
an infant son, who died seven weeks later. 
Politically, Mr. Learned is a Republican. 
He served one term of four years as Jus- 
tice of the Peace, and was also a member of 
the city auditing board. His religious con- 
nection is with the First Methodist Church. 



JOHN R. VAN ARSDALE. 

John R. Van Arsdale (deceased), for 
eighteen years one of the most favorably 
known citizens of Evanston, 111., was born 
in New Brunswick, N. J., Alarch 10, 1824, 
and was reared in his native place, where he 
received his early training in the public 
schools, and where he also gained his first 
business experience. In 1869 he moved 
west to Illinois, and locating in Chicago, 
was first engaged in the manufacture of 
wall paper, as a member of the firm of M. 
A. Howell & Company. From 1870 to 
1872, he was a grain commission merchant 
and an operator on the Chicago Board of 
Trade. In 1873. he became connected with 
the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Com- 
pany of Chicago, of which, in 1876, he was 
appointed cashier. This position he filled 
until the time of his death, which occurred 
February 15, 1890. He passed away at 
his residence on Ridge Avenue, Evanston, 
where he had established his home in 
1872. During the seventeen vears of his 
connection with the above-mentioned com- 
pany, he was largely instrumental in ad- 



vancing its interests to a high degree of 
prosperity. 

In 1857, Mr. Van Arsdale was united in 
marriage with Mary E. Tannehill, of 
Brooklyn, N. Y.. and their union resulted 
in the following named children : Robert 
T., a resident of New Brunswick, N. J. ; 
William T., who is engaged in business in 
Chicago, and maintains his residence in 
Evanston ; John R., Jr., who is also a busi- 
ness man of Chicago and lives in Evans- 
ton ; Isabella (Mrs. Sutphen) of Brooklyn, 
N. Y., and Mary, whose home is in Evans- 
ton. In his religious associations Mr. Van 
Arsdale was an attendant upon the services 
of the Presbyterian Church. He was a 
man of excellent traits of character, superi- 
or business capacity and scrupulous integ- 
rity, and enjoyed the sincere respect and 
unreserved confidence of all who made his 
acquaintance. 



LUCIUS A. TROWBRIDGE. 

Lucius A. Trowbridge, a well-known 
banker of Chicago, and prominent resident 
of Evanston, 111., was born in Danbury, 
Fairfield County, Conn., April 10, 1847, 
the son of Matthew Thomas and Agnes K. 
(Sherman) Trowbridge, who moved from 
Connecticut to Illinois in 1861, settling in 
Rockford, where the former passed the re- 
mainder of his life, dying in KJ03. Both the 
Trowbridge and Sherman families are of 
old New England stock. Lucius A. re- 
ceived his early education in the public 
and high schools of Rockford, 111., and, 
after finishing his studies, was employed for 
two years as a clerk in the "County Book 
Store," in that city. In 1863, he became 
bookkecj^er in the private bank of Spaf- 
ford & Penfield, and during the same year 
this bank became the Third National Bank 



I 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



573 



of Rockford. Mr. Trowbridge remained 
with it in various capacities for twenty- 
seven years. He was successively book- 
keeper, teller, assistant cashier and cashier, 
and for several years, was also a director, 
and one of the principal stockholders. In 
1891, he resigned his position as cashier, 
in order to engage in private banking in 
Chicago, and, in 1893, founded the private 
banking house of Lucius A. Trowbridge. 
This was succeeded by the corporation of 
Trowbridge & Co., in 1895, with Mr. Trow- 
bridge as President and D. R. Niver as 
Secretary. In 1900 the corporate name was 
changed to that of The Trowbridge & Niv- 
er Co., and the house has been, and still is, 
largely engaged in the purchase and sale 
of high-grade municipal and corporation 
bonds. From the outset its main offices 
have been located in the First National 
Bank Building, in Chicago, while a branch 
office is maintained in Boston. In late years, 
the bonds owned and ofifered to the public 
by The Trowbridge & Niver Company 
have aggregated millions of dollars annual- 
ly. Mr. Trowbridge is also largely inter- 
ested in the Twin City Telephone Company, 
of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., on be- 
half of his firm. He is a man of keen per- 
ception and excellent business judgment. 
On June 9, 1881, Mr. Trowbridge wa.s 
united in marriage with Carolyn Frances 
Cobb, a daughter of George Cobb, whose 
early home was at Sauquoit. X. Y. Mr. and 
Mrs. Trowbridge have three daughters, 
namely : Alice, Jessie and Carolyn. Relig- 
iously, Mr. Trowbridge has been for manv 
years a prominent and active member of the 
Baptist Church. He is widely known 
throughout the State of Illinois as a Sun- 
day School worker and, in 1883. was Presi- 
dent of the Illinois State Sunday School 
.■\ssociation. He is also active in the work 
of the Y. M. C; A., and was chairman of 
the Illinois State Executive Committee of 



that organization from 1891 to 1895. He 
is still a member of the advisory committee 
of the association. Mr. Trowbridge estab- 
lished his home in Evanston in 1902. and is 
there held in high esteem. 



DORR AUGUSTINE KIMBALL. 

Dorr A. Kimball ( deceased), who 
was for many years one of the most 
prominent and widely known business men 
of Chicago, was born in Dexter, Jefferson 
County, N. Y., June 4, 1849, the son of 
John B. and Louisa (Ryder) Kimball. His 
father was a shoe manufacturer and a Jus- 
tice of the Peace in New York State, and 
in political sentiment a zealous Free-Soiler, 
deeply interested in the abolition movement 
anrl the operations of the "Underground 
Railroad," and while living near Sackett's 
Harbor, frequently aided fugitive slaves to 
secure their freedom by escaping to Cana- 
da. Later he was a supporter of the Gov- 
ernment in the war for the preservation of 
the Union, assisting in the organization of 
troops for the suppression of the rebellion. 
Oa the maternal side, the Ryders were an 
old family of New York State, engaged in 
agriculture. 

The subject of this sketch received his 
education in the public schools, and when 
about fifteen years of age obtained a clerk- 
ship in a store at Watertown. X. Y., where 
he remained a year when, in 1865, he came 
to Chicago and found employment as office 
boy with Fox & Howard, dredgers and con- 
tractors, continuing in this business until 
1874. He then accepted a position as cash- 
ier with Marshall Field & Co.. which he 
soon exchanged for a position at the head 
of the general credit department of the 
same firm, retaining the latter position for 
the rest of his life, covering a period of 
nearly thirty vears. His long connection 



574 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



with the most important department in 
this extensive concern indicates the estima- 
tion in which he was held as a business 
man. Gifted with a retentive memory which 
enabled him promptly to recall faces and 
events, his judgment and integrity were im- 
plicity trusted, and seldom, if ever, at fault. 
Soon after coming to Chicago, Mr. Kim- 
ball became a member of the New England 
Congregational Church, but after moving 
to Evanston in 1876, transferred his mem- 
bership to the First Congregational Church 
of that city, with which he remained identi- 
fied up to the date of his decease. Although 
not a member of any secret society, he was 
identified with several social organizations, 
including the Evanston Club, the Evanston 
Country Club, besides various literary or- 
ganizations, being Vice-President of the 
first named during the last year of his life. 
He was also one of the founders and most 
active supporters of the Home for Incura- 
bles, in connection with which he served as 
a Director from its establishment, was a 
member of the Evanston High School 
Board, a Director of the Evanston Hospital 
and, for several terms, a Trustee of the 
First Congregational Church. He was es- 
pecially interested in the welfare and happi- 
ness of the children — the boys and girls — of 
his home city, and on his holidays was ac- 
customed to lead a bicycle club of little 
girls about the city and adjoining country, 
ending the trip with an entertainment at a 
soda-fountain or an ice-cream parlor. The 
affection in which he was held by the 
younger class was one of the highest trib- 
utes that could be paid to his character, and 
affords his friends a pleasant memory of 
his many admirable qualities of mind and 
heart. In politics he was a Republican. 

Mr. Kimball was united in marriage in 
the city of Chicago, April 24, 187 1, to Miss 
Susie Woodford, daughter of Orin F. and 
Mary A. (Merrill) Woodford — both 



branches of Mrs. Kimball's family being de- 
scended from old prominent New England 
families. To Mr. and Mrs. Kimball were 
born three sons and three daughters, of 
whom two sons — Harlow M. and Dorr 
Edwin — and one daughter — Ruth Merrill 
— are now living. Of the other three chil- 
dren, two died in infancy, and the oldest 
born, Leonice Woodford, in 1900, at the 
age of twenty-six years. 

Mr. Kimball's death occurred suddenly 
on May 20, 1903, at the Sanitarium at Lake 
Geneva, Wis., whither he had gone for 
treatment for a nervous affection, and was 
deeplv deplored by a large circle of friends 
both in Evanston and Chicago who had 
learned to appreciate his high business in- 
tegrity and his many admirable traits of 
character. His decease called forth many 
tributes to his memory. 

It may be said of him that his fidelity and 
his honesty were never questioned. He was 
one of the most faithful and trustworthy of 
citizens in every relation of life. His de- 
portment in all the relations of life was of 
the highest, and he was interested in every- 
thing that would tend to the betterment of 
the community — spending freely of his 
means, his time and his labor for the up- 
building of his home city and the promo- 
tion of the public good. 



LEWIS CASS TALLMADGE. 

Lewis Cass Tallmadge, for many years 
one of the most prominent and favorably 
known citizens of Evanston, 111., was born 
in Springfield, Mass., January 23, 1842, son 
of Marcus M. and .\bigail (Andrews) 
Tallmadge. Marcus M. Tallmadge was a 
man of independent fortune. In politics, he 
was a prominent Democrat and an intimate 
friend of Andrew Jackson. In religion he 
was a leading Episcopal churchman. Gen. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



575 



Benjamin Tallmadge, the grandfather, was 
a member of Washington's staff. Marcus 
A. Talhnadge moved with his family, at an 
early period, from Springfield, Mass., to 
East Granby, Conn., where he made his 
home for many years. He had a son and 
daughter, who were respectively named 
after Andrew and Rachael Jackson. The 
old family homestead was destroyed by fire 
in October, 1905, and with it were con- 
sumed many Revolutionary and other his- 
torical relics and family treasures. Among 
these were miniature portraits, on ivory, of 
General and Rachael Jackson, presented to 
their namesakes. 

The Tallmadge family in New England 
was descended from James Tallmadge.' 
who, with his son Robert, came from Hol- 
land to Boston in 1630. They moved to 
Connecticut in 1639, and were original 
grantees of lots in the town of New Haven. 
Many of the Tallmadge family participated 
in the Revolutionary War, and some of its 
representatives have, in later times, become 
distinguished in professional careers, 
among them, Rev. T. DeWitt Tallmadge, 
the noted pulpit orator. 

Lewis Cass Tallmadge received his early 
education in the public schools of New 
Haven, Conn., relinquishing his studies at 
the age of seventeen years in order to enlist 
in the Union Army, where he served in a 
Connecticut regiment. After the war was 
over, he went to Washington, D. C, where 
he obtained a position in the War Depart- 
ment, and at the same time studied law. At 
a later period, he engaged in the business 
of adjusting naval claims, which he fol- 
lowed to a considerable extent during a 
residence of twenty years in Washington 
and thereafter. He was also interested in 
real estate operations, the building of tele- 
phone lines and various other enterprises. 
In 1881, Mr. Tallmadge located in Chicago, 
soon afterwards removing to Evanston, 



where he resided until the time of his 
death, which occurred in Chicago, October 
16, 1902. 

In 1874, the subject of this sketch was 
united in marriage, in the city of New 
York, with Mary Eliza Eddy, a daughter 
of Rev. Dr. Thomas M. Eddy, then Secre- 
tary of the Board of Missions of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, and widely known 
in that connection. Dr. Eddy had 
previously held the position of editor 
of the "Northwestern Christian Advo- 
cate," in Chicago, and from Chicago went 
to Baltimore, where he became pastor of 
the old Charles Street Church, and after- 
wards built the beautiful Mt. Vernon 
Place church, and served as its pastor. 
Still later, he was pastor of the Metropoli- 
tan Methodist Episcopal Church in Wash- 
ington, D. C, from which he went to 
New York, and died there while serv- 
ing as Secretary of the Board of Mis- 
sions of his denomination. He was one of 
the most eminent ministers of the Meth- 
odist Church, noted alike for eloquence in 
the pulpit and rare executive ability in the 
conduct of church affairs. Mr. and Mrs. 
Tallmadge became the parents of two chil- 
dren, namely : Thomas Eddy Tallmadge, 
of Chicago, and Abbie Louise Tallmadge, 
of Evanston. 

Politically Mr. Tallmadge was a support- 
er of the Republican party. He enjoyed a 
wide acquaintance with public men, and 
personally knew every President of the 
L'nited States, from Grant to McKinley, 
inclusive. In religion, he was reared an 
Episcopalian, but became a Methodist while 
in Washington, and was a communicant of 
the First Methodist Episcopal Church, of 
Evanston. Socially, he was a member of 
the Evanston and Country Clubs ; the John 
A. Logan Post, G. A. R. ; and the Sons of 
the .American Revolution. 



576 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



GEORGE ALBERT COE, A. M., PH. D. 

George Albert Coe, John Evans Profes- 
sor of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy, 
Northwestern University, Evanston, 111., 
was born March 26, 1862, at Mendon, N. 
Y., son of the late Rev. George W. Coe, 
for about forty years a minister of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. The Coe an- 
cestrv is English. The first member of this 
family to emigrate to America came to 
Boston in the ship Francis in 1654. The 
ancestry on the side of the mother (Harriet 
\'an Voorhis) was Dutch, the first \'an 
Voorhis ancestor in this country, coming 
from Holland to the Hudson River region 
in the year 1670. 

Mr. Coe graduated with degree of A. B., 
from the University of Rochester, N. Y., in 
1884, subsequently receiving the degree of 
A. M. from the same university. In 1887, 
after three years' study at Boston Univer- 
sitv, he received from that institution the 
degree of S. T. B., thereafter remaining 
at the University for another year of 
graduate study. On September 3, 1888, he 
was united in marriage to Sadie E. Know- 
land, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph 
Knowland, of Alameda, Cal., and during 
the next two years (1888-90) was a pro- 
fessor in the University of Southern Cali- 
fornia at Los Angeles. Then, having been 
appointed Jacob Sleeper Traveling Fellow 
of Boston University, he spent one year 
(1890-01) studying at the University of 
Berlin. In 189 1 he received the degree of 
Ph. D. from Boston University, and the 
same year was appointed Acting Professor 
of Philosophy at Northwestern University, 
two years later being appointed the John 
Evans Professor of Moral and Intellectual 
Philosophy in that institution, which he 
stilj retains. Professor Coe has published 
numerous articles in psychological and 
theological journals, and is a member of the 



American Psychological Association, the 
American Philosophical Association, and 
the American Association for the Advance- 
ment of Science. He is the author of the 
following works: "The Spiritual Life" 
(N. Y., 1900) ; "The Religion of a Mature 
Mind" (Chicago, 1902) ; "Education in Re- 
ligion and Morals" (Chicago, 1904). He 
has also delivered numerous popular lectures 
on educational topics. In 1900 he was Lec- 
turer on the Psychology of Religion at Bos- 
ton University School of Theology, and 
in i(;02, and again in 1903, gave courses of 
lectures at the summer sessions of the Har- 
vard Divinity School on The Psychology of 
Religion and Religious Education, respect- 
ively. Professor Coe is a member of the 
First Methodist Church of Evanston. 



SADIE KNOWLAND COE. 

Sadie Knowland Coe, late Professor of 
Piano and History of Music, Northwestern 
University School of Music, Evanston, 111., 
was born in San Francisco, Cal. in 1864, 
the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph 
Knowland, was educated in the public 
schools and the high school of Alameda, 
Cal., and studied piano with Ernst Hart- 
mann of San Francisco, and still later with 
Carl Baermann and J. W. Tufts, of Boston, 
On September 3, 1888, she was married to 
George Albert Coe, a Professor in the Uni- 
versity of Southern California at Los An- 
geles. During the academic year 1889-90, 
she was in charge of the piano department 
of the University of Southern California, 
and for the next three years studied music 
in Germany — taking instruction in piano 
music with Heinrich Barth and Moritz 
Moskowski, Theory and Composition with 
Reinhold Succo, and Ensemble Playing 
with Waldemar Bargiel. 

Mrs. Coe came to Evanston in 1893 and 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



577 



started a class for private instruction of 
pupils in piano music, but was invited into 
the faculty of the University School of Mu- 
sic as Instructor of Piano, with which she 
was connected eleven years. Besides teach- 
ing piano, she developed a popular depart- 
ment of the History of Music, gave numer- 
ous recitals, and appeared often with the 
string quartette, repeatedly bringing out 
new compositions, or those heard here for 
the first time. In 1901 she was advanced 
in rank to Professor, which she resigned in 
1905 in order to establish a private school. 
She was under appointment as Lecturer 
on Musical Aesthetics in the College of 
Liberal Arts at the time of her death, 
which resulted from cancer, at San Fran- 
cisco, Cal., August 24, 1905. 

Mrs. Coe was exceedingly active in pro- 
moting tnusic as a means of popular cult- 
ure. For some four years she took the lead 
in the music work of the Evanston Wom- 
an's Club, conducting or organizing each 
year a course of educational programs and 
recitals. In the meantime she gave numer- 
ous lecture recitals in Evanston and else- 
where. Her leading topics were historical, 
such as Primitive Music, Music of the 
American Indians, and the several music- 
dramas of Richard Wagner. 

A few days before her death there ap- 
peared from the press of the Clayton F. 
Summy Company, her "Melodrama of Hi- 
awatha" for speaking voice and piano, the 
text being from Longfellow's poem, and the 
music being based upon genuine Indian 
themes. This composition has been given 
repeatedly in Evanston, and a number of 
times in other cities. It has proved itself 
possessed of great beauty and emotional 
power. Besides being a brilliant player and 
an able teacher and lecturer, Mrs. Coe was 
possessed of rare executive ability, intellect- 
uality and social power. Adhering to the 
same faith as her husband, Prof. George 



A. Coe, she was a member of the First 
Methodist Church of Evanston. 



ALANSON SWEET. 

Alanson Sweet (deceased), pioneer mer- 
chant and legislator of the Middle West, 
and former well-known citizen of Evans- 
ton, 111., was born in Owasco, Cayuga 
County, N. Y., March 12, 1804, the son of 
Wilbur and Anna (Leach) Sweet. Wilbur 
Sweet was a skilled stoneworker by occu- 
pation, and was also engaged in agricul- 
tural pursuits. His son. Alanson, was 
reared on the paternal farm and trained to 
farming, besides learning the stone-mason's 
trade. On the maternal side he was de- 
scended from Lawrence Leach, of English 
ancestry, who settled in Salem, Mass., 
eleven years after the landing of the Pil- 
grims, and was in the Colonial service un- 
der Governor Winthrop. 

Left a half - orphan by the death of 
his mother in his early childhood, Alanson 
Sweet was thrown upon his own resources 
at the age of fourteen years. He had had 
few advantages of early schooling, but be- 
ing naturally studious, as a result of self- 
training he became a man of broad general 
information. As a youth he had a varied 
experience, an incident of which was his 
service as driver of a canal boat on the Erie 
Canal. When but nineteen years of age 
he was a contractor for stone work, and in 
this connection, held Government contracts. 
In 183 1 he journeyed to Chicago, and was 
at Fort Dearborn at the beginning of the 
Blackhawk War. He was First Lieutenant 
of a company of volunteers raised in Chica- 
go at that time, to aid in checking the rav- 
ages of the Indians, and in this connection 
rendered considerable active service. While 
in Fort Dearborn he saw, for the first time, 
Emily Shaw, who had just arrived in Chi- 



5/8 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



cago from Xew York State, and who, on 
account of the threatened danger, had tak- 
en refuge in the fort. It was a case of love 
at first sight, and, in 1833, they were united 
in wedlock at St. Joseph, Mich. Soon after 
his marriage, Mr. Sweet engaged in build- 
ing and other enterprises in Chicago, and 
was one of the earliest real estate owners 
there. He built the first two-story frame 
house in Chicago, and had the first inclosed 
grounds, comprising a quarter of an acre 
of land at the corner of Clark and Kinzie 
Streets. 

In 1835, believing that on account of 
its fine harbor and other advantages, Mil- 
waukee was destined to become the chief 
city of the lakes, he moved to that place, 
where he acquired large landed interests 
and became a leading man of affairs. For 
thirty-five years thereafter, he was one of 
the foremost citizens of Milwaukee, pos- 
sessed of ample means, conducting e.xten- 
sive enterprises and manifesting great ac- 
tivity in every field of efifort. It was his 
design to build up a new city and commer- 
cial emporium. Mr. Sweet held many po- 
sitions of honor and trust in Milwaukee, 
and was one of the organizers of the Wis- 
consin Territorial and State Governments. 
He served as one of the five members of the 
first Territorial Legislature, and was chief- 
ly instrumental in locating the capital of 
Wisconsin, afterwards named Madison, at 
"Four Lakes." He improved part of the 
harbor of Milwaukee, and constructed a 
number of lighthouses on Lake Michigan 
and Lake Superior. Mr. Sweet was a close 
personal friend of Governor Doty, the first 
Governor of the State, and co-operated with 
him and other noted pioneers in laying the 
foundations of a great commonwealth. For 
many years he was the leading grain mer- 
chant of Milwaukee, owning large eleva- 
tors and handling vast quantities of grain 
annually. 



In the early days, Mr. Sweet was an ar- 
dent champion of water as against railroad 
transportation, and was among the pioneers 
who were unfriendly to railroad enterprises. 
He lived, however, long enough to realize 
how largely the latter have contributed to- 
ward the development of the country. Hav- 
ing met with reverses, Mr. Sweet went to 
Kansas in 1870, beginning the life of a 
farmer again at Arkansas City. After re- 
maining there about six years, he relin- 
quished active efforts and settled in Ev- 
anston, where he passed nearly all his later 
life, dying in Chicago in 1891. His last 
days were spent near the scenes of his earli- 
est labors in Illinois. On the spot which he 
had beheld in all its original barrenness, 
with hardly a human habitation outside of 
Fort Dearborn, he saw a city of more than 
a million people spring into existence al- 
most within a generation. 

The faithful, life-long companion of Mr. 
Sweet passed away in Evanston in 1892, 
and the only surviving members of this 
noted pioneer family are a son and a 
daughter — George O. Sweet, of Chicago, 
and Mrs. Mary (Sweet) Taggart, of Ev- 
anston. 



OSCAR H. MANN. 

Oscar H. Mann, M. D., who has been 
one of the prime factors in the develop- 
ment of Evanston, 111., from a straggling, 
though pretty suburb of Chicago, to a 
handsome city and a seat of wealth and 
culture, was born in Providence, R. I., 
Xovember 24, 1834. His parents, Timo- 
thy M. and Eliza (Tupper) Mann, were 
descended from families conspicuous for 
high mental and moral qualities. Dr. 
Mann's father was a cousin of Horace 
Mann, the famous educator and author, 
and Martin Tupper, the poet, was a mem- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



579 



ber of the family from which the mother 
of the subject of this sketch was derived. 

When Mr. Mann was but a child, his 
father moved to Albany, New York, and 
for several years was engaged in the 
transportation business on the Hudson 
River and the Erie Canal. The son at 
this period attended Whitesboro College, 
Whitesboro, N. Y., and then pursued a 
course of study in the Medical College of 
the University of the City of New York, 
where he received his diploma. Similar 
degrees were also conferred upon him by 
Hahnemann Medical College in Chicago, 
and the Chicago Homoeopathic College. 

In i860 Dr. Mann came West and com- 
menced practicing medicine at Shabbona 
Grove, 111. From 1863 until 1866 he prac- 
ticed in Ottawa, 111., and then settled in 
Evanston, where he soon attained a pro- 
fessional status which ranked him among 
the leading physicians of the State for 
more than thirty years. He has been 
President of the Illinois State Homoeo- 
pathic Association, and has filled other 
positions of honor and trust. Early in 
his career he became interested in pro- 
moting public enterprises and was an 
earnest advocate of honesty and economy 
in municipal government. He bought 
real estate and improved it substantially, 
erecting some years ago what is still one 
of the principal business blocks in the 
city. He served as a member of the Vil- 
lage Board and was the last President of 
that body before the incorporation of Ev- 
anston as a city. He was one of the chief 
organizers of the waterworks system, 
and under his administration the City 
Hall was commenced and completed. The 
annexation of South Evanston to Evans- 
ton was, to a considerable extent, the re- 
sult of his active efforts, in conjunction 
with those of other public-spirited men 
whose sagacity and energy made the city 



what it now is. He became the tirst 
Mayor of the city, and was re-elected to 
that office, serving, in all, three years, and 
organizing the city government in all its 
departments. To him was largel}^ due 
the satisfactory settlement of the tax con- 
troversy between the city and the North- 
western University, the bringing to the 
city of the electric railroad, and the plan- 
ning and beautifying of Fountain Square. 
Shortly after his second term as Mayor 
expired, in 1895, ^^- Maim relinquished 
his medical practice, and moved to a large 
stock and grain ranch, which he owned 
near Pierre, South Dakota, where he re- 
mained eight years, returning to Evans- 
ton in 1903. Beyond the. age of three- 
score and ten years, he is now living in 
retirement, enjoying well earned repose 
and the esteem of all his fellow citizens. 



FRANK HERBERT ANDERSON. 

Frank H. Anderson, a well known citi- 
zen of Evanston, 111., where he is now 
serving as City Treasurer, was born in 
Forest, Ontario, Canada, October 11, 
1866. He is a son of Andrew Sparahock 
and Helen (Jones) Anderson, both of 
whom were natives of the Province of 
Ontario; the former born at Prescott, and 
the latter at Kingston. The occupation of 
Andrew S. Anderson was that of a builder 
and stockman. The subject of this sketch 
received his early mental training in the 
public schools in the vicinity of his birth- 
place, and remained at home until his 
schooling was completed. He then pur- 
sued a course of professional study in the 
Ontario Veterinary College, from which 
he was graduated in 1889, beginning the 
practice of veterinary surgery at Evans- 
ton in the following year. 

On November 29, 1893, ^I"". Anderson 



58o 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



was united in marriage, at Evanston, with 
Anna Margaret Hartray, who was born in 
that city, December 2, 1S70. She was a 
daughter of James Hartray, who is one of 
the earlier settlers of Evanston. Of this 
marriage there were two children, 
namely : Raymond Francis, born Septem- 
ber II, 1804, 'iiifl Ruth Helen, born Jan- 
uary 18, 1898. The mother of these chil- 
dren died March 21, 1899. 

In politics Mr. Anderson is an earnest 
supporter of the Republican party, and is 
active and influential in its local councils. 
He was elected City Treasurer of Evans- 
ton in 1905, and is still the efficient incum- 
bent in that office. He has served in the 
capacity of Assistant State Veterinarian 
of Illinois, since 1900. In fraternal cir- 
cles, the subject of this personal record is 
identified with the A. F. & A. M. Religi- 
ously, he is an adherent of the Episcopal 
faith. He is an intelligent, energetic anil 
popular man, and a public-spirited citizen. 



JAMES MILTON BARNES. 

James Milton Barnes, who is one of the 
most prominent and favorably known citi- 
zens of Evanston. 111., was born at Hope, 
A\'arren County, N. J., December 29, 
1858, the son of Samuel and Sarah Ann 
(Moore) Barnes, who moved from the 
East, in i860, to Rochester, Mich. The 
subject of this sketch received his early 
mental training in the public schools of 
Rochester, Mich., and there his childhood 
years were spent. He then became a pu- 
pil in the Pontiac (Mich.) High School, 
and after graduating from that institu- 
tion, pursued a two years' course of study 
in the University of Michigan, at Ann 
Arbor. Before completing his education. 
Mr. Barnes applied himself to teaching, in 
which occupation he continued four years. 



In 1883 he entered the government serv- 
ice, securing a position in the Ap- 
praiser's office in Chicago, where he re- 
mained five years. After leaving the gov'- 
ernment service, he went into the employ 
of Marshall Field & Co., in Chicago. 
While thus engaged he studied law and 
was admitted to the bar. Subsequently, 
he was made attorney for Marshall Field 
& Co., and at a later period became head 
of the credit and legal departments in that 
establishment, which position he now 
holds. 

On December 25, 1885, Mr. Barnes was 
united in marriage, at Rochester, Mich., 
with May Curtis, who was born near that 
place, October 13, i860. Two children 
have been born of this union, namely: 
Alyrtie Adella, born April 22, 1887; and 
Alice May, born February 10, i88g. In 
politics, Mr. Barnes is a supporter of the 
Republican party, and in religion he ad- 
heres to the faith of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church. His business reputation is 
of the best, and he is regarded in Evans- 
ton as a high-minded and public-spirited 
citizen. 



SARAH H. BRAYTON, M. D. 

Dr. Sarah H. Brayton. a well known 
and highly respected practitioner of medi- 
cine in Evanston, 111., is a native of Car- 
lisle. County of Cumberland, England, 
where she received her elementary educa- 
tion in the grammar schools. Her par- 
ents came to the United States during her 
early girlhood and settled in the State of 
New York, where the daughter grew to 
maturity. As she approached woman- 
hood, she conceived the idea of becoming 
a i)hysician, and intent upon the belief 
that the avenue of her usefulness in life 
lay in this direction, she diligently applied 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



581 



herself to a course of medical study, 
which she continued four years. In 1875 
she received the degree of M. D., and dur- 
ing the same year began the practice of 
her profession in the City of New York. 
In 1876 she was appointed Professor of 
Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the 
Medical College for Women in that city, 
in which she soon attained a high reputa- 
tion. She was also signally successful in 
her practice, which rapidly increased. 
Work in that city, however, proving detri- 
mental to her health, she was obliged to 
relinquish it. While on a visit of recrea- 
tion to the West during a vacation period, 
some of her friends in Evanston urged lier 
to resign her position in New York, which 
she consented to do, and after arranging 
her affairs in the East, settled in Evans- 
ton, and has ever since been profession- 
ally and socially popular in her adopted 
city, where her practice has contmued to 
meet with exceptionally good results. 

Dr. Bray ton has been prominent in many 
important and meritorious public enter- 
prises, especially in securing the erection 
of the hospital building in Evanston, 
which is now one of the most creditable 
features of the town. She is a member 
of the Illinois State Medical Society ; the 
Chicago Medical Society; the American 
Association for the Advancement of 
Science; the American Public Health As- 
sociation ; The Fortnightly of Chicago, 
and the London Lyceum Club. In 1891 
she was appointed a delegate by the Aux- 
iliary Congress of the World's Colum- 
bian Exposition, to the Seventh Interna- 
tional Congress of Hygiene and Demogra- 
phy, held in London, England. In 1893 
she was elected Chairman of the Wom- 
an's Committee of the International Con- 
gress of Public Health, which convened 
with the annual session of the American 



Public Health Association, in Chicago, 
during that year. In later years in ad- 
dition to her large practice. Dr. Brayton 
has devoted much time to the establish- 
ment of a convalescent home for women 
and children in Evanston. She is a mem- 
ber and Secretary of the Evanston Hos- 
pital Staff. 



CHARLES LYMAN \\'AY. 

Charles Lyman Way (deceased), a 
noted expert in iron and steel work, 
whose residence in Evanston, 111., began 
at the time of the great Chicago fire of 
1871, in which he was one of the numer- 
ous sufferers, was born in New Haven, 
Conn., November 7, 1818, the son of Wil- 
liam and Betsy ^Vay, who were natives of 
New England, ^\'illiam \\'ay, the father, 
was an iron-worker l:)y occupation, and 
was the first man in that line of work to 
conceive and carry into eft'ect the idea of 
manufacturing carriage hardware for the 
general trade, thereby obviating the neces- 
sity of making each part as needed. Since 
that time this branch of manufacture has 
grown into vast proportions. \\'illiani 
Way was a man of rare skill as an artisan, 
and was possessed of remarkable energy 
and strong traits of character. In relig- 
ious belief he was a Methodist, and be- 
longed to the First Methodist Church of 
New Haven, Conn., for more than seventy 
3'ears, being a class-leader for about 
sixty years of that period. 

The early mental training of the sub- 
ject of this sketch was obtained in the 
public schools of his native place, and 
after his schooling was over, he was em- 
ployed with his father in tjie iron works, 
until lie ac(|uire(l an intimate knowledge 
of that art. Fr(_im 1845 to 1855, he was 



582 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



superintendent of Peter Cooper's rolling 
mills at Trenton, X. J., and in the latter 
year, moving to Michigan, acted in the 
same capacity in connection with E. B. 
Ward's rolling mills ' at Wyandotte in 
that State. In 1863, he located in Chi- 
cago, where he assumed the position of 
superintendent of the North Chicago 
Rolling ]\Iills. on Clybourn Avenue. Sub- 
sequently for more than twenty years, he 
served in the capacity of steel expert for 
the Chicago & Northwestern Railway 
Company. He was also connected with 
the Pennsylvania, and other railroad com- 
panies, as steel expert. 

On September 21, 185 1. at Trenton, N. 
J., ^Ir. A\'ay was united in marriage with 
Margaret C. Raum, who was bprn in that 
city, July 23, 1829. One child was born 
of this union, namely, Kate Virginia, who 
was born April 27, 1858, and became the 
wife of Roger Barrett McMullen, on 
June 15, 1882. In politics Mr. Way was 
a supporter of the Republican party. 
Religiously, he was reared, in the place 
of his birth, in accordance with the creed 
of the ]\Iethodist Episcopal Church, but 
after his marriage became connected with 
the Baptist denomination. 

Immediately after the fire of 1871, Mr. 
Way, abandoning the flaming ruins of 
Chicago, established his home in Evans- 
ton, on October 9, 1871, and from the 
time of his removal until his death was re- 
garded as one of the worthiest and most 
useful members of the community 
in which he had cast his lot under cir- 
cumstances so peculiar. He was a man 
of exceptional purity of character and 
scrupulous sense of justice. It was his 
habit never to pass an adverse opinion on 
others, and if nothing good was to be 
said, he said nothing. 



JOSEPH :\I. LORIMER. 

Joseph M. Lorimer (deceased), who was 
for about ten years a well known, excep- 
tionally useful and highly respected citizen 
of Evanston, 111., was born in Pittsburg, 
Pa., September 6, 1891, the son of William 
F. and Rachael (McMasters) Lorimer, who 
were natives of Pennsylvania. When Jo- 
seph was five years of age, the family went 
to Nebraska, and after remaining there a 
short time, settled in Leavenworth, Kans., 
where William F. Lorimer was engaged in 
freighting to Denver. He afterwards 
moved to a farm in the vicinity of Leaven- 
worth, where his home wa.s situated during 
the Civil war. The father of the family 
and four sons served in the Union army. 

When Joseph M. Lorimer was eighteen 
years of age he located in Chicago and, as 
messenger, entered the employ of Jones & 
Laughlin, the Pittsburg iron manufacturers, 
who had established a branch in Chicago 
some years previously. Mr. Lorimer was 
advanced from one grade to another, until 
some years before his death, when he became 
manager of the western department of the 
business. At the time of his death, which oc- 
curred August 24, 1894, he had been in the 
employ of Jones & Laughlin nearly twenty- 
five years, and had established a very high 
reputation as a business man. He had 
charge of most important interests in this 
connection, and was the inventor of the 
Lorimer column, used in structural iron 
work. 

Mr. Lorimer established his home in Ev- 
anston in 1884. and at once became a potent 
factor in promoting the best interests of the 
citv. Seldom has any man. in a residence 
so comparatively brief in duration, im- 
pressed his individual worth upon the hearts 
of his fellow citizens as ■ strongly as did 
Mr. Lorimer upon the people of Evanston. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



583 



In 1876, Mr. Lorimer was united in mar- 
riage, at Waukegan, 111., with Fannie L. 
Sherman, a daughter of the Hon. Alanson 
S. and Aurora Sherman. Mrs. Lorimer's 
father was the fifth Mayor of Chicago, and, 
at a later period, was one of the founders 
of Northwestern University. Mr. and Mrs. 
Lorimer became the parents of the follow- 
ing named children: Helen (Mrs. Miller), 
of Pittsburg, Pa. ; Robert Sherman ; and 
Joseph McMasters Lorimer. 

On settling in Evanston, Mr. Lorimer 
took an active part in church and educa- 
tional work. He was a most active and use- 
ful member of the First Congregational 
Church, a liberal contributor to its needs, 
and earnest and zealous in all branches of 
its work. He was a member of the official 
board of the church, and his Sunday school 
efforts were highly effective. He was one 
of the organizers of the Evanston Y. M. C. 
A. and the prime mover in infusing life and 
energy into its operations. A leading spirit 
in starting the movement to erect its build- 
ing, he aided the construction with his own 
means, and made loans to others for the 
same purpose. For several years ^Ir. Lori- 
,mer was a member of the Evanston School 
Board, and as chairman of the building 
committee, had charge of the erection of 
the Lorimer School, thus named in his 
honor after his decease. In politics, Mr. 
Lorimer was a strong Republican and took 
a spirited part in the campaigns of his 
party. He was a member of the L^nion 
League Club of Chicago and a director of 
the State Bank of Chicago. His death was 
deepl)' deplored as an irreparable loss to the 
community, and his memory is warmly 
cherished by all who closely knew him and 
felt the wholesome beneficence of his life. 



ALANSON FILER. 

Alanson Filer, a venerable and highly 
esteemed citizen of Evanston, 111., and 
one of the few survivors among the orig- 
inal settlers of the Middle West, was born 
in Herkimer County, N. Y., March 10, 
1812, the son of Alanson and Patty 
(Dodge) Filer, the former born Septem- 
ber 12, 1774. and the latter October 25, 
1784. The father was a farmer by occu- 
pation. In early youth the subject of this 
sketch attended the public schools of his 
native place for a limited period only, as, 
being the oldest son, his services were 
needed to assist his father in work on 
the farm. After having remained at 
home until he was fourteen years of age, 
he was apprenticed to a cabinet-maker, 
with whom he remained four years. His 
mother furnished his clothing during the 
period of this apprenticeship, and besides 
his board, he received from his employer, 
in return for four years' service, ten cents 
in wages or as a present. At the end of 
this connection he went to Utica, Oneida 
County, N. Y., to serve another appren- 
ticeship lasting until he reached his 
majority, when he journeyed westward to 
Chicago, reaching that village Julv 6, 

1833- 

On November 22, 1835, Air. Filer 
moved from Chicago to Root River (now 
Racine), Wis., where he made his home 
until April. 1891, when he moved to 
Evanston, 111., where he has since resided. 
When Mr. Filer located at Root River, 
Wis., that State formed a part of Mich- 
igan Territory, and he was one of the 
pioneers in that region. He is now prob- 
ably the oldest survivor of the original 
settlers of Southeastern Wisconsin. 

On November 16, 1834, Mr. Filer was 
united in marriage, at Chicago, with 



584 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



Maria Pilkington Green, who was born 
November 28, i8og, and died in 1889. 
Eight children born of this union were as 
follows : One daughter, born in October, 
1835, and who died in infancy unnamed ; 
Mary A., born February 22, 1837; Agnes 
Julia, born August g, 1840; Charles A., 
born March 15, 1842; Roxanna M., born 
March 29, 1846; Martha, born April 14, 
1849; Samuel H. (date of birth unknown) ; 
and Kittie M., born September 26, 1853. 
The survivors of this family are Agnes 
Julia and Martha, whose home is at Man- 
istee, Mich. Charles A. was killed in the 
first battle of Bull Run, and "Charles 
Filer" Post, G. A. R., at Racine, Wis., is 
named in his honor. On January 28, 
1893, ■'^I''- F'lei" was married a second 
time, wedding Elizabeth Crews, who was 
born and reared at Fairfield, 111. 

In politics. Mr. Filer was originally a 
Whig, but became a Republican in 1856, 
maintaining his association with that 
party until 18S4. when he joined the Pro- 
hibition party. He was a member of the 
lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature 
in 1855, and served as Sergeant-at-arms 
of the Senate of that State in 1857. Fra- 
ternally, he belonged to the order of Good 
Templars in the 'fifties, and held the office 
of Grand Worthy Chief Templar until the 
disruption of the order, about the time of 
the Civil W'ar. Religiously, Mr. Filer is 
a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, with which he united in 1828. 
He was President of the Board of Trus- 
tees of the First M. E. Church in Racine, 
Wis., from the time its place of worship 
was built until his removal to Evanston. 
in 1891. He has lived an exceptionally 
long, upright and useful life, and is held 
in the highest esteem and veneration by 
all who know him. 



MYRON H. BASS. 

Myron H. Bass (deceased), formerly 
one of the most worthy and highly 
esteemed citizens of Evanston, 111., was 
born in Williamstown, Vt., December 24, 
1836, the son of Joel and Catherine 
Wright Bass, natives of New England, 
where they were derived from Colonial 
ancestry, Myron H. Bass being a descend- 
ant in the seventh generation from Sam- 
uel Bass, who settled in Roxbury, Mass., 
in 1630, and was for many years a deacon 
of the first church established there. Mr. 
Bass remained in his native place until 
he was 18 years of age, obtaining his 
early education in the public schools. 
His primary studies were supplemented 
by an academic course at Meriden, N. H. 
In 1855, Mr. Bass removed to Illinois, to 
which State two of his brothers had pre- 
ceded him — Perkins Bass, who located in 
Chicago, and another brother, Walter B. 
Bass, who was engaged in farming in 
Will County. Mr. Bass owned and oper- 
ated a farm in Kankakee County until 
1870, when he moved to Chicago and 
engaged in the real estate business, rep- 
resenting many large holdings. He con- 
tinued to be prominently identified with 
the business interests of Chicago, al- 
though he removed to Evanston in 1884, 
which was his home during the remainder 
of his life. 

In 1863, he was united in marriage, in 
Will County, 111., with Ann Elizabeth 
Kelly, a daughter of James Ward and 
Nancy J. Kelly. In 1834 James W. Kelly 
moved from Greenbrier County, Va., to 
Illinois, and settled in Will County. At 
that period, the Indians were numerous 
in that section of Illinois, and Mrs. Bass, 
who was a native of that region, has vivid 
recollections of many thrilling experi- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



585 



ences of pioneer life. The surviving 
members of the family born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Bass are : George A., of Philadel- 
phia, Pa. ; Perkins B., of Evanston ; Stella 
(Mrs. J. E. Tilt), of Chicago; and James 
K., of New York City. 

In religious belief, Mr. Bass was a 
Methodist, at an early period having be- 
come a member of the Grant Place Meth- 
odist Church, of Chicago. From the time 
when he became a resident of Evanston 
until his death, on June 3, 1890, he was 
a communicant of the First Methodist 
Episcopal Church of that city, in which 
he officiated as one of the stewards. He 
was possessed of most excellent traits of 
character, and was a genial, kindly man, 
the virtues of whose daily life gained for 
him the affectionate esteem and confi- 
dence of all who intimately knew him. 



\MLLIAM MORSE GRISWOLD. 

Dr. \\ illiam IM. Griswold, who is en- 
gaged in the practice of dentistry at No. 
23, Glockengiesserwall, Hamburg, Ger- 
many, was born in St. Charles, Minn., 
September 26, 1871. His primary mental 
training was obtained in the public 
schools and after completing his prepar- 
atory studies in Hamline University, he. 
took a professional course in Northwest- 
ern University Dental School, Chicago, 
111., from which he was graduated, 
in 1897, with the degree of D. D. S. He 
received the class honor of an appoint- 
ment as demonstrator in this institution. 

Dr. Griswold is a member of the Amer- 
ican Dental Society of Europe, and is 
serving on its Executive Committee for 
the term extending from 1903 to 1907. 
That body held its Easter session of 1904 
in Hamburg, through an invitation ex- 
tended in 1903 by Dr. Griswold, at Mad- 



rid, where he was in attendance at the 
meeting of the International Medical 
Congress. The subject of this sketch is 
a member of the New York Institute of 
Stomatology, the Congris Dentaire Inter- 
nation de Paris, and was elected first hon- 
orary member of the W. D. Miller Dental 
Club of Berlin. 



SIDNEY BACHRACH MEYER. 

Sidney B. Meyer, attorney-at-law, re- 
siding at No. 1627 Grace Street, Chicago, 
111., was born in Ouincy, 111., April 13, 
1879. His primary mental training was 
obtained in the public schools and he pur- 
sued a preparatory course of study in the 
North Division High School, in Chicago. 
In September, 1898, he matriculated in 
Northwestern University Law School, 
from which he was graduated in June, 
1901, with the degree of LL. B. In 1899, 
1900 and 1901, he was pitcher in the 
Northwestern University baseball team. 
Mr. Meyer is a member of the Phi Alpha 
Delta Fraternity, and belongs to the 
Hampden, Washington and Lexington 
Clubs. In 1900, he was President of the 
First Voters' Club, in Chicago, and in 
1902-1903, held a like position in the 24th 
\\'ard Republican Club in that city. His 
law offices are at Rooms 937-945 Amer- 
ican Trust Building, Clark and Monroe 
Streets, Chicago. 



\MLLIAM MONTELLE CARPENTER. 

\\illiam M. Carpenter, First \'ice-Pres- 
ident \\'alworth and Neville Manufactur- 
ing Company, with residence at 2010 
Sheridan Road, Evanston, was born in 
^Vooster, Ohio, October 15, 1866, the son 
of Charles and Mary (Blanchard) Car- 



S86 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



penter, both born in the State of New 
York, the former in 1833 and the latter 
in 1836. The first of the Carpenter fam- 
ily to come to America was William, an 
Englishman, who crossed the ocean on 
the ship "Bevis" in 1638 and settled at 
Rehoboth. ^lass. Genealogists have 
traced the name as far back as John Car- 
penter, who was Town Clerk of the City 
of London, died wealthy and founded a 
great school in that city at the corner of 
the Thames Embankment and John Car- 
penter Street, — "The City of London 
Schools." Another ancestor on the pater- 
nal side was Lieutenant John Hollister. 
who came from England to Connecticut 
in 1642, and married a daughter of Hon. 
Richard Treat, Sr., who was one of those 
to whom the original Connecticut charter 
was issued. The first of the Blanchards 
was Samuel, who came early in the sev- 
enteenth century from England to Charles- 
ton, now a part of Boston, and whose 
descendants intermarried with many of 
the families of Billerica, Mass. The last 
of the Blanchards was Mr. Carpenter's 
grandfather, Capt. ^^'alter Blanchard, 
who was killed at Ringgold Gap, during 
the Rebellion, while leading his regiment, 
the Thirteenth Illinois. The wife of one 
of the Blanchards was a Tolford, whose 
claim to descent from "the nobility" is at 
least stoutly maintained. The Daniels, 
another maternal family, was of North- 
of-Ireland-Scotch stock and settled in 
Vermont. Of the different branches of 
these ancestral families many took part 
in the Colonial Wars, the Revolutionary 
War, the War of 1812 and the War of the 
Rebellion. 

Mr. Carpenter's father's family re- 
moved from Southern New York to the 
central part of the State, and his mother's 
family to the same locality from Massa- 
chusetts. In the 'thirties of the last cen- 
tury his mother came to Du Page County, 



111., and his father some years later, and 
there they were married during the Civil 
War, while the father was at home on 
furlough. The father of William M. Car- 
penter was a school teacher and court 
reporter for many years, and a respected 
citizen of Downers Grove, where he 
served on various boards and as Post- 
master. He made a modest success in 
business, and lived a clean, honorable and 
useful life ; he was, at the same time, of 
strong character and kindly temperament. 
The mother died in 1893; in the language 
of Mr. Carpenter himself, she "was of all 
mothers the best : a strong, forceful, noble 
character." 

The subject of this sketch spent his 
boyhood and early youth in a village near 
Chicago, where he graduated from a high 
school, later taking a one year's classical 
course in college, and in the meantime 
acquiring the habit of reading, with taste 
for an active out-door life. He then be- 
came an errand boy in a law office in 
Chicago at a very modest salary, utilizing 
his spare time in the study of shorthand. 
In August, 1883, he went to New York as 
a stenographer in the office of the West^ 
ern Electric Company, a year later return- 
ing West to enter school for a year. He 
then entered the employment of the 
Western Union Telegraph Company for a 
year, but returned to the Western Elec- 
tric Company, with- which company he 
continued for upwards of twelve years, 
making steady progress. During 1906 
he connected himself with the lumber 
company above referred to. 

For some years during the 'nineties he 
was a member of the Downers Grove 
Board of Education. Besides being a 
member of the Sons of Veterans, he be- 
longs to the following social organiza- 
tions and fraternities : Union League and 
Caxton Clubs, Chicago : Bibliophile Soci- 
ety, Boston ; Evanston Municipal Associ- 



II 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



587 



ation and Evanston Club, Evanston His- 
torical Society, Sons of American Revolu- 
tion and Sons of Colonial Wars, Masonic 
Fraternity, Modern AX'oodmen of Amer- 
ica, National Union, American Civic As- 
sociation, National Geographic Society 
and National Credit Men's Association. 
He has at times been President of The 
Electrical Trades Association of Chicago 
and of the National organization. 

Mr. Carpenter's business has made it 
necessary for him to make frequent and 
extensive trips over the country, and he 
has visited ever\- large city from Boston 
to San Francisco and from New Orleans 
to Duluth ; has also, for several years, 
made annual trips to Europe, one to the 
Hawaiian Islands and one each to Cuba 
and the City of ^ilexico and beyond, be- 
sides frequent visits to Canada. He has 
thus been a visitor in practically every 
State of the Union, and in most of the 
large cities of the country has a more or 
less extensive acquaintance. Originally 
a Prohibitionist in his callow days, he 
later came to the conclusion that real 
regeneration never came through law, 
and is now willing to be classed as a 
"Mugwump" with pronounced Repub- 
lican proclivities. 

In July, iS88, ^Ir. Carpenter was mar- 
ried, at Downers Grove, 111., to Florrie 
M. Schofield, who was born in St. Louis, 
Mo., in 1867, and of this union two chil- 
dren were born, namely: Plubert Mon- 
telle, I)orn June 12, 1S89, and Mary 
Blanchard, born December ig, 1890. On 
Jul}' 27, 1898, he was married in London, 
England, to Lucile Russell, of Hudson, 
Mich., and tliey have one son — Russell — 
born June 12, 1903. 

Fond of good books and fine bindings, 
Mr. Carpenter has gathered a library con- 
taining some choice books. For years he 
has had an especial liking for the writ- 
ings of Eugene Field, Rudyard Kipling 



and Thackeray, and of neither one does 
he ever tire. \\'ith a taste for art, he has 
collected some good pictures, and has 
studied potteries and picked up many 
samples in his travels. He has been espe- 
cially interested in American art pottery 
specimens, including Rockwood, Van 
Briggle, Grueby, etc. He also made 
many original photographs of scenery and 
of ancient and modern buildings and 
other structures met with during his 
travels : and has in his collection some 
rare specimens of old Mexican zerapes, 
Indian rugs and potteries, Hawaiian cal- 
abashes and the like. Mr. Carpenter re- 
gards the people of the Middle West as 
the "salt of the earth," and would rather 
live in Evanston than in any other city 
he has ever seen. 



\\TLBUR WALLACE McCLEARY. 

Dr. \\'ilbur Wallace McCleary, physi- 
cian and surgeon, whose office, is located 
at No. 257 West Forty-seventh Street, 
Chicago, 111., was born in Rock Island, 
III., in 1867. In boyhood, he availed him- 
self of the advantages aflforded by the 
public schools of his native town, and in 
1881 began a course of study in St. Mary's 
College, Kan., from which institution he 
was graduated in 1886. In that year, he 
matriculated in the Medical Department 
of Northwestern Lhiiversity, graduating 
therefrom in 1889. 

The subject of this sketch is at pres- 
ent acting in the capacity of physician to 
the Provident Hospital, in Chicago. He 
is a member of the American Medical 
Association, the Illinois State Medical 
Society and the Chicago Medical Society. 
On June 30. 1895, Dr. McCleary was 
united in marriage with Fannie Cleage, 
of Chattanooga, Tenn., and one child, 
Josephine, has been born of this union. 



588 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



JOHN H. HUNGATE. 

John H. Hungate, lawyer and banker 
of La Harpe, Hancock County, 111., was 
born in that county June 2, 1838. His 
early education was obtained in the pub- 
He schools of his native place, and he aft- 
erwards pursued a preparatory course in 
Knox College and Burlington University. 
Subsequently he qualified himself for the 
legal profession by taking a course in the 
Law Department of Northwestern Uni- 
versity, from which he received the de- 
gree of LL. B. He then entered upon 
the practice of law in St. Louis, Mo., and 
was thus engaged for five years. From 
1864 to 1868, he held the office of Circuit 
Court Clerk of McDonough County, III., 
and is the author of the law requiring an 
index of court records. 

In 1876, Mr. Hungate was the candi- 
date of his party for Congress, but met 
with defeat. He assisted in organizing 
the Title and Trust Company of Peoria, 
111., which was afterwards consolidated 
with the Dime Savings Bank of that city. 
In 1874, he organized the bank of Hun- 
gate, Ward & Company, of which he is 
now sole proprietor. He is President of 
the Board of Trustees of Gittings Sem- 
inary at La Harpe, 111., and President of 
the Board of La Harpe High School. 

On May 8, 1878, Mr. Hungate was 
united in marriage with Florence E. Mat- 
thews, of Monmouth, 111., and they have, 
four children : Ward, Edith, John and 
Harold. In fraternal circles, Mr. Hun- 
gate is identified with the A. F. & A. M. 
and the I. O. O. F. He is a man of broad 
information and has traveled extensively 
in the Lhiited States and in Europe. 



MASON B. LOOMIS. 

Judge Alason B. Loomis (deceased), 
formerly a prominent citizen of Evans- 
ton, 111., and a lawyer and jurist of dis- 
tinction, was born in Harrisville, Medina 
County, Ohio, April 14, 1837, the son of 
Milo and Lucy (Greenly) Loomis, who 
had moved to Ohio from New York. 
Milo Loomis was a merchant by occupa- 
tion. The first known ancestor of Judge 
Loomis was a Spanish gentleman, who 
came to this country at an early period 
and settled in Connecticut. Both of 
Judge Loomis' parents died when he was 
fifteen years old, and he grew to man- 
hood under the care of a guardian. After 
receiving his primary education in the 
public schools at Lodi, Ohio, he took a 
supplementary course in Oberlin College. 
He then spent several years in Illinois, 
returning to Ohio in 1859 and beginning 
the study of law there with Bliss & Mc- 
Sweeney. Both of his legal preceptors 
passed their professional examination at 
the Ohio Bar, and in later years, Mr. 
]\IcSweeney, who was noted as a criminal 
lawyer, became widely known through- 
out that State as the "old man eloquent." 
Mr. Loomis was admitted to the bar in 
the spring of 1861, and thereupon moved 
to Kankakee, 111., where he remained nine 
vears, meeting with signal success in his 
profession. In 1868, he was elected 
State's Attorney for the circuit compris- 
ing the counties of Livingston, Iroquois 
and Kankakee, for a term of four years. 
At the end of two years, he resigned this 
office and located in Chicago, where he 
became a member of the firm of Runyan, 
Avery, Loomis & Comstock. Four years 
later he withdrew from this firm, and 
formed a partnership with Judge Charles 
H. \\'ood, under the firm name of \\'ood 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



589 



& Loomis. This connection continued 
until 1877, when Mr. Loomis was elected 
County Judge of Cook County, for a term 
of four years. In this office he served, 
however, five years, an amendment to the 
State Constitution having, in the mean- 
time, extended the term one year. At 
the expiration of this period, he resumed 
the practice of law under the firm name 
of Needham & Loomis. At a later period 
this partnership was dissolved, and he 
became associated with his son under the 
firm name of M. B. and F. S. Loomis, 
which existed until the death of the 
father, when the son succeeded to the 
practice. Judge Loomis established his 
home in Evanston in 1892, and died there 
at his residence on Washington Street, 
October 2, 1902, after an attack of sick- 
ness lasting four days. In addition to 
the offices of Judge and State's Attorney, 
he served as a member of the City Coun- 
cil of Evanston, and in this position did 
much towards the advancement of the in- 
terests of the city. 

In 1859, at Harrisville, Ohio, Judge 
Loomis was united in marriage with Nel- 
lie Ainsworth, who was a schoolmate of 
her husband in their youth, and who still 
survives him, a resident of Evanston. In 
politics, Mr. Loomis was an earnest advo- 
cate of the principles of the Republican 
party, and participated in many cam- 
paigns. Religiously, he was a member 
of the Second Presbyterian Church of 
Evanston during his residence there, hav- 
ing previously been connected with the 
Third Presbyterian Church of Chicago. 
Socially, he was identified with the Illi- 
nois Club (of which he was an officer), 
the Irving Club, of Chicago, — an old lit- 
erary organization, — and the Twentieth 
Century Club, of Evanston. These soci- 
eties, as well as the Evanston City Coun- 
cil, adopted appropriate memorial resolu- 
tions on the occasion of his death. 



Judge Loomis was a rare wit and an 
incisive, forceful and convincing public 
speaker. He was an exceptionally able 
trial lawyer, and a jurist of eminent abil- 
ity, making an exemplary record on the 
bench. The "Chicago Evening Post" re- 
flected public opinion in regard to him by 
saying: "In citizenship he won high 
esteem. He was a thorough Chicagoan, 
zealous for Chicago's supremacy, and al- 
ways sought to enhance its repute, munic- 
ipally and commercially. Honest local 
government commanded his continuous 
interest. He was identified with many 
movements leading towards the city's up- 
building, and education, charity and 
church all found in him an ardent advo- 
cate." The Twentieth Century Club paid 
him this tribute: "He was not only pro- 
foundly versed in the law, but he was 
abreast of the best literature of the day, 
and conversant with the best authors of 
the past. His convictions were deep, and 
he had the courage to maintain them. 
His wit was of the character that pro- 
voked only mirth ; it had no sting. He 
used this dangerous faculty so skillfully 
that he never inflicted a wound. Judge 
Loomis was a Christian gentleman. He 
was an active participant in the religious 
work of the church to which he belonged. 
He was genuine, upright, pure and noble, 
and the loss to this community of such 
a man is immeasurable." 



WALTER L. GALLUP. 

Walter L. Gallup (deceased), formerly 
a very energetic, prosperous and repu- 
table citizen of Evanston, 111., was born 
at Poquonock Bridge, Conn., April 2, 1852, 
the son of Franklin and Sarah (Bur- 
roughs) Gallup, both members of old 
New England families. Franklin Gallup 
was engaged in the fish-oil business. The 



S90 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



early education of Walter L. Gallup was 
obtained in the schools of Norwich, 
Conn., where his childhood was passed. 
When he reached the age of fourteen 
years he entered the Bank of Norwich, in 
which he received his youthful business 
training, becoming an expert accountant. 
A severe attack of sickness, however, 
caused him to relinquish this position, 
and to join his father in the oil business 
on the coast of Maine. At a later period, 
he was connected with a mercantile firm 
in New York City. Early in the 'seven- 
ties Mr. Gallup located in Indianapolis, 
Ind., where he became a member of the 
saw-manufacturing firm of E. C. Atkins 
& Co., and was prominently identified 
with the manufacturing interests of Indi- 
anapolis until 1889, when he established 
himself in business in Chicago, where he 
was engaged in advertising enterprises 
until the time of his death, which occurred 
in Evanston, in 1894. After starting in 
Chicago five years previously, he had, 
through diligent application and superior 
capacity, built up an exceedingly prosper- 
ous business. 

In 1874 Mr. Gallup was united in mar- 
riage at Port Jervis, N. Y., with Ella H. 
Hunt, a daughter of Dr. Isaac S. and 
Sarah (Fleming) Hunt. Mrs. Gallup's 
father practiced medicine successfully for 
many years at Port Jervis, and there his 
death occurred. One child resulted from 
the union of Mr. and Mrs. Gallup, 
namely, Stella (Mrs. Pickerell), of Evans- 
ton. 

Mr. Gallup belonged to the First Bap- 
tist Church of Evanston, in which he was 
a member of the Board of Trustees, hav- 
ing charge of the choir, and sustaining 
other official responsibilities. In frater- 
nal circles, he was identified with the 
Royal Arcanum. He was a man of excel- 
lent traits of character and strict probity 



in his business relations, and was re- 
garded as one of the worthiest and most 
useful members of the community. 



JOHN H. VOJE. 

Dr. John H. Voje, who is engaged in 
the practice of medicine in Oconomowoc, 
Wis., and is also proprietor of Sanatorium 
Waldheim in that city, was born in Ger- 
many, on March 12, 1853. In 1874, he 
entered the Chicago Medical College, now 
the Medical Department of Northwestern 
University, from which he was graduated 
in 1876, with the degree of M. D., and in 
1884 received another degree from the 
University of Leipzig, Germany. Dr. 
Voje founded the Sanatorium \\^aldheim, 
in Oconomowoc, August i, 1888. He is 
a member of the American Medical Asso- 
ciation, the Wisconsin State Medical 
Society, and the Waukesha County Med- 
ical Society. 

On June 19, 1879, Dr. \^oje was married 
to Hannah LTlrich, who has borne him 
two children: Hertha, born July 24, 1880, 
and Henry, born December 14, 1885. 



CHARLES W. BARLOW, D. D. S. 

Charles William Barlow, dentist. Prov- 
idence, R. I., was born in St. John, N. B., 
Canada, May 13, 1863. His boyhood and 
3'outh were spent in the place of his nativ- 
ity, where his early mental training was 
obtained in the public schools. He pur- 
sued a course of dental surgery in North- 
western University Dental School, Chi- 
cago, 111., from which he graduated with 
the class of 1894, receiving the degree of. 
D. D. S. He is a member of the North- 
western Universitv Dental School Alumni 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



591 



Association. The marriage of Dr. Bar- 
low occurred August 4, 1896, at which 
time he was wedded to Florence A. 
Angell, of Providence, R. I. 



WINFIELD SCOTT HALL. 

Winfield S. Hall, Professor of Physiol- 
ogy in the Northwestern University Med- 
ical School since 1895, ^""^^ ^ resident of 
Berwyn, Cook County, 111., was born in 
Bataxia, 111., January 5, 1861. He began 
his preparatory studies under private 
tutors in Hastings, Neb., and entered the 
College of Liberal Arts of Northwestern 
LTniversity in 1881, continuing until the 
fall of 1883.. From 1884 until the fall of 

1886, he pursued a professional course in 
Northwestern University Medical School, 
and in 1886-87, continued his literary and 
scientific studies in the University. In 
1887-88, he was a student in the Medical 
School, and he also took a course in med- 
icine in the LTniversity of Leipzig, Ger- 
many in 1893-94, and a course in philoso- 
phy in 1894-95. He received the degree 
of B. S. from Northwestern LIniversity in 

1887, that of M. D. in 1888, and of M. S. 
in 1889, from the same source. The LTni- 
versity of Leipzig conferred upon him the 
degree of Dr. ]\Ied. in 1894, and those of 
A. M. and Ph. D. (Magna cum laudel 
in 1895. 

While in the College of Liberal Arts in 
Evanston, 111., Prof. Hall was a member 
of the Hinman Literary Society and the 
Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. He was 
awarded the Marcy Botany Prize in June, 
1883, and received General Scholarship 
Honors in 1887. He belonged to the 
Honorary Fraternities — Phi Beta Kappa, 
Sigma Xi, and Alpha Omega Alpha. Dur- 
ing his medical course. Prof. Hall was 



Class President of the class of '88. He 
was a successful contestant for the 
Fowler $ioo-Prize in Optics, and the 
Ingalls $ioo-Prize in "Scholarship: Lit- 
erary, Scientific and Professional." In 
1888-89 he held an interneship in Mercy 
Hospital, Chicago, after a competitive 
examination. From 1889 to 1893, Prof. 
Hall was Professor of Biology in Haver- 
ford College, Pennsylvania. From 1901 
to the present time he has served in the 
capacity of Junior Dean of the Medical 
Faculty of Northwestern University Med- 
ical School. 

From 1902 to 1906, Prof. Hall was Pres- 
ident of the American Medical Associa- 
tion for the Study of Narcotics ; in 1903-04, 
Secretary of the Association of American 
Medical Colleges ; in 1904-05, Chairman of 
the Section of Pathology and Physiology 
of the American Medical Association ; 
Primarius of the .\lpha Omega Alpha, 
Honorary Fraternity, 1903 to date; and 
President of the American Academy of 
Medicine, 1905. He is now a Fellow of 
the American Academy of Science, a 
member of the American Association for 
the Advancement of Science, a Fellow of 
the Chicago Academy of Sciences, a mem- 
ber of the American Medical Association, 
the American Physiological Society, the 
Chicago Medical Society, etc., etc. He is 
also the author of several important con- 
tributions to medical literature in the 
form of volumes familiar to the profes- 
sion. 

On October 11. 1888, the subject of this 
sketch was united in marriage at Juniata, 
Neb., with Jeannette Winter, of Prince- 
ton, 111., and they became the parents of 
the following named children : Ethel, 
born October 22, 1893 : Albert Winter, 
born January 8, 1895; Reymond Ludwig, 
born January 20, 1897; and Muriel, born 
August II, 1902. 



592 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



ASAHEL O. BASSETT. 

Asahel O. Bassett (deceased), formerly 
one of the most substantial and prominent 
citizens of Evanston, 111., was born in 
Delhi, Delaware County, N. Y., January 
2, 1837, the son of Hon. Cornelius Bas- 
sett, who was an extensive farmer, and 
owner of a fine country residence, and at 
one time a member of the New York Leg- 
islature. The Bassett family was of Eng- 
lish extraction, and settled at an early 
period in Martha's Vineyard. 

Asahel O. Bassett received his early 
training partly in the public schools of 
New York State and partly in Illinois. 
He grew up on his father's farm until he 
was about ten years of age, when his 
mother having died, he accompanied his 
uncle, Reuben Coffin, to Illinois, the fam- 
ily locating at Buffalo Grove, Ogle 
County. After remaining there two years, 
the family came to Chicago, and, on the 
trip, Mr. Bassett had a good opportunity 
of observing pioneer life in that section 
of the State from which the farmers were 
accustomed to haul their grain to Chi- 
cago by team. In 1849, Mr. Bassett went 
to New York City, where he remained 
five years, and was there trained to the 
grocery business. Thence he went to 
Tarrytown, N. Y., where he was first en- 
gaged in that line of trade on his own 
responsibility. At a later period he em- 
barked in the manufacturing business, but 
shortly after his marriage, took charge of 
the large estate of his wife's father, who 
was an extensive land-owner at Tarry- 
town. 

After living about ten years at Tarry- 
town, Mr. Bassett moved to Chicago, 
where he engaged in the plumbing and 
gas-fitting business. He suffered heavy 
loss by the fire of 1871. but at once re- 
sumed operations, and afterwards con- 



ducted a large business on the Methodist 
Church Block. Subsequently withdraw- 
ing from the plumbing trade, he embarked 
in the manufacture of picture mouldings 
and frames on a large scale, employing 
about 100 men, and shipping his product 
throughout the United States. In this 
connection he suffered further losses by 
fire, when he turned his attention to the 
lumber trade, in which he was engaged 
until his retirement from active business, 
a few years before his death. Mr. Bassett 
was always a very active and energetic 
business man, and maintained a wide 
acquaintance. 

In 1859, Mr. Bassett was united in mar- 
riage, at Tarrytown, N. Y., with Nancy 
B. Decker. Her father, William J. Decker, 
was in early life a shipbuilder in New 
York City, but subsequently became an 
extensive landowner in Westchester 
County, N. Y. The Deckers were an old 
Knickerbocker family, and were also akin 
to the Bayles and Storm families, ances- 
tors of Mrs. Bassett on the maternal side. 
Mrs. Bassett was born in New York City, 
but spent her youth in the Tarrytown 
home, which is located amid historic sur- 
roundings. It is within four miles of 
White Plains, a famous battlefield of the 
Revolutionary War. At Tarrytown, the 
noted British spy, Major Andre, was cap- 
tured, a member of the family of Mrs. 
Bassett's mother having taken part in the 
capture. Within a mile of the Tarrytown 
home stood the headquarters occupied by 
Washington during a portion of the strug- 
gle for Independence. Of the Decker 
estate Mrs. Bassett is still part owner. 
In the vicinity are the summer homes of 
John D. Rockefeller, Edwin Gould, Helen 
Gould and other noted people. Mrs. Bas- 
sett's mother, who died at the old home 
in 1902, was born in the same vicinity on 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



593 



the Holland estate, afterwards the proi)- 
erty of Cyrus W. Field. 

Mr. and Mrs. Bassett became the par- 
ents of the following named children : 
\\'illiam D., of Loveland, Colo. : George, 
who is connected with the First National 
Bank of Chicago ; Etta (Mrs. Dr. Free- 
man), of Evanston ; Harriet, wife of 
Harry H. Mallory, of Evanston; and 
Emma, who married Vernon S. Watson, 
of Oak Park, 111. 

In 1882, Air. Bassett established his 
home in Evanston, purchasing a residence 
at No. 1 124 Asbury Avenue. His home, 
which then stood almost alone, is now in 
a compactly built portion of the city. It 
was there that he departed this life on 
February 4, 1902. 

In religious belief, Mr. Bassett was a 
Baptist, and for 18 years officiated as 
deacon of the First Baptist Church ot 
Evanston. In fraternal circles, he was 
identified with the Royal Arcanum. He 
was devotedly attached to the home cir- 
cle, and his domestic life was exceedingly 
pleasant. Although Cjuiet and unassum- 
ing in demeanor, he was a man of genial, 
amiable nature and winsome disposition, 
and won many friends. In life he was 
cordially esteemed, and his death was 
deepl}- lamented. 



THOMAS H. WATSON. 

Thomas H. Watson (deceased), long and 
favorably known in connection with the 
wholesale grocery interests of Chicago for 
a period of thirty-five years and a i)romi- 
nent and highly esteemed citizen of Evans- 
ton, 111., was born in a Quaker settlement 
called "The Union," fourteen miles from 
Plattsburg, N. Y., April 7, 1843. He was 
a son of Judge Thomas B. and Harriet E. 
(Powers) Watson, natives of New York. 



Judge Watson was of English extraction 
and was reared in the Quaker faith. He 
was a lawyer of high reputation, and served 
on the judicial bench of New York for a 
number of years. 

Thomas H. Watson passed his early 
youth in Plattsburg, N. Y., where he made 
diligent use of the opportunities afforded 
by the public schools. When seventeen 
years of age he located in Chicago, where 
his uncle, Heman G. Powers, was then 
established in business, as Junior member 
of the firm of Durand & Powers. The 
head of the firm, Henry Durand, was a pio- 
neer merchant of Chicago, Mr. Watson 
entered the employ of this firm as a clerk, 
and continued in that capacity until 1862, 
when he entered the Union Army as a 
member of the famous Board of Trade 
Battery, of Chicago, in which he served 
until near the close of the war. On his dis- 
charge from the service he returned to 
Chicago, and resumed his connection with 
Durand & Powers, remaining with this 
firm and its successors until 1879, when he 
became associated with the extensive 
wholesale grocery house of Franklin Mac- 
Veagh & Company. At different times he 
traveled extensively in the interest of this 
firm, and became widely known as a sales- 
man. He was a close student of every- 
thing pertaining to the grocery trade, and 
gained a reputation throughout the West as 
one of the best informed men in the coun- 
try, in that line of business. 

Mr. Watson was especially prominent as 
a sugar expert, and for many years had en- 
tire charge of the sugar purchases of 
Franklin Mac\'eagh & Co., amounting to 
hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. 
He was also a leading member of the Na- 
tional Association of Wholesale Grocers, 
and served as the Committeeman of that 
organization charged with special attention 



594 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



to the sugar trade, until within ten months 
of his death. He was very active in busi- 
ness, bearing heavy responsibilities, and 
conducting large transactions. 

In 1862, at Kankakee, 111., Mr. Watson 
was united in marriage with Mary P. 
Hickox, a daughter of John R. Hickox, a 
well known member of the Bar of Illinois. 
Mrs. Watson was born at Dansville, Liv- 
ingston County, N. Y., and spent the years 
of her girlhood in Syracuse, that State. In 
i860 she moved from New York to Illi- 
nois, the journey westward being deeply 
impressed upon her memor)' by the 
fact that it was made in company with the 
New York delegates to the Republican Na- 
tional Convention held in Chicago, which 
nominated Abraham Lincoln for the Presi- 
dency. Mr. and Mrs. Watson became the 
parents of four children, as follows: Emma 
(Mrs. Knight), of Chicago; Thomas W., 
of Decatur, 111.; Alice (Mrs. Jackson), and 
Ednah (Mrs. Russell), of Evanston. 

Mr. Watson established his home in 
Evanston in 1869, and during the early 
years of his residence there was a member 
of the Board of Trustees of South Evanston 
and also a member of the School Board. 
He was an attendant at the services of the 
Congregational Church. His death oc- 
curred at Evanston, July 28, 1904. 

He was regarded as one of the most 
worthy and useful members of the com- 
munity, and his estimable widow is held in 
the highest regard by a wide circle of 
friends. 



ISAAC R. HITT, Jr. 

Isaac Reynolds Hitt, Jr., residing in 
Washington D. C, was born in Chicago, 
111., September 7, 1864. Mr. Hitt's child- 
hood was spent in the city of his birth. 



In 1871 his parents moved to Evanston, 111., 
and there the subject of this sketch lived 
until 1898. Since February i, of that year, 
he has been a resident of Washington, D. 
C, where his home is at No. 1334 Columbia 
Road. The primary mental training of 
Mr. Hitt was received in the public schools 
of Evanston, 111., and he afterwards became 
a pupil in the Preparatory School of North- 
western LTniversity, graduating therefrom 
in 1883. He was graduated from North- 
western University with the class of 1888, 
receiving the degree of B. S., that of M. S., 
being conferred upon him by his alma 
mater in 1894, the year of his graduation 
from the Kent Law School, now Lake 
Forest University Law School. 

During his preparatory course, Mr. Hitt 
belonged to the Euphonia Literary Society, 
and was Captain of the Football Eleven. 
In the University he was President of the 
Hinman Literary Society, and Captain of 
the University Football Eleven. While in 
that institution, he was one of the reorgan- 
izers of the Illinois Alpha Chapter of the 
Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, later Province 
President, and in 1891-93 was in the Gen- 
eral Council of that fraternity. He partic- 
ipated in the "Hinman Essay Contest," 
acted in the capacity of business manager 
of "The Northwestern" (Magazine) ; 
served on the board of business managers 
of the "Syllabus ;" and was one of the four 
organizers of the "LTniversity Press." Since 
making his home in Washington, D. C, 
Air. Hitt has been, since its organization and 
is still, a member of the Council of the Uni- 
versity Club, President of the Northwestern 
Alumni Club, and re-organizer of the Phi 
Delta Theta Alumni Club. 

From 1898 to 1902 Mr. Hitt held the 
position of Law Clerk in the Law Division 
of the Internal Revenue Bureau in the 
Treasury Department, and became Chief of 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



595 



the Miscellaneous Division of that Depart- 
ment in the latter year. He is President of 
the Illinois Republican Association of the 
District of Columbia, and is President of 
the Board of Trustees of the Calvary Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church of Washington. D. 
C. He compiled the Internal Revenue 
Laws in 1900. and the Legal Tax Laws and 
Decisions. He is a member of the Bar of 
the L'nited States Supreme Court, the 
Court of Claims, and Supreme Court and 
Court of Appeals of the District of Co- 
lumbia. 

On November 13, 1889, at Logansport, 
Ind., Mr. Hitt was united in marriage with 
Rosa May Birch (N. W. U. Ex. "87). Four 
children are the offspring of this union, 
namely : Ruth Emma, born October 8, 1890 ; 
Leila Birch, born July 29, 1892 ; William 
Birch, born July 17, 1895 • ^"<i Isaac Rey- 
nolds, III., born June 7, 1901. 



CARL ELLSWORTH BLACK, A. M., 
M. D. 

Dr. Carl E. Black, physician and surgeon 
who is engaged in the practice of his pro- 
fession in Jacksonville, 111., was born in 
Winchester, 111., July 4, 1862, the son of 
Green V. and Jane (Cohenour) Black, of 
whom the former is Dean of the Dental 
Department of Northwestern University. 
In boyhood the subject of this sketch re- 
ceived his primary mental training in the 
public schools of his native place, and grad- 
uated from the High School in 1881. He 
then entered Illinois College, from which 
he received the degree of B. S. in 1883. In 
1887, he graduated from Northwestern 
University Medical School with the degree 
of M. D., afterwards pursuing post-grad- 



uate courses of medical study in New York 
City and Vienna. In 1903, the degree of 
A. M. was conferred upon him by Illinois 
College. He was awarded the prize for 
the best essay on the "Principle and Prac- 
tice of Operative Surgery," and the 
Stephen Smith prize, inscribed by Dr. N. 
S. Davis, for the best Inaugural Thesis 
submitted to the faculty of the Chicago 
Medical College of Northwestern Univer- 
sity, by the graduate class of 1887. 

Since his graduation, Dr. Black has been 
engaged in practice in Jacksonville, and for 
a number of years his attention has been 
devoted almost exclusively to surgerv. Dr. 
Black is a member of the American Medi- 
cal Association; The Illinois State Medical 
Society, of which he was Chairman of the 
Legislative Committee from 1900 to 1903; 
Counsellor for the Sixth District, President 
in 1903-4, and Chairman of the Council in 
1906-7, of the Mississippi Valley Medical 
Society ; the Western Illinois Medical and 
Surgical Society, the Morgan County Medi- 
cal Society, and the Jacksonville ]iledical 
Club. From 1896 to 1902, he was editor 
of the Morgan County "Medical Journal ;" 
and. in 1903-06, was Chairman of the Com- 
mittee managing the "Illinois Medical 
Journal," is also associate editor of the 
"Medical Fortnightly." He is a member 
of the Jacksonville Literary LTnion, Presi- 
dent of the Morgan County Historical So- 
ciety, a Trustee of Illinois College, a director 
of the Jacksonville Public Library and 
\'ice-President and acting President of the 
Illinois State Library Association, 1905-06. 
On June 12, 1899, the subject of this 
sketch was united in marriage, at Jackson- 
ville, 111., with Bessie McLaughlin, and four 
children have been born of this union : 
Kirby \'aughn, Carl Ellsworth, Dorothy 
Lawrence, and Marjorie \'auderman. 



596 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



PROF. OSCAR OLDBERG. 

Prof. Oscar Oldberg, a prominent phar- 
macist of Chicago, was born in Alfta, Hel- 
singland, Sweden, January 22, 1846, the 
son of Andrew and Fredrika (Ohrstromer) 
Oldberg, both of whom were also natives 
of that country, the former born in 1804, 
and the latter, in 1808. Andrew Oldberg 
was a man of superior intellect and fine 
attainments. He was an author of note, 
and had a high reputation as an educator. 
In religious belief, he was an adherent of 
the Lutheran Church. He received his 
education in the University of Upsala, and 
for many years was the head of Prince 
Oscar's School, a connection which was 
terminated in 1845. I" t'^^t year he was 
appointed rector of the Parish of Alfta. 
There, in 1866, he departed this life. His 
wife passed away in 1882. 

Oscar Oldberg was the seventh of nine 
children. In early youth he made diligent 
use of the opportunities for mental train- 
ing afforded by the public schools in the 
vicinity of his home, and afterwards pur- 
sued a course of study in the Gymnasium of 
Gefle, Sweden. His education was ob- 
tained to a considerable extent, however, 
through instruction received from private 
tutors. He was reared at Alfta on the 
Woxna River, where his childhood was 
passed among the mountains. During the 
period when he was approaching manhood 
he devoted considerable attention to music, 
having experienced throughout his juven- 
ile years a strong inclination for that art. 
In i86i he secured a position in the drug 
store of Sir. F. W. Helleday, at Falun, 
Sweden, and continued in the employ of 
that gentleman until 1865. At that period 
he became a licensed pharmacist, and dur- 
ing the same year left his native country 
and made his home in the United States, 



locating in New York, where he spent two 
years engaged in his chosen profession. In 
1882 he moved to Chicago. 

Prof. Oldberg is a member of the Ameri- 
can Pharmaceutical Association ; the A. A. 
A. S. ; the A. Chemical Society ; the Ameri- 
can Metrological Society ; the National 
Geographic Society ; and the Chemical 
Society, of Germany. 

On May 17, 1873, at Youngstown, Ohio, 
the subject of this sketch was united in 
marriage with Emma Paritt, who was born 
at Atwater, in that State, and underwent 
her early mental culture in the Ohio schools. 
Three children resulted from this union, 
namely : Arne, a composer of music, born 
July 12, 1874; Olga. born April 16, 1876; 
and Virgil, a mechanical engineer, born 
December 17, 1877. 

In political sentiment. Prof. Oldberg is 
an Independent Republican, and in relig- 
ious belief, accepts the faith of the New 
Jerusalem (Swedenborgian) Church. 



WILLIAM NEWELL BRAINARD. 

Capt. William N. Brainard (deceased), 
for many years one of the most prominent 
citizens of Evanston, Cook County, 111., was 
born in De Ruyter, Madison County, N. Y., 
January 7, 1823. He came of an old New 
England family, the earliest known repre- 
sentative of which was Daniel Brainard, 
who was brought to America when eight 
years of age, sometime after the landing 
of the Pilgrims. He became one of the 
proprietors of Haddam, Conn., where he 
settled in 1662, having previously lived in 
the Colony at Hartford. The maiden name 
of Captain Brainard's mother was Sally 
Gage, who was born in Dutchess County. 
N. Y., and the Captain's grandmother, on 
the maternal side, when a child, witnessed 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



597 



the tragic massacre at Wyoming, Penn- 
sylvania, in which two of her brothers were 
killed. Another brother, who reached the age 
of one hundred years, was a soldier of the 
Revolutionary War. The father of Cap- 
tain Brainard was Jonathan Brainard. who 
moved from New York to Painesville, 
Ohio, in 1831, but returned to New York a 
year later, where he was engaged in farm- 
ing until his death. 

Captain Brainard spent his boyhood on 
his father's farm, obtaining his education 
in the public schools and at the De Ruyter 
Institute. He began teaching when eigh- 
teen years of age, read law for a time and 
afterwards went to Rome, N. Y., where he 
was engaged in the forwarding and ship- 
ping business for five years. In 1850 he 
sailed from New York on the Pacific mail- 
ship, Georgia, from which he landed at 
Chagres, on the way to California, in com- 
pany with nine others going to Gorgona 
on the Chagres River, by canoe, rowed by 
five naked natives, and thence to Panama, 
the baggage being carried on pack mules. 
From there he went by vessel to San Fran- 
cisco, which he reached in the following 
December. After mining for a time on the 
North Fork of the American River, he went 
into the express and produce business at 
Sacramento, in which he continued until 
1857. While living in Sacramento, he was 
elected city treasurer, and held that office 
during the formative period of the town. 

In 1853, Captain Brainard returned east 
as far as Illinois, and became interested 
with others in fitting out a wagon train, 
which convoyed a herd of cattle across the 
plains to California. Then continuing his 
journey eastward to Syracuse, N. Y., on 
May 4, 1853, he was married to Malinda B. 
Coley, at her home in Syracuse, when they 
sailed together for California, and Mrs. 
Brainard shared with her husband the 



thrilling experiences of pioneer life there 
until 1857. During his residence in Cali- 
fornia, Mr. Brainard served as Captain of 
a company of Vigilants, and thereby gained 
the title which clung to him through life. 

In 1857, Captain Brainard returned to 
his native State, and, after spending a year 
in Syracuse, moved to Chicago, where he 
became a member of the Board of Trade, 
engaging in the produce business, in which 
he continued until his death. In 1863, he 
made a trip to Pike's Peak. He served one 
term as President of the Chicago Board of 
Trade, and was acting President of that or- 
ganization in 1872. He also filled a num- 
ber of important official positions at differ- 
ent times. These included membership on 
the Board of Commissioners of the Illinois 
and ^Michigan Canal, by appointment of 
Gov. Beveridge, from 1873 to 1877, and as 
a member of the Railroad and Warehouse 
Commission, by appointment of Gov. Ham- 
ilton, from 1883 to 1885. From 1885 until 
1893 he served on the Board of Trade com- 
mittee for the inspection of grain. 

In 1866, Captain Brainard established his 
home in Evanston, where he was a leading 
citizen during the remainder of his life. 
He served as a member of the Village 
Board and as Town Collector. In politics, 
he was a supporter of the Republican party, 
and fraternally, was a member of the I. O. 
O. F. and the California Pioneers' Asso- 
ciation. His death occurred May 19, 1894. 

Mrs. Brainard, who survives her husband, 
is a daughter of Col. George and Hulda 
(Norton) Coley, of Chenango County, N. 
Y., and her grandfather was a quartermas- 
ter during the Revolutionary War, under 
Washington. Besides Mrs. Brainard, the 
only member of this family living in 1905, 
was her daughter, Mrs. Frances Marian 
Belknap. A son, William Valejo Brainard, 
died in 1887, and a daughter, Hattie Belle, 
died in childhood. 



598 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



JOHN R. WOODBRIDGE. 

John R. W'oodbridge (deceased), well- 
known in business circles of Chicago and 
throughout the West as merchant and man- 
ufacturer, and for some years before his 
death a resident of Evanston, 111., was born 
at Fort Recovery, Ind., August i6, 1851, 
the son of Ebenezer and Eliza (Ripley) 
Woodbridge, and a descendant of Rev. John 
Woodbridge, who came from England and 
settled at Newberry, Mass., in 1683. 
Through its English ancestry, the lineage 
of the family is traced to King Henry I. of 
France. 

When he was four years of age, and 
when Illinois was still regarded as a part 
of the "Far West," Mr. Woodbridge"s par- 
ents removed to Lee Center in this State, 
and the son passed the years of his boyhood 
at that place, receiving the mental train- 
ing in the public schools and at Lee Center 
Academy, which fitted him for a successful 
business career. Leaving home when he 
was seventeen years of age, he came to Chi- 
cago and obtained his first employment in 
the Methodist Book Concern — then, as now, 
one of the great church publishing houses 
in the West and a powerful agency in ad- 
vancing church interests. In this institu- 
tion he was well trained morally, religious- 
ly and industrially, and developed early in- 
to a capable man of affairs. After serving 
the Book Concern for several years, win- 
ning the approbation and gaining the high 
regard of those with whom in this connec- 
tion he was brought into contact, severing 
his connection with the publishing concern, 
he engaged in business on his own account, 
becoming junior member of the firm of 
Eldredge & Woodbridge, pioneers in the 
manufacture of men's furnishing goods 
in the West. A few years after they began 
business Mr. Eldredge died, and thereafter 



Mr. Woodbridge conducted the enterprise 
which they had founded under the firm 
name of Woodbridge & Co., building up a 
commercial house of high character and 
constantly expanding trade. In later years 
he conducted in connection with his factory 
a large laundry, located on the "West Side" 
in Chicago, and also operated salesrooms 
at 100 Madison Street. In the trade with 
which he was identified he became widely 
known throughout the West, and no busi- 
ness house in the city had a higher standing 
among its patrons. Those who knew him 
as a man of affairs esteemed him alike for 
his sterling integrity, his correct business 
methods and his uniform courtesy and fair- 
ness in all of his dealings. He had broad 
capacity for the conduct of business, was 
intensely active and energetic, and. all in 
all, was a fine type of the self-made west- 
ern business man. In 1892 he came to Ev- 
anston to live and soon became a favorite 
in social and club circles by reason of his 
geniality, his kindliness and many lovable 
traits of character. A man of charming 
personality, he drew about him a large cir- 
cle of devoted friends, to whom his death, 
on the 2ist day of March, 1901, brought a 
deep sense of personal bereavement. He 
was a Methodist in religious belief and a 
leading member of the Emmanuel Church of 
Evanston, taking a deep interest in the up- 
building of the church and the advancement 
of its interests. When his business cares 
were laid aside, he found his favorite recre- 
ation from time to time in hunting and 
other out-door sports ; was an active 
and leading spirit in the Evanston Gun 
Club and the Masonic Order, and also a 
member of the Evanston Club. 

Mr. Woodbridge was first married, in 
1872, to Mary H. Grannis, daughter of 
Amos Grannis of Chicago. She died in 
1884, leaving two daughters, Anna May 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



599 



and Mary Grannis Woodbridge. In 1887 
he married Miss Georgia E. Tanner, 
daughter of Charles Tanner of Chicago, 
who survives her husband, residing at the 
family homestead on Asbury Avenue. 
Their children are Helen Louise and John 
R. Woodbridge, Jr. 



MARY BOYD LINDSAY. 

Mary B. Lindsay, Librarian Evans- 
ton Public Library, was born in Peoria, 
111., the daughter of James Columbus and 
Sarah M. (Dinwiddle) Lindsay — the for- 
mer born at McConnellsburg, Pa., June 
20, 1829, and the latter at Gettysburg, Pa., 
November 3, 1834. The families of both 
parents became early settlers in Peoria, 111. 
but in 1903 removed to Evanston. 

Hugh Dinwiddle, the great-great-grand- 
father of Miss Lindsay on the maternal 
side, served as Captain in the York (Pa.) 
"Associators" during the Indian War, and 
was also a soldier of the Revolution, serv- 
ing first as Major, and later as Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel, and dying in the service. An- 
other ancestor on the same side, Henry 
Black, served in the American Revolution 
as Captain of a company of "Rangers." 

Miss Lindsay was educated in the Peoria 
High School and in the New York State 
Library School, at Albany, in that State, 
and later taught one year in the Peoria pub- 
lic schools and a year in the Pettingill Sem- 
inary of that city. She also was connected 
with the Peoria Public Library for a time 
until 1894, when she came to Evanston to 
accept the position of Librarian of the Free 
Public Library of that city, which she has 
continued to occupy to the present time. 
In July, 1905, she was chosen Secretary of 
the Evanston Public Library, which posi- 
tion she still retains. She was President of 



the State Library Association for the year 
1905-06. Her religious affiliations are with 
the First Presbyterian Church of Evans- 
ton. Miss Lindsay's long identification 
with library work, and her continuous reten-. 
tion of the position which she has occupied 
for the past twelve years, as well as the 
growth of the Evanston Library under her 
administration, attest the value of the ser- 
vice she has rendered in her chosen field 
of labor to the city of Evanston. 



EDGAR OVET BLAKE. 

Edgar Ovet Blake, whose reputation as 
a skillful architect has been thoroughly es- 
tablished during the successful pursuit of 
that profession in Evanston, 111., was born 
in Evanston, July 22, 1866. The place of 
his birth is near the property now known 
as Number 1632, Chicago Avenue, Evans- 
ton. Mr. Blake is a son of Wallace Hoyt 
and Lucena Mariette (Herrick) Blake, 
the former born in Williston, Vt., and the 
latter a native of Watertown, N. Y. 
For many years the occupation of Wallace 
Hoyt was that of a wholesale grocery sales- 
man, but he is at present living in retire- 
ment in Colorado. The mother of the sub- 
ject of this sketch passed away in 1885. 
In 1870, the family moved to South Evans- 
ton, and were among the earliest settlers 
in the vicinity where they located. Mr. 
Blake's ancestry on the paternal side is 
traceable in America to the year 1700, 
when this branch of the family settled in 
Wrentham, Mass., where from that period 
its successive generations have continued 
to own and occupy land. On the maternal 
side, Mr. Blake is descended in a direct line 
from Edward Winslow, who landed from 
the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock, in 1620. 

In early youth, Mr. Blake made diligent 



6oo 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



use of the opportunities for mental training 
afforded by the South Evanston pubHc 
school, and supplemented his elementary 
studies by attending the Evanston High 
School. 

In 1881, he entered the employ of John 
M. Van Osdel, of Chicago, who was then 
one of the most prominent and successful 
architects of the West. This period marked 
the inception of Chicago's modern archi- 
tecture, and in the year last mentioned, the 
Board of Trade Building and the John V. 
Farwell warehouse in that city, were erect- 
ed. On the plans for the latter building, 
Mr. Blake assisted as office boy. When he 
left Mr. Van Osdel's employ, Mr. Blake be- 
came a pupil in the Art Institute of Qiica- 
go, where he remained until he went to Eu- 
rope, finishing his architectual studies in 
Paris. With the exception of the period 
thus spent abroad, Mr. Blake has spent his 
entire life in Evanston and its vicinity. On 
returning from Europe, he was employed 
in the architect's office of the World's Col- 
umbian Exposition in Chicago, and worked 
on the plans of the famous buildings includ- 
ed in that memorable enterprise. During the 
six months of its continuance he had abun- 
dant leisure to attend the "World's Fair 
Congresses" on religious and economic 
questions, and there began the course of in- 
vestigation which resulted in his present 
attitude in public affairs. Together with 
many others, he was affected by the finan- 
cial depression which followed the termi- 
nation of the great Exposition in 1893. I" 
1896, he applied himself to his chosen 
work in Evanston, and has since confined 
himself closely to the practice of architec- 
ture, making it a special point to attend 
personally (as a craftsman) to his work, as 
far as possible. 

He has furnished plans for a number of 
business buildings and several fine apart- 
ment buildings in Evanston, beside a few 



churches in the neigboring towns. His 
specialty, however, has been along the line 
of moderate-priced residences, of which he 
has designed about 200, mainly in Evanston. 
Of these, quite a number were built for 
members of the Northwestern University 
staff of professors. 

On November 13, 1890, Mr. Blake was 
united in marriage at Evanston with Annie 
Elizabeth Bradley, who was born in Not- 
tingham, England, April 15, 1866. Two 
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. 
Blake, namely : Marion Lucena, born Octo- 
ber 18, 1891, and Eleanor Elizabeth, born 
June 16, 1896. 

In religious association the subject of this 
sketch is identified with the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church, and formerly was quite ac- 
tive in church work, and in the work of the 
Epworth League. During the past ten 
years, however, his attention has been al- 
most entirely devoted to his professional 
and domestic duties. Politically, Mr. Blake 
was formerly a Republican, casting his first 
vote for Benjamin Harrison in 1888. In 
1896, he became a Socialist, as the ultimate 
result of his study of sociological and eco- 
nomic problems, at the World's Fair Con- 
gress of 1893. Aside from his chosen occu- 
pation, he has always taken an interest in 
music, but never made a special study of 
that art. In 1890, during his absence in 
Europe, already mentioned, he visited the 
important points of interest in England. 
France and Italy. His professional repu- 
tation rests securely on the work that he 
has wrought, which amply attests his 
ability and skill as an architect. 



JOHN JAY SHUTTERLY. 

John Jay Shutterly (deceased), who es- 
tablished his home in Evanston in 1880, was 
one of its most active and progressive citi- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



6oi 



zens. He was born in Philadelphia, Pa., 
July 14, 1826, and reared in the village of 
Carmichael, near Pittsburg, Pa. He re- 
ceived his education at Greene Academy 
and Jefferson College, Canonsburg, Pa. 
From the latter institution (now Washing- 
ton and Jefferson College), he was gradu- 
ated in 1857. 

Mr. Shutterly began business in Pitts- 
burg as a wholesale grocer, and subsequent- 
ly engaged in real estate operations. For 
years he managed large realty interests for 
Dr. Hostetter, of "Hostetter Bitters" fame. 
In 1877 he came to Chicago, where he con- 
tinued in the real estate business on an ex- 
tensive scale for a long period. In 188 1 he 
built fifty houses west of Deering, and later, 
thirty-six flat buildings on the "South Side." 
He also did some building in Evanston. In 
1901 he retired to a small fruit farm in the 
vicinity of St. Joseph, Mich., where he died 
October 25, 1904. 

Mr. Shutterly was a member of the 
Charleston Democratic National Conven- 
tion of i860. 

During the Civil War, he recruited and 
assisted in equipping a company for the 
Fourteenth Regiment Pennsylvania Volun- 
teer Cavalry, of which he was commis- 
sioned as captain. He participated in many 
of the principal battles of the war, including 
that of Gettysburg, and was for many years 
afterwards a member of John A. Logan 
Post, G. A. R., of Evanston. He married 
Ella Gillis of Canonsburg, Pa., and they had 
two sons, Eugene E. and John J., Jr., and 
two daughters, Mary and Lillie H. 

Mr. Shutterly was a consistent Christian 
and was very active in church work. He 
was one of the founders of Emmanuel 
Methodist Episcopal Church of Evanston. in 
which he served on the building committee, 
as a member of the official board, leader of 
the Bible class, etc. As a biblical scholar 



he acquired considerable reputation, and 
was a famous Chautauquan, having gradu- 
ated with the highest number of points ever 
credited to a graduate up to that period. 
Twenty seals were awarded to him, each 
representing a special course of study. He 
was a man of uncommon mental vigor and 
untiring energy. 



EUGENE E. SHUTTERLY. 

Eugene E. Shutterly, M. D., a well- 
known physician of Evanston, son of 
John Jay Shutterly, subject of the 
foregoing sketch, was born in Can- 
onsburg, Pennsylvania, January 2, 1861. 
He received his early mental training in 
the schools of Pittsburg and completed 
his education at Northwestern Acad- 
emy. In 1888, he was graduated from the 
HaJinemann Medical College, Chicago, be- 
gan practice of medicine in 1889, and has 
since gained an enviable standing in the 
profession. He has been a member of the 
stafT of Evanston Hospital since the insti- 
tution was founded, and has served as 
Health Commissioner of the city. 

Dr. Shutterly was married in 1888 to 
Nettie Rugg, of New Lenox, 111., who died 
in 1890. In 1897 he married Elizabeth 
Miller, of Louisville, as his second wife. 
He is a member of the First Presbyterian 
Church of Evanston. 



JAMES HENRY RAYMOND. 

James H. Raymond, patent lawyer, whose 
office is located at No. 15 15 Monadnock 
Building, Chicago, 111., and who resides 
at No. 2148 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, 
111., was born in Wilbraham, Mass., June 
6, 1850. He is a son of Rev. Miner Ray- 
mond, D. D., LL. D., and Elizabeth (Hen- 



6o2 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



derson) Raymond. After finishing his 
primary studies in the piibhc schools of his 
native place, Mr. Raymond became a pupil 
in Wesleyan Academy, at Wilbrahani, 
Mass., and in September, 1864, entered 
Northwestern University at Evanston. He 
graduated from the College of Liberal Arts 
in 187 1, and from the Law School of the 
University (then the LInion College of 
Law) in 1875. In 187 1 he received the de- 
gree of A. B., in 1873, that of A. M., and 
in 1875, that of LL. B. During his under- 
graduate period, he was a member of the 
Hinman Literary Society and the Phi Gam- 
ma Delta Fraternity, and won every prize 
contest which was open to him, with two 
exceptions. These were the contest for the 
Hinman Essay prize, from which he was 
debarred by sickness; and the Blanchard 
(now Kirk) oratorical contest, on which 
occasion for certain reasons the prize was 
divided between ]\Ir. Raymond and E. R. 
Schrader of the Class of "71, by a divided 
vote of the faculty. 

Mr. Raymond was admitted to the bar 
in 1875 and now devotes his attention, 
chiefly, to the specialties of patents, copy- 
rights, trade-marks and corporations. From 
April 15, 1874, to November 21, 1884, un- 
der the title of "Secretary and Treasurer," 
he served in the capacity of actuary of the 
Western Railroad Association, a bureau 
of 103 railroad companies, organized for 
the purpose of investigating and adjusting 
all claims for the infringement of patents 
in use by them, and defending all patent 
suits brought against members of the asso- 
ciation. Mr. Raymond was formerly a 
member of the firm of Raymond & Veeder, 
and subsequently, of that of Raymond & 
Omohundro ; the present firm style is 
Raymond & Barnett. 

Mr. Raymond is a member of the Ameri- 



can Bar Association, having been for one 
term President of its section on patents, 
trade-marks and copyrights ; of the Illinois 
State Bar Association ; the Chicago Bar 
Association; the Chicago Law Institute; 
and the Chicago Patent Law Association, 
of which he was the founder and second 
President. In non-professional relations, 
he is an associate member of the Ameri- 
can Society of Mechanical Engineers; a 
member of the Master Car Builders' As- 
sociation and of the Railway Master Me- 
chanics' Association. 

In civic connection, he is a member of 
the IVIunicipal Association of Evanston, and 
socially, he belongs to the Union League 
Club of Chicago and to the Evanston Club. 
For twelve years he has been a Trustee of 
the Northwestern University, and a mem- 
ber of the Board's Executive Committee ; 
is also a director in many private corpora- 
tions. 

On October 13, 1874, Mr. Raymond was 
united in marriage, in Springfield; 111., with 
Mary S. Edwards, a daughter of Hon. Ben- 
jamin Stephenson Edwards and wife of that 
city. Mr. and Mrs. Raymond have had 
four children born to them, namely : Ed- 
wards F., of Evanston; Elizabeth (Mrs. 
Frederick C. Woodward), of Evanston; 
Helena Van Wycke (Mrs. A. R. Carman), 
of Argyle, 111., and Miner, a student in 
Northwestern University College of Lib- 
eral Arts, of the Class of 1907. 

Politically, Mr. Raymond is a Sound- 
Money Democrat. In 1871-73, he was 
Secretary of the first Railroad and Ware- 
house Commission of Illinois. Religiously, 
he is a Methodist, and has been a member 
of the First Methodist Church of Evanston 
since 1865. In fraternal circles, he is 
identified with the A. F. & A. M., in which 
order he is a Knight Templar. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



603 



NATHAN SMITH DAVIS, Jr., M. D. 

Dr. Nathan Smith Davis, Jr., physician 
of Chicago, 111., was born in that city, Sep- 
tember 5, 1858, the son of Dr. Nathan S. 
and Anna M. (Parker) Davis, and a 
grandson of Dow Davis. His father was, 
for many years, one of the most conspicu- 
ous figures in the medical profession. Dr. 
Nathan Smith Davis, Jr.. obtained his pri- 
mary education in the schools of Chicago, 
and then pursued a literary course in 
Northwestern University, from which he 
was graduated in 1880, with the degree of 
A. B., receiving that of A. M. from the 
same source three years later. While an 
undergraduate, he was a member of the 
Hinman Literary Society and the Sigma 
Chi and Phi Beta Kappa Fraternities. On 
leaving the university, he began the study 
of medicine with his father, in Chicago, and 
took three successive courses of medical 
lectures in Chicago Medical College, which 
now constitutes the Medical School of 
Northwestern University. From this in- 
stitution he was graduated in 1883. In 
that year he entered upon the practice of his 
profession in Chicago, where he has lived 
ever since. Dr. Davis took post-graduate 
courses in Heidelberg, Germany, and Vien- 
na, Austria, in 1885. 

In 1884, Dr. Davis became Associate 
Professor of Pathology in Northwestern 
University Medical College, and in 1886, 
was made Professor of the Principles and 
Practice of Medicine, and of Clinical Med- 
cine. At a later period he became Secre- 
tary, and subsequently Dean, of that insti- 
tution. In 1884 he was chosen physician 
to Mercy Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Davis 
was a member of the general busi- 
ness committee and more recently of 
the council and judicial council of 



the American Medical Association, having 
previously been Secretary of the Section of 
Practice and Chairman of the Section of 
Therapeutics in that body. He was 
a member of the Council of the Section 
of Pathology in the Ninth International 
Medical Congress, and of the Council 
of the Section of Practice in the 
Pan-American Medical Congress. In 1893, 
he was Chairman of the Section of 
Practice in the Illinois State Medical So- 
ciety. Besides the American Medical As- 
sociation and the Illinois State Medical 
Society, Dr. Davis is a member of the 
American Academy of Medicine, the Amer- 
ican Climatological Association, the Ameri- 
can Therapeutical Association, the Ameri- 
can Tuberculosis, the Chicago Pathological 
Society, the Chicago Neurological Society, 
the Chicago Medical Society, the Chicago 
Medico-Legal Society and the Illinois 
State Microscopical Society. Of non-pro- 
fessional official relations, the doctor is a 
Trustee of Northwestern University, and 
formerly a member of the General Board 
of Management of the Y. M. C. A. of Chi- 
cago. He is also a member of the Chi- 
cago Academy of Sciences and the Chicago 
Literary Club, Chicago Art Institute and 
Chicago Historical Society. The subject 
of this sketch is the author of several med- 
ical works of high repute, among which are 
volumes entitled, "Consumption: How to 
Prevent it and How to Live with it" ; "Dis- 
eases of the Lungs, Heart and Kidneys"; 
and "Diet in Health and Disease." 

On April 16, 1884, Dr. Davis was united 
in marriage, at Madison, Wis., with Jessie 
B. Hopkins, a daughter of the late Judge 
Hopkins, of that city. Four children have 
resulted from this union, three of whom are 
living, namely : Nathan Smith Davis HI. ; 
Ruth Davis, and William Deering Davis. 



6o4 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



REV. HUGH P. SMYTH. 

Rev. Hugh P. Smyth, pastor St. Mary's 
Roman Catholic Church, Evanston, 111., 
was born a little over fifty years ago in 
County Cavan, Ireland, attended college at 
All Hallows, Dublin and was ordained to 
the priesthood in 1881. He then came to 
America and, soon after arriving in New 
York, came to Chicago, and became assist- 
ant pastor of the Church of the Nativity, 
at Union Avenue and Thirty-seventh Street, 
retaining this position nine years. His first 
charge was as pastor of St. Patrick's 
Church at Lemont, where he remained two 
years, when he was called to the rectorship 
of St. Mary's Church in Evanston, being 
appointed to this position by Archbishop 
Feehan, and taking charge of the parish on 
May 6, 1893, which position he has retained 
continuously to the present time. (See 
"Catholic Churches," Evanston, in chapter 
on churches in the historic portion of this 
volume.) 

In the thirteen years of Father Smyth's 
connection with St. Mary's Church it has 
greatly increased in the number of its com- 
municants, the church property has been 
greatly improved, and he has acquired a 
wide popularity among all classes of citi- 
zens. The parochial school erected during 
this period at a cost of $70,000 is capable 
of accommodating a large body of pupils 
and the church membership has nearly 
doubled. Democratic and liberal in his 
tastes. Father Smyth is in much demand as 
a speaker on popular occasions, and has 
been frequently called upon to lecture be- 
fore the students of the Northwestern Uni- 
versity. He takes a deep interest in live 
questions and has proven himself a zealous 
champion of social, moral and business re- 
forms. In an address made before a credit 
men's association, a few months before the 



publication, of this volume, referring to 
questions occupying much popular atten- 
tion, he said: "I believe in pure food, pure 
water, clean streets, air free from grime and 
soot, and stand for the simple, sweet and 
peaceable life that brings out the best in 
man and woman." 

The twenty-fifth anniversary of Fr. 
Smyth's ordination was celebrated in St. 
Mary's Church, Evanston, with impressive 
religious services on Sunday, June 24, 1906, 
followed by a banquet in the parochial 
school hall, which was participated in by 
some forty visiting priests. Much interest 
was manifested in the event by many out- 
side of the popular priest's own denomina- 
tion, and he was made the recipient of nu- 
merous generous gifts, not only from his im- 
mediate parishioners but also from non- 
Catholic friends, amounting in all to $4,500. 



ELIZABETH EUNICE MARCY. 

Elizabeth Eunice Marcy, wife of the late 
Professor Oliver Marcy, LL. D., of North- 
western University, was born at East 
Hampton, Conn., December 22, 1821. She 
is of Mayflower stock on both sides of her 
family, tracing her lineage in direct descent 
from Elder William Brewster and Stephen 
Hopkins of Mayflower fame. Mrs. Mar- 
cy's life, up to the time of her young wom- 
anhood, was spent ih her home in East 
Hampton in the atmosphere of a thrifty 
New England family. Nathaniel Clark 
Smith, her father, was a man highly re- 
spected in the community. It may be said 
of him that he practically received every 
office in the gift of his fellow citizens. He 
was Justice of the Peace, Selectman, No- 
tary Public and represented his town in the 
Legislature for several sessions. His fam- 
ih- is directly traceable to the famous East- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



605 



ham Colony, the first exodus from Plym- 
outh about 1644. Her mother, Charlotte 
(Strong) Smith, is said to have been a 
woman of remarkable efficiency, being a 
lineal descendant, in the seventh genera- 
tion, from Elder John Strong of England, 
who came to America in 1630. 

Elizabeth was given the usual opportu- 
nities for education in the public schools, 
afterwards in private schools and still later 
in the Wesleyan Academy of Wilbraham, 
Mass.. all contributing to her training, af- 
ter which she had further development in 
the experience of teaching. She is of ar- 
tistic temperament and has done creditable 
work in this line, as an amateur beginning 
at a very early age to copy simple designs. 
All these avocations have filled a long and 
busy life of one whose simple vocation was 
a housekeeper. Professor Oliver Marcy 
married Elizabeth Eunice Smith July 2, 
1847, at which time he was a teacher in the 
Wilbraham. Mass.. Academy. Professor 
Marcy was a member of a very old and dis- 
tinguished family, being descended from 
John Marcy, son of the High Sheriff of 
Limerick, Ireland, who was born about the 
year 1662 and came to America in 1685. 
From him the direct line continues through 
successive generations down to Thomas, 
the father of Oliver. Oliver was bom 
February 13. 1820, graduated at Middle- 
town, Conn., in 1846. and received the de- 
gree of LL. D. from the Chicago Univer- 
sity in 1873. In 1862 Professor and Mrs. 
Marcy came to Evanston, 111., he having 
accepted a professorship in Northwestern 
University, with which institution he was 
identified until his death on March ig, 
1899. His service to the University and 
the science of Geology gave him distin- 
guished rank among American educators. 
To Mr. and Mrs. Marcy were born four 



children: Annie Smith, born November 30, 
1851, married Dr. Frank Davis April 21, 
1875, and died February 22, 1900; Edwin 
Grosvenor, born January 23, 1854, died 
July 22, 1855 ; Frederic Malcolm, born No- 
vember 2, 1856, died September 25, 1857; 
and Maude Elizabeth Olivia, born June 20, 
1862, died February i, 1875. 

During a long and busy life, Mrs. Marcy 
has found time for public service of noble 
and enduring sort. Her passion for help- 
fulness found expression in her alliance 
with the Woman's Foreign and Woman's 
Home Missionary societies of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church, in both of which she 
was a charter member. The early historv 
of these movements is a curious record of 
opposition and discouragement from other 
official agencies, and everlasting credit is 
due to the noble and intrepid band of 
women who declined to be overawed or 
discouraged, and among these Mrs. Marcy, 
by pen and voice, was a recognized leader. 
.As a sort of corollary to her work with the 
Woman's Home Missionary Society, Mrs. 
Marcy undertook to found what is known 
as the Elizabeth E. Marcy Home in one of 
the destitute sections of Chicago. The 
home is conducted as a sort of religious 
settlement and is now a center of acknowl- 
edgeil help and usefulness, a source of 
beauty and strength to those who receive 
its benefits. Mrs. Marcy was also one of 
the founders of the Woman's Christian 
Temperance Union, to whose crusade she 
has ever been one of the most valuable 
au-xiliaries. She is a member of the 
Daughters of the American Revolution, be- 
ing entitled to this order by the service of 
her paternal grandfather. Sparrow Smith, 
who joined the Continental Army in his 
seventeenth year. She is also eligible to 
membership in the Colonial Dames, having 
for her progenitor on her mother's side 



6o6 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



Josiah Cook, who rendered soldier service 
in King Philip's War in 1675. On her 
father's side she is a descendant of the 
Rev. John Norton, who in the French and 
Indian War was made Chaplain of a line of 
forts in Western Massachusetts. During 
the service he was carried to Canada, where 
he remained captive for a year. After- 
ward he settled in East Hampton, Conn., 
where he was pastor of the church during 
the remainder of his life of thirty years. 
She is also by lineal descent from the sign- 
ers of the original Compact of the Pilgrim 
Fathers, a member of the Society of the 
Women of the Mayflower of the State of 
Illinois. 

Mrs. Marcy's contributions to the press 
have been numerous. In prose they have 
been chiefly in the direction of her philan- 
thropic work, some of them being of such 
importance as to warrant their distribution 
by tens of thousands in pamphlet form. In 
verse Mrs. Marcy has been less prolific but 
not less successful. She excels as a writer 
of occasional hymns and songs. One of 
her hymns, originally contributed to the 
Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
has been taken up by other hymnals and 
has been sung with great acceptance by 
congregations all over the world. In per- 
son, Mrs. Marcy is most approachable and 
companionable. The wide variety of her 
interests, her intellectual keenness, the 
breadth and geniality of her sympathies, 
the high quality of her culture and her deep 
spirituality invest her with exceptional 
charms. She has lived a long, diligent and 
useful life, and if, by reason of years, her 
range of activity is now restricted, she is 
none the less an inspiring and beloved fig- 
ure in a wide circle of friends upon whom 
the blessing and the balm of a pure spirit 
have passed. 



CHARLES C. BRAGDON. 

Charles C. Bragdon, A. M., a teacher by 
profession, who is Principal of the Lasell 
Seminary for Young Women, at Auburn- 
dale, Mass., was born in Auburn, N. Y., 
September 6, 1847. In boyhood he attend- 
ed public school, and in early manhood 
pursued courses of study in Northwestern 
Female College, and in the Preparatory 
Department of Northwestern University, 
where he graduated in 1865, and received 
the degree of A. M. in regular course in 
1868. At a later period, the degree of 
LL. D. was conferred upon him by North- 
western L^niversity. From 1872 to 1874, 
Mr. Bragdon continued his studies in Ger- 
many. He is a charter member of the 
Alpha Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, and dur- 
ing his collegiate course, belonged to the 
Adelphic Literary Society. 

From 1865 to 1867, Mr. Bragdon taught 
in the Williamsport Seminary, in Pennsyl- 
vania, and from 1868 to 1872, in the Wes- 
leyan Female College, at Cincinnati, Ohio. 
On June 30, 1869, he was united in mar- 
riage with Kate R. Ransom, of Williams- 
port, Pa., and they became the parents of 
two children, namely : Katherine Belle and 
Tohn Ransom. 



FRANKLIN SEXTON CATLIN. 

Franklin S. Catlin, a worthy and prom- 
ising representative of the younger element 
of attorneys-at-law in Chicago, 111., was 
horn in that city September 16, 1876, the 
only son of Charles and Mary Edith 
(Woods) Catlin, both of whom were na- 
tives of Chicago. On the maternal side he 
is descended from Michael Humphrey, who 
settled in Connecticut in 1647. Mr. Charles 
Catlin is Cashier of the Money Order De- 
partment of the Chicago Post Office. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



607 



The youthful mental training of Mr. 
Catlin was obtained in the "Lincoln" Pub- 
lic Grammar School, of Chicago, after 
which he became a pupil in the old Chicago 
Manual Training School, from which he 
was graduated in 1894. He then entered 
the Northwestern University Law School, 
graduating therefrom in 1896, and receiv- 
ing the degree of LL. B. In that year he 
was a contributor to the "Northwestern 
University Law Review." As he was too 
young for admission to the bar, being but 
nineteen years old, he took a post-graduate 
course in the Chicago College of Law (the 
law department of Lake Forest University), 
which also conferred upon him the degree of 
LL. B. In November, 1897, Mr. Catlin 
was admitted to the bar, and became con- 
nected with the law firm of Loesch Broth- 
ers & Howell, with whom he remained 
three years. Since 1900 he has continued 
in practice alone. 

In politics, Mr. Catlin is an earnest ad- 
herent of the Republican party, and takes 
an active part in the work of its local or- 
ganization, having acted as secretary of his 
precinct and clerk of election for six years. 
His religious connection is with Unity 
Church (long under the ministry of Rev. 
Robert Collyer), of which he is secretary. 
In fraternal circles he is identified with the 
A. F. & A. M., being a member of Orien- 
tal Lodge No. 23' of Chicago, of which his 
father has been Secretary for the past 
twenty-seven years. He is also a member 
of the Board of Directors of the North 
Side Club, a social organization. Mr. Cat- 
lin is somewhat of an expert in aquatic 
sports. In 1896 he won the Junior Single 
Shell championship, and was one of the 
winners of the Junior Pair-oared Shejl 
championship, in the regatta of the Missis- 
sippi Valley Amateur Rowing Association, 



at Black Lake, Michigan. He is secretary 
of the Catlin Boat Club, which was organ- 
ized in 1882, and a member of the American 
Canoe Association. 



GEORGE W. WHITEFIELD, M. D., 
D. D. S. 

George W. Whitefield, physician, D. D. 
S., was born near Boston, Mass., September 
30, 1855, the son of'Rev. John and Martha 
(Kemp) Whitefield, and a grand nephew 
of Rev. George Whitefield, the celebrated 
English evangelist of the eighteenth cen- 
tury. In boyhood, he was brought by his 
parents to Aurora, 111., where he was edu- 
cated in the public school and high school, 
his first employment after leaving school 
being as a bookkeeper. While still in his 
"teens he opened an art store in Aurora, 
and, after reaching manhood, spent some 
time on the plains. In 1879 he began study 
and laboratory work preparatory to open- 
ing a dental office during the following 
year, in the meantime, while engaged in 
practice, pursuing medical and dental col- 
lege courses, taking the D. D. S. degree at 
the Chicago Dental College in 1885, and 
that of M. D. from Rush Medical College 
in 1886. The official positions which he 
has held in connection with his profession 
include the chair of Dental Pathology in 
the American Dental College and that of 
Electrical Therapeutics in the Dental De- 
partment of the Northwestern University ; 
also for some time was Aural Surgeon in 
connection with the Protestant Orphan 
Asylum, and Assistant Surgeon under the 
celebrated Dr. Gunn preceding the death of 
the latter in 1887. He is a member of the 
Chicago Dental Society, the Odontographic 
Society and the Electric Club, and served 



6o8 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



as delegate to the Ninth International Med- 
ical Congress ; is also the inventor of several 
valuable instruments now in general use in 
connection with electro-therapy. 

On January 31, 1895, Dr. Whitefield was 
married to Fannie Comstock, daughter of 
Charles Comstock. and they have one- 
daughter, Julia Sprague. For five years he 
was a member of Company D, Third Regi- 
ment I. N. G., and served with his regiment 
in suppressing the riots at Braidwood, 111., 
in 1877. Owing to failing health he en- 
tered commercial life, serving for a time 
as Vice-President of a company whose bus- 
iness interests led to his making a trip to 
the tropics. In a short tmie, having re- 
gained his health, he returned home in 
1903 and resumed the practice of his pro- 
fession, which he has followed continuous- 
ly since. He was Vice-President of the 
American Fruit and Transportation Com- 
pany and a Director of the Rio Bonito 
Company. His residence and office are at 
No. 1 5 18 Hinman Avenue, Evanston. 



FRANK LYNN BORTON. 

Frank Lynn Borton was born near Phil- 
adelphia, Pa., in 1863. of Quaker parentage. 
Mr. Borton has been in the service of the 
Pennsylvania Railroad System for twenty 
years and is Assistant to the Manager of 
the Star Union Line, the through freight 
department of the Pennsylvania Lines. He 
has been a resident of Evanston for eleven 
years, is a member of the Official Board of 
Emmanuel Methodist Church, and has al- 
ways taken an active interest in municipal 
affairs. Mr. Borton's home is at 740 For- 
est Avenue. 



DAVID R. DYCHE, M. D. 

Dr. David R. Dyche (deceased) was 
born near Red Lion, Warren County. 
Ohio, March 11, 1827, the son of William 
Dyche, who was a farmer by occupation. 
The son was brought up on a farm, mean- 
while receiving his education in the pub- 
lic schools, at Lebanon Academy and 
under private tutorship, after which he 
began the study of medicine with Dr. 
Joshua Stearns of Lebanon, still later tak- 
ing a course in the Medical College at 
Cincinnati, from which he graduated in 
1854. He then began practice in the 
town of Monroe. Butler County. Ohio, 
where he remained nine years. In 1865, 
coming to Chicago, at the end of the year 
he engaged in the drug business, first at 
the corner of Randolph and Dearborn 
Streets. The fire of 1871 having destroyed 
his place of business, he soon afterward 
erected the Dyche building at the corner 
of Randolph and State Streets, in which 
he continued business until his death 
August 4, 1893. 

L^p to 1874, Dr. Dyche's residence was 
in the city of Chicago. He then removed 
to Evanston, where he continued to reside 
during the remainder of his life, taking an 
active part in the building up of that city. 
He was one of the active members of tlie 
Citizens" League, which did much to keep 
saloons from obtaining a foothold in the 
city in violation of the "Four-Mile Limit 
Law." He was an active factor in the 
founding of the W^oman's Medical Col- 
lege, afterwards identified with the North- 
western University, and in the promotion 
of the medical department of the Univer- 
sity : and was also one of the founders of 
the School of Pharmacy connected with 
that institution. He became a member of 
the Methodist Church in early life, and 
took a deep interest in church affairs and 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



609 



in the upbuilding of the Northwestern 
University, with which he was closely 
identified as a member of the Board of 
Trustees soon after coming to Evanston. 
and continuously thereafter until his 
death. 

Dr. Dyche was married in Monroe, 
Ohio, in 1856, to Mary S. Boyd, a daugh- 
ter of Andrew Boyd of that place, and 
they had two sons, both of whom sur- 
vive, namely : William A., former Mayor 
of the City of Evanston, and present Busi- 
ness Manager of the Northwestern Uni- 
versity, and Dr. George B. Dyche. who is 
a physician in the city of Chicago. 

Liberal, public-spirited and enterpris- 
ing, Dr. David R. Dyche was one of the 
most influential factors in promoting the 
benevolent, educational* and moral inter- 
ests of the city with which he was so 
closelv identified for twenty years. 



JOHN CARNEY. 

John Carney (deceased), who spent his 
entire life of nearly fifty-four years in 
Evanston. 111., and served twenty-three 
years, in all, as head of its police force, 
died September 21, 1899. within three 
blocks of the spot where he was born 
January 7, 1846. His parents were John 
and Mary ( Lindsay) Carney, natives of 
County Mayo. Ireland. His father, born 
in Castlebar, County Mayo, was reared to 
farming, and on coming to the L'nited 
States in 1835, sought what was then the 
Far West, and settled on the prairie 
twelve miles north of the village of Chi- 
cago, and on the site of the present city 
of Evanston. The tract of land on which 
he located is now bounded on the north 
by Church Street, south by Greenleaf 
Street, east bv Railroad Avenue, and west 



by the western limits of Evanston. Here 
he applied himself to farming, being one 
of the first of the pioneers to bring land 
under cultivation in this region. His old 
homestead is now No. 1314 Ridge Avenue, 
and he continued to reside there until the 
Northwestern L^niversity was established, 
and the ground on which it stood was 
purchased for the use of that institution. 
He then moved to a place near the present 
Rose Hill Cemetery, where lie was occu- 
pied in farming for two years. 

In the meantime, Evanston having been 
laid out, he established his home in the 
new village, where he became the owner 
of the block of ground on Asbury Avenue 
between Grove and Lake Streets. There 
he built the residence in which he lived 
during the remainder of his days, dying 
there April 3, 1874, at the age of ninety- 
seven years. His widow, who reached 
the age of ninety-two years, passed away 
August 12, 1896. Both of these worthy 
pioneers were typical early settlers, and 
throughout their long lives, enjoyed the 
high esteem of their contemporaries in 
early settlement, and that of the later gen- 
eration that grew up around them. 

John Carney, the subject of this sketch, 
was l)orn at the early homestead on Ridge 
Avenue. He attended school in the prim- 
itive log school house in the village, then 
called Ridgeville, and was subsecpiently 
a pupil in the historic Catholic school in 
Chicago, known as St. Mary's of the Lake. 
He learned the butcher's trade as a boy. 
and he and his brother William were, for 
some time during his early manhood, en- 
gaged in the meat business in Evanston. 
Afterwards, he worked at the painter's 
trade until 1872, when he became a mem- 
ber of the pioneer police force of the Vil- 
lage of Evanston. Among the Village 
Trustees of that period were Lyman J. 



6io 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



Gage. Oliver Willard, J. J. Parkhurst and 
others who gained distinction in later life. 
Mr. Carney was the first Chief of Police 
of the incorporated City of Evanston, and 
became widely known for his ability as a 
police ofificer and detective. He had 
more than any other man to do with shap- 
ing the character of the force and making 
it what it is to-day. After 1895 he gave 
up all active pursuits and lived in pleasant 
retirement at his home on Asbury Ave- 
nue. Throughout his official life he was 
chiefly interested in preserving the best 
possible order in the community, and 
took a leading part in establishing the 
"four-mile limit," within which saloons 
are not allowed in Evanston. 

Mr. Carney was married in St. Mary's 
Church, Evanston, June 12, 1870, to Ida 
Maria Guinan, a native of Burr, Kings 
County, Ireland. Mrs. Carney came to 
the United States with her parents, John 
and Anna Guinan, when she was five 
years of age. Her family settled at Day- 
ton, Ohio, where she passed the early 
years of her life. The only child of Mr. 
and Mrs. Carney is Mrs. John M. James, 
the infant daughter of whom, Irene, rep- 
resents the fourth generation of the fam- 
ily in Evanston, and the third generation 
born there. 

Like his father before him, Mr. Carney 
was a Catholic Churchman. His widow, 
who survives him, and her daughter ad- 
here to the same faith and are communi- 
cants of St. Mary's Church in Evanston. 



JOHN BRENTON CALLIGAN. 

John Brenton Calligan (deceased), for- 
merly a well-known citizen of Evanston, 
111., was born in Machias, Maine, August 
19. 1848, and there received his mental 



training in the high school. His parents, 
Warren and Catherine (Hartley) Calli- 
gan, died when he was very young, and 
he was adopted into the family of Wil- 
liam Lorimer, of Machias, where he was 
reared. At an early age he entered the 
employ of the Pope Brothers, who oper- 
ated a large merchandising and lumber- 
ing concern in Machias, and for many 
years occupied a responsible position with 
this firm. About 1880, he went to Boston 
and became connected with the mercantile 
house of R. H. W^hite. There he remained 
until 1887, when he resigned this posi- 
tion, and coming to Chicago, entered the 
wholesale hardware trade as a representa- 
tive of the Colby Wringer Company, with 
which he continued until 1896. Retiring 
from this business, he then purchased a 
fruit ranch near Boise City, Idaho, to 
which he devoted his attention mainly 
during the remainder of his life. In 1887 
he established his home in Evanston. 
where he li\'ed until his death, which 
occurred October 6, 1904. 

i\Ir. Calligan was twice marr-ied. His 
first wife, to whom he was wedded in 
1873, was Frances Brown, a daughter of 
Capt. David Brown, of Machias, Maine, 
who was a prominent resident of that 
place. She died in Jvme. 1882. Two chil- 
dren resulted from this union, of whom 
one died in 1882 and the other in 1883. 

In June, 1884, Mr. Calligan was united 
in marriage to Annie F. Harlow, a daugh- 
ter of Deacon Alden and Temperance 
(Bourne) Harlow, of Needham, Mass. 
On the paternal side, Mrs. Calligan, who 
survives her husband, is a lineal descend- 
ant of John Alden, the Puritan, and comes 
of a noted New England family. One of 
her ancestors in the paternal line was Col. 
Anthony Thomas, of Revolutionary fame. 
.\nother was Col. Briggs Alden, who was 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



6ii 



a close personal friend of Gen. Washing- 
ton. On the maternal side, Mrs. Calligan 
has an equally distinguished ancestry. 
One of her ancestors was John Bourne, 
who walked a distance of forty miles to 
Boston in order to enlist in the Revolution- 
ary Army. He was with Washington at 
Valley Forge, and the record of his mil- 
itary career constitutes a narrative of 
thrilling interest. He lived to be six 
months more than a hundred years old. 
Mrs. Calligan's grandfather, Eleazer Har- 
low, owned and lived on a farm adjoining 
that of Daniel Webster, at Marshfield, 
Mass. The two men were warm personal 
friends, and Mr. Harlow was one of the 
pall-bearers at the funeral of the great 
New England statesman. 

The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Calli- 
gan is Mrs. Grace Brenton Williams, who 
is a Daughter of the Revolution, and pre- 
serves among her cherished possessions 
the cartridge box and bayonet of her 
ancestor, John Bourne, and other relics of 
the Revolution. 

Politically, Mr. Calligan was a Re- 
publican of pronounced views. Frater- 
nally, he was made a member of the 
Masonic Order in Norfold Lodge, at 
Needham, Mass., in 1883. His religious 
associations were with the Second Pres- 
bvterian Church of Evanston. 



ROBERT DODDS. 

Dr. Roljert Dodds, physician and sur- 
geon, who is located at No. 144 Oakwood 
Boulevard, Chicago, 111., was born at 
Kirkmaiden, Scotland. February 12, 1856. 
In boyhood he was a pupil in the gram- 
mar schools of Scotland, and subsequently 
pursued a course of study in Ayr Acad- 
emy, in that country. He graduated from 
the Medical Department of tlie North- 



western University in 1890. with the de- 
gree of M. D. Dr. Dodds is Attending 
Surgeon to the Chicago Baptist Hospital 
and the Charity Hospital, Gynecologist of 
the Post-Graduate School and Hospital, 
and Lecturer in the Methodist Training 
School for Home and Foreign Missions. 
He is a member of the American Medical 
Association, the Illinois State Medical 
Society, the Chicago Medical Society, the 
Chicago Medico-Legal Society, and the 
Chicago Gynecological Society. Dr. Dodds 
was united in marriage with Jessie B. 
Brown in April, 1890, and one child has 
been the oflfspring of this union, namely: 
Mary West Dodds. 



CASSIUS M. C. BUNTAIN. 

Cassius M. Clay Buntain, lawyer, of 
Kankakee, Kankakee County, 111., was 
born in Momence, in that county, October 
15, 1876, the son of Thomas Jefferson and 
Anna (Vankirk) Buntain. His early 
youth was spent in his native town, where 
he obtained his primary mental training 
in the public school. On September 7, 
1 891, he entered the Momence High 
School, from which he graduated as class 
orator and valedictorian May 23, 1894. 
On September 12, 1894, he entered the 
Northwestern University Academy at 
Evanston, 111., from which he graduated 
June 8, 1896. On September 21, 1899, he 
became a student in the law school of 
Northwestern University, from which he 
graduated June 19, 1902, with the degree 
of LL. B. He had previously (Jime 15, 
1899) received the degree of A. B. from 
Northwestern L'niversity, and that of A. 
M. was conferred upon him by the Col- 
lege of Liberal Arts in Evanston June 19. 
1902. In 1894-95, he was President of 
the Momence High School .\lumni Asso- 



6l2 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



ciation, and Chairman of its Executive 
Committee in 1895-96. The prizes which 
were awarded Mr. Buntain in connection 
with his studies in Momence, 111., were as 
follows: a silver medal. October 15, 
1890, at the Inter-State Hay Palace in 
that place, for the "best scholarship in 
arithmetic" ; a $3 prize for the best map 
of the United States drawn from mem- 
ory : a $3 prize for the best solution 
for a problem in mathematics: a prize for 
the best note-book kept during the year ; 
first prize (a silver medal) in the Demor- 
est declamation contest at Momence, 111.. 
April 3. 1891; finst prize (a g-old medal) 
in the Demorest declamation contest at 
Watseka. 111., .\ugust 20. 1891 ; first prize 
(a gold medal) in a declamation contest 
at Chicago Heights. 111.. January 6. 1894 : 
and first prize (grand gold medal) in the 
Demorest declamation contest at Urbana, 
111., September 7, 1894. In Northwestern 
University Academy. Evanston. 111.. Air. 
Buntain won second place in the Colum- 
bian Oratorical Contest, Alay 25, 1895. 

In the course of his academic and col- 
lege connections Mr. Buntain received, 
in 1895-96, a State scholarship for four 
years. During the same period, he was 
chosen Trig Cremation orator. In 1896- 
97. he was a member of the Rogers Debat- 
ing Club and was nominated by the class 
committee as editor of the "Syllabus." 
In 1897-98. he was Chairman of the Pan- 
Hellenic Association ; leader of the Junior 
Promenade, February 18, 1898; member 
of the Junior Play Committee and cast, 
elected a member of the Rogers De- 
bating Club team for 1898-99: and Dele- 
gate to the province convention of the 
"Phi Deha Theta" Fraternity at Lin- 
coln, Nebraska, May 19, 1898. He also 
represented the same fraternity at its 
semi-centennial convention at Columbus, 



Ohio. November 21-25, 1898. On Sep- 
tember 29, 1904, at St. Louis, Mo., he was 
elected Vice-President of the General 
Council of the "Phi Delta Phi" Fraternity. 
He joined the "Phi Delta Theta" Frater- 
nity December 7, 1895, and became a 
member of the "Theta Nu Epsilon" Fra- 
ternity May 13, 1898. He was initiated 
into the "Deru" (Senior Fraternity) on 
May 27, 1898. On May 11. 1900. he was 
initiated into the legal fraternity of "Phi 
Delta Phi." On May 24, 1901, he was 
elected President of the class of 1902. for 
the senior year (1901-02). During the 
summer of 1898. Mr. Buntain served as 
clerk in the Adjutant General's Office 
(War Department). Washington, D. C. 
On October 28th of the same year he was 
a member of the winning team in the 
first semi-final debate of the Inter Society 
Debating League. On January 13, 1899, 
he was a Cleveland declamation contest- 
ant and a Lyman J. Gage debate contest- 
ant April 14, 1899. On February 21. 1899, 
he was elected to membership in the Soci- 
ety of American Wars. 

On October 7-8. 1902. Mr. Buntain 
passed the State Bar Examination at 
Springfield, 111., and on October 17th. fol- 
lowing, was admitted to practice. From 
February 2, to Ma}' 6, 1903, he was clerk 
in the law firm of Dupee, Judah, Willard 
& \\'o!f. of Chicago, and from May 14th 
to October 29th of that year he acted as 
assistant attorney for Farson, Leach & 
Co. of that city. On April 4, 1904, he 
opened up a law office at 25 Arcade Build- 
ing, Kankakee. 111., where he has since 
been successfully engaged in practice. In 
fraternal circles, the subject of this sketch 
is identified with the Royal Arcanum. 
Grove City Council No. 832; also Kanka- 
kee (111.) Lodge No. 389 of Ancient Free 
and Accepted Masons; Kankakee (111.) 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



613 



Chapter No. 78 Royal Arch-Masons ; and 
Ivanhoe Commandery No. 33 Knights 
Templar. Kankakee, 111. 



PETER THOMAS BURNS, M. D. 

Dr. Peter Thomas Burns, physician, 
who is located at No. 531 South Leavitl 
Street, Chicago, 111., was born in Osman, 
Wis., October 5, 1864. In early youth he 
attended the common and high schools of 
his native place, and in 1888 matriculated 
in the Medical Department of Northwest- 
ern University, from which he was grad- 
uated with the degree of M. D. in 1891. 
From the time of his graduation. Dr. 
Burns has been a teacher in the Depart- 
ment of Anatomy of the University Med- 
ical School, in which, since 1892. he has 
acted in the capacity- of Assistant Pro- 
fessor of Anatomy. Dr. Burns is a mem- 
ber of the American Medical Association, 
the Illinois State Medical Society, and the 
Chicago ]\Iedical Society. The marriage 
of the subject of this sketch took place on 
June 21, 1892, when he was wedded to 
Mary Adelaide Davis of Meeme, Wis. 



SOLOMON \\". ZIPPERMAN, D. D. S. 

Dr. Solomon William Zipperman, who 
is engaged in the practice of dentistry at 
No. 538 South Halsted Street, Chicago, 
111., is a native of the Russian Empire, 
where he was born in Chotin, Bessarabia, 
June 15. 1875. His boyhood and youth 
were spent in the place of his birth, and 
his earlier mental training was obtained 
in the public schools of Chotin, Russia, 
and in the high school there, of which he 
is a graduate. 

Shortly after coming to the United 
States, Mr. Zipperman matriculated fin 



1896) in the Northwestern University 
Dental School, from which he was grad- 
uated with the class of 1899, receiving the 
degree of D. D. S. He immediately en- 
tered upon the practice of his profession, 
in which he has met with successful re- 
sults, and has secured a remunerative 
patronage. 

Dr. Zipperman is a member of the 
Alumni Association of the Northwestern 
L'niversity Dental School, the Illinois 
State Dental Society, and the Chicago 
Odontographic Society ; and is also fra- 
ternally affiliated with Apollo Lodge No. 
642, A. F. & A. M., and Commercial 
Lodge No. 165, I. O. O. F. 



ROSCOE TOWNLEY NICHOLS, M. D. 

Roscoe Townley Nichols, physician and 
surgeon, who is engaged in the practice 
of his ])rofession at Liberal, Seward 
County, Kan., was born at Allerton, 
^\'ayne County, la., on February 20. 188 1. 
In early youth he attended public school 
in his native place, and, from 1895 to 1899, 
pursued a course of scientific study in the 
Kansas State Agricultural College, from 
which he was graduated in the year last 
named, with the degree of B. S. He then, 
in 1899-1901, studied medicine at St. 
Louis, Mo., in Barnes Medical College 
In September, 1901. he entered the North- 
v/estern University ]\Iedical School, grad- 
uating therefrom with the degree of M. 
T). in June, 1902. In 1899 'le was Pres- 
ident of the \\'ebster Literary Societv of 
the Kansas State Agricultural College, 
and was on the editorial staff of the 
"Students' Herald," of that institution, in 
1898-gQ. 

Dr. Nichols is a member of the South- 
west Counties ;\Iedical Society of Kan- 
sas, the Kansas State Medical Societv, ' 



6i4 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



the American Medical Association, and 
the American Academy of Medicine. Fra- 
ternally, he is identified with the A. F. 
& A. M., having been made a Mason by 
Fargo Lodge No. 300 in May. 1903. On 
May 3, 1903, he was united in marriage 
with Osa Roscoe Clark, and two children 
have been born of this union : Harry 
Dale Nichols, born March 15, 1904, and 
Alice C. Nichols, born August 22, 1905. 



CHARLES L. RICHARDS. 

Charles L. Richards, lawyer, of Hebron, 
Neb., was born in Woodstock. 111., March 
21, 1856. and there, in boyhood, received 
his primary mental training in the public 
schools. At a later period he entered the 
University of Illinois, at Champaign, from 
which he was graduated with the class 
of 1878. He pursued his legal studies in 
the Union College of Law in Chicago, 
graduating therefrom in 1884 with the 
degree of LL. B. From 1886 to 1890. 
Mr. Richards held the office of Prosecut- 
ing Attorney of Thayer County, Neb., and 
in 1895 served in the capacity of member 
and Speaker of the Nebraska House of 
Representatives. 

In fraternal circles, the subject of this 
sketch is affiliated with the A. F. & A. M. 
Religiously, he adheres to the faith of the 
Presbyterian Church. Mr. Richards is 
the father of four children, namely: Carl 
G.. John Lowrie. Webb and Bessie. 



WILLIAM J. CAMDEN. 

William J. Camden, pharmacist, of 
^ValhaIla, North Dakota, was born in the 
Province of Quebec, Canada, on Decem- 
ber 19, 1872, received his early mental 
training in the public schools of St. Paul. 



Minn., and in September, 1890, matricu- 
lated in the Northwestern University 
School of Pharmacy in Chicago, 111., 
graduating in 1893 with the degree of 
Graduate in Pharmacy. In 1897, he en- 
gaged in business at his present location. 
In 1902-03, he served in the capacity of 
Vice-President of the North Dakota 
Pharmaceutical Association, of which 
body he was elected President in 1904. In 
fraternal circles, the subject of this sketch 
is identified with the K. of P., the A. F. 
8z A. M.. and the D. O. K. K. Mr. Cam- 
den was united in marriage with Marv 
Frances Horgan, of \\'alhalla, N. D., on 
February 7, 1906. 



CHARLES H. MAYO, M. D. 

Charles Horace Mayo, who is engaged 
in the practice of surgery at Rochester, 
Minn., was born in that city July 19, 1865. 
In youth he attended a private school, 
and was also a pupil in the public and 
high schools of his native place. In 1885 
he matriculated in the Medical Depart- 
ment of Northwestern University, in 
Chicago, 111., from which he was gradu- 
ated in 1888 with the degree of M. D. 
He received the honorary degree of A. M. 
in 1904. Dr. Mayo is a member of the 
firm of Mayo. Stinchfield & Graham of 
Rochester, Minn., and is surgeon in St. 
Mary's Hospital in that cit}^. He is also 
a member of the Minnesota State Board 
of Health, and is connected with various 
medical and surgical societies as follows : 
The American Surgical .\ssociation; the 
Southern Surgical Association : the West- 
ern Surgical Association, of which he was 
elected President in 1904; the American 
Medical Association ; the Minnesota 
State Medical Society, of which he was 
President in 1905-06; the District Medical 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



615 



Society for the Southern Counties of the 
Mississippi Valley ; and the Olmsted 
County (Minn.) Medical Society. On 
April 5, 1893, Dr. Mayo was united in 
marriage with Edith Graham, who has 
borne him five children, namely : Dorothy, 
Charles, Edith, Joseph and Louise. 



RAYNOR ELMORE HOLMES, M. D. 

Dr. Raynor E. Holmes, physician and sur- 
geon, Canon City, Colo., was born at New 
Lenox, 111., November 2, 1871. In boyhood 
he attended the ptiblic school in his na- 
tive place, and his later youth was de- 
voted to special studies. In 1893 he en- 
tered the College of Liberal Arts of 
Northwestern LIniversity, at Evanston, 
111., and completed his course in 1895. 
In 1896 he matriculated in the Northwest- 
ern University Medical School, graduat- 
ing therefrom in 1901, with the degree of 
M. D. Dr. Holmes acted in the capacity 
of interne in the Minnequa Hospital, in 
Pueblo. Colo., from June, 1901, to Octo- 
ber, 1902. From October, 1902, until the 
present writing he has occupied the po- 
sition of surgeon at Canon City and 
Erookside, Colo., for the Colorado Fuel 
& Iron Company. 

The subject of this sketch is a member 
of the Colorado State Medical Society; 
the Fremont County (Colo.) ^ledical So- 
ciety : and the American Medical Asso- 
ciation. 



THOMAS BATES. 

Thomas Bates, a prominent attorney 
residing in Evanston, 111., was born in 
Griggsville, Pike County, 111., March 4,1844. 
His parents, Thomas and Ann (Cleve- 
land) Bates, were natives of Windsor, 
Vt., where they were born in 1815 and 



1 8 18, respectively. In the earlier period 
of his life, Thomas Bates, Sr., was en- 
gaged in farming, but later became a mer- 
chant and grain buyer. The son, Thom- 
as, received his early mental training in 
the common schools, and spent one year 
in Illinois College, at Jacksonville. After 
leaving college he worked one year in his 
father's store, and then went west as as- 
sistant wagon-master in Sully & Sibley's 
expedition against the Sioux Indians. 
This occupied his time for about a year, 
when he returned home and in May, 1862, 
enlisted in Company B, Sixty-eighth Reg- 
iment Illinois Infantry, which was at- 
tached to the Army of the Potomac under 
Gen. JMcClellan. The regiment first en- 
listed as State Militia, but at the request 
of its members was mustered into the 
Federal service, and was engaged in 
guarding forts, etc., for a period of about 
four months, when it was mustered out 
at Springfield. Thomas Bates returned 
home when discharged, and taught school 
at Towanda and Oilman, 111., for about 
nine years. In 1876, he came to Chicago 
and entered the law office of Leonard 
Swett, having previously read law under 
Mr. Swett's direction. In the autumn of 
1876 he was admitted to the bar and 
formed a partnership with his legal pre- 
ceptor, under the firm name of Swett & 
Bates. Subsequently Judge Van H. Hig- 
gins was admitted, and the firm name be- 
came Higgins, Swett & Bates. On Mr. 
Higgins' withdrawal Pliny N. Haskell 
was admitted, the style of the firm then 
becoming Swett, Bates & Haskell. This 
continued until 1884, when Mr. Bates re- 
tired from the partnership and practiced 
alone for three or four years, when Rich- 
ard W. Barger, of Des Moines, Iowa, 
was admitted as a partner. Later the 
firm became Bates & Harding, and is now 
Bates. Harding & Atkins. 



6i6 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



Mr. Bates has confined his practice 
chiefly to fire insurance cases, and is attor- 
ney for a large number of fire insurance 
companies doing business in the West. 
Among the famous suits which he has 
conducted may be mentioned those in 
Arkansas and in Kansas, known as the 
"Anti-Trust Suits," brought for the pur- 
pose of ousting all companies which were 
in combination and had fixed rates, etc. 
Mr. Bates was the attorney for the insur- 
ance companies and won the suits. He 
has defended the suits in both the above- 
mentioned States and in Missouri, and is 
attending to similar suits now pending in 
Illinois. 

Mr. Bates was married at Turner, 
Maine, in December, 1872. to Sarah B. 
Ricker, whose mother was a sister of 
Leonard Swett and they have two chil- 
dren living, namely : Rose Cleveland, born 
in 1878; and Alfred Ricker, born in 1882. 
Politically, Mr. Bates was a Democrat 
until the Bryan campaign, when he be- 
came, and still continues, a Republican. 
He was one of the Trustees of the Village 
of Evanston for two terms, before its in- 
corporation as a city. In 1899 he was 
elected Mayor of Evanston. serving one 
term ; and was nominated for a second 
term but declined a re-election. Mr. 
Bates is a member of the Country Club, 
of Evanston, and of the Evanston Golf 
Club. He is an attendant of the Presby- 
terian Church. 



EDWARD HEMPSTEAD. 

Edward Hempstead (deceased), for 
twenty years a highly respected citizen of 
Evanston, is descended from a long line 
of Puritan ancestors who were among 
the first settlers of New London, Conn. 
His grandfather, Stephen Hempstead, 
born there in 1754, was a patriot and sol- 



dier in the American Revolution, who 
fought for his country from the first call 
for troops at Lexington until the close of 
the war. In 181 1 he removed with his large 
family to St. Louis, Mo., where his son 
Edward Hempstead, a young and distin- 
guished lawyer, had already preceded 
him, and who was the first Delegate in 
Congress from the region west of the 
Mississippi River. His father, Charles S. 
Hempstead, also a lawyer of marked abil- 
ity, was intimately connected with the 
early development of St. Louis, and later 
of Galena, 111., where for many years he 
had a large law practice extending over 
what was then a wide western territory, 
including Chicago in its early days. Ed- 
ward Hempstead was born in St. Louis 
in 1820. His mother, Rachel Wilt, of old 
Pennsylvania Dutch lineage, died when 
he was a child, and his youth was passed 
with his father's relatives in that circle of 
early pioneers of St. Louis, where true 
New England hospitality, blended with 
the grace and polish of the French set- 
tlers, created such a charming society, 
among whose number were the most emi- 
nent people of those days. He was edu- 
cated at Belleville, 111., Seminary, and 
began his business career as a commission 
merchant in Galena. In 1854 he came to Chi- 
cago, and for nearly twenty years was en- 
gaged in business as a member of the firm of 
Hempstead & Horton, wholesale grocers. 
With many others he lost home and prop- 
erty in the great fire of 1871 and became, 
for a short time a refugee in Evanston. 
Soon after that disaster, retiring from bus- 
iness, he became a permanent resident in 
Evanston where he died in 1895. 

A true Republican in sentiment, he took 
the deepest interest in the political wel- 
fare of his country, numbering among his 
acquaintances Abraham Lincoln, Gen. U. 
S. Grant, Hon. E. B. Washburne, and many 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



617 



other public men of Illinois of his time. 
He was a liberal promoter and contribu- 
tor toward all the early enterprises of 
Chicago, one of the first members of its 
Board of Trade, the Historical Society 
and Art Institute, and alwaye greatly in- 
terested in the growth and prosperity of 
that city. Mr. Hempstead was a man of 
the highest integrity, of excellent judg- 
ment and cultured taste, always loyal to 
his friends, of a most social and kindly 
disposition and highly esteemed by all 
who knew him. He was married in 
1846 to Miss Mary Corwith, of Bridge- 
hampton. Long Island. Six of their eight 
children are living. 



Bank, and the local Building and Loan 
Association. 



CHARLES NEVILLE KIRKBRIDE. 

Charles N. Kirkbride, attorney-at-law, 
who resides in San Mateo, San Mate» 
County, Cal., was born in Pueblo, Colo., 
November 15,. 1868. In early youth he at- 
tended the public schools and in 1884, en- 
tered the University of the Pacific, at San 
lose, Cal., where he graduated in 1887, 
with the degree of Ph. B. He matricu- 
lated in Northwestern LTniversity Law 
School at Chicago. 111., in 1891, gradu- 
ating therefrom in 1893, with the degree 
of LL. B. 

In 1889-go, Mr. Kirkbride was the edi- 
tor of the "San Mateo (Cal.) Leader," 
and in 1890-91. of the "Times-G' ?tte." 
at Redwood City, in the same St£. :. He 
was admitted to the California bar .n Oc- 
tober, 1893, and was elected City Attorney 
of San Mateo, Cal., in 1895, and still holds 
thnt office. He is Secretary of the San 
Mateo Public Library, and has filled the 
position of Trustee of the San Mateo 
Union High School since 1902. He is also 
a Director of the San Mateo Athletic 
Club, and attorney for the San Mateo 



GEORGE WILLIAM DIXON. 

George \\'. Dixon, lawyer. Secretary 
and Treasurer of the Arthur Dixon Trans- 
fer Company of Chicago, 111., residing at 
No. 2706, Michigan Avenue, that city, is 
a native of Chicago. After finishing his 
primary studies in the public schools, and 
completing his preparatory course in the 
W'est Division High School in Chicago, 
he matriculated in Northwestern Laiiver- 
sity, from which he was graduated in 1889 
with the degree of A. B. He then entered 
Northwestern University Law School, 
graduating therefrom in 1892, with the 
degree of LL. B. During his under grad- 
uate course, he was a contestant for the 
Kirk Oratorical Prize, and was a member 
of the Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Psi 
and Phi Delta Phi fraternities. 

From 1902 to 1906, Mr. Di.xon repre- 
sented the First Senatorial District of Il- 
linois in the State Senate. He also served 
as a member of the staff of Governor 
Yates, with the rank of Colonel. In 1901- 
02. he was President of the Chicago Meth- 
odist Social Union. He is a member of 
the LTnion League, Hamilton and Univer- 
sity Clubs of Chicago and of the Chicago 
Athletic Club, a thirty-second degree 
Mason, a Knight Templar and Mystic 
Shriner. 

On March 2, 1903. the subject of this 
sketch was united in marriage with Mar- 
ian E. Martin. They have one daughter, 
Marian. 



JUDSON WILKES HOOVER. 

Judson Wilkes Hoover, who is engaged 
in the drug business at 251 Main Street, 
Galesburg, 111., was born in Avoca, Iowa, 



6i8 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



March 2, 1876. His primary mental train- 
ing was obtained in the public schools of 
his native town. After taking a prepara- 
tory course in the Iowa Wesleyan Univer- 
sity, at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, on Septem- 
ber I, 1898, he matriculated in the North- 
western University College of Pharmacy, 
from which he was graduated with the 
degree of Ph. G., in June. 1899. 

Mr. Hoover is a member of the M. W. 
A. ; of the Northwestern University 
Alumni Association of Pharmacy, in 
which he holds the office of Secretary : a 
member of the Soangetaka Club, the 
Galesburg Cmmercial Club and Fraternal 
Tribunes of Galesburg. 111. On April 15, 
1894, he was united in marriage with Miss 
Kathryn Daugherty, of Mt. Pleasant. 
Iowa, and one child has been born to them, 
namely: Murlin Hoover, born June 30, 
1895. 



JAMES A. GARLAND, M. D. 

James Asa Garland, physician and sur- 
geon of Buchanan, Mich., was born in 
Peoria. 111., January 15, 1871. In early 
youth he attended the Chicago public 
schools, and is a graduate of one of the 
high schools in that city. He entered 
Northwestern University in 1891, gradu- 
ating from the medical department of 
that institution in 1895, with the degree 
of M. D. From 1898 to 1901, inclusive, 
he served as Health Officer of the city of 
Buchanan, Mich., and of the township. 

Dr. Garland is a member of the Ameri- 
can Medical .\ssociation, the Berrien 
County (Mich.) Medical Society, and the 
Red Cross Society, Berrien County Hu- 
mane Societ}'. In fraternal circles, he is 
identified with the A. F. & A. M. and the 
M. W. A. On November 2-]. 1901, Dr. 
Garland was united in marriage with 
Gertrude Friesleben. of Chicago. 



AMOS A. L. SMITH. 

Amos A. L. Smith, attorney at law, 
who is located at No. 2316, Grand Avenue, 
Milwaukee, Wis., was born at Appleton, 
Wis., September 8, 1849. His primary 
mental training was obtained in the public 
schools of his native place and he pursued 
his preparatory course of study in Law- 
rence University, at Appleton. He then 
entered Northwestern University in the 
Sophomore year, and was graduated 
therefrom with the class of 1872. He was 
a member of the Adelphic Literary Socie- 
ty and the Phi Beta Kappa Fraternity. 
In the English Literature contest, his 
essay on "Darwinism" won the "Presi- 
dent's prize." He also won the one 
hundred dollar prize for oratory, by his 
oration on "Cavour." During the under- 
graduate period, he held the position of 
editor of the "Tripod." Mr. Smith has 
keen a member of the Board of Trustees 
of the ^Milwaukee Woman's College, a 
Director of the Wisconsin National Bank, 
and of the Wisconsin Trust and Security 
Company. Socially he is a member of the 
Milwaukee Club, the Bankers' Club, the 
Milwaukee Athletic Club, and the Blue 
Mound Country Club. 

Mr. Smith was wedded in 1874 to Frances 
L. Brown, who died in 1891. In 1893 he 
was united in marriage with Mary Niel 
Anderson. He became the father of four 
children, namely: Philip R.. Edwin L., 
Laura L.. and ^\'alton K. 



RICHARD R. JOHNSON, D.D.S. 

Richard Roy Johnson, D.D.S. , who was 
engaged in the practice of dentistry at 
Great Falls, Mont., was born in White- 
hall. Mich.. September 25, 1874. In early 
M)Uth he attended the public schools of 
his native town, and prepared for college 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



619 



in the High School at Lisbon, N. D., 
whence he went to the University of Aliii- 
nesota Dental Department, in which he 
completed the first year of the course in 
1897. During the same year he matricu- 
lated in Northwestern University Dental 
College, from which he was graduated 
with the class of 1899, receiving the de- 
gree of D.D.S. He is a member of the 
Delta Sigma Delta Fraternity. Shortly- 
after his graduation, he opened an office at 
Lisbon, N. D., but sold his practice in 
June, 1903, and moved to his present lo- 
cation, where his efforts have been attend- 
ed with good results. He is at present 
lecturing on dentistry and h)'giene at the 
Cohunbus and Deaconess Hospitals in 
that city. He is a member of the Montana 
State Dental Society. 

During 1902, and until his removal to 
Montana, in June, 1903, Dr. Johnson held 
the office of Cit}- Treasurer of Lisbon, N. 
D., and in that city he was married on 
September 26, 1900, to Morence Ma\ 
Severance. Two children have resulted 
from their union, namely : Maude Lucille, 
born in Lisbon, N. D., June 25, 1902; and 
Winnifred ]\Iay, born in Great Falls, May 
30, 1904. I'Vaternally. Dr. Johnson is 
identified with the A. F. & A. ]\r.. and is 
Past Master of the Lisbon Lodge of that 
order. He is also a member of the R. A. 
Chapter and Commandery of Knight> 
Templar. 



C. PRUYN STRINGFIELD, M. D. 

Dr. C. Pruyn Stringfield, physician and 
surgeon, whose office is located in the 
Western L'nion Telegraph I'.uilding, in 
Chicago, 111., was born in Washington, 
D. C. December 12, 1866. In youth he 
made diligent use of the facilities for in- 
struction afforded by the public schools 
of Topeka, Kan., and entered the Medical 



Department of Northwestern University 
in 1886, graduating therefrom in 1889. 
b'rom that year until 1894, he assisted 
Prof. Ralph S. Isham in clinical surgerv. 
He was President of the Chicago Medi- 
cal Examiners' Association in 1902 
and 1903. In 1895, '896 and 1897, he was 
connected with the Health Department of 
the City of Chicago. 

Dr. Stringfield was consulting physician 
of the Chicago Baptist Hospital ; attending 
surgeon to the Cook County Hospital ; is 
physician to the Actors' Fund of America ; 
was Medical Director of the Marquette Life 
Insurance Company, and is now Medical 
Examiner for the Phoenix Mutual Life Com- 
pany of Hartford ; resident physician of 
the Grand Pacific Hotel, in Chicago : and 
ex-contract surgeon of the United States 
I\farine Corp. He is a member of the 
American Medical Association ; the Illi- 
nois State Medical Society ; the Chicago 
Medical Society ; the American Associa- 
tion of Life Examining Surgeons ; Chi- 
cago Medical Examiners' Association and 
the Association of Military Surgeons of 
the L^nited States. From 1901 to 1905. 
Dr. Stringfield served on the staff of Gov- 
ernor Yates, of Illinois, with the rank of 
Colonel. 

Fraternally, the subject of this sketch 
is a i\Iason, a life-member of the B. P. O. 
Elks, and is Past Chancellor of . the 
Knights of Pythias. He belongs to the 
Chicago Athletic Club : South Shore 
Country Club ; the Chicago Yacht Club : 
the Hamilton, the Forty and the Chicago 
Automobile Clubs. 

The marriage of Dr. .Stringfield took 
place on August 14, 1889, when Miss 
Josephine Milgie, a most estimable and 
accomplished lady, became his wife. He 
is widely and favorably known in Chi- 
cago and the State, where he is held in 
high esteem, individually, professionally 
and as a citizen. 



620 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



ALEXANDER F. BANKS. 

Alexander F. Banks, a prominent rail- 
way official, whose residence is at No. 
1908 Sheridan Road, Evanston, 111., and 
who is widely and favorably known 
throughout the railway circles of Illinois, 
was born in Crawford County, Ind., on 
January 31, 1861. He is a son of Henry 
Bartlett and JuHa C. (French) Banks, na- 
tives of Kentucky, his father born in Wash- 
ington County, that State, in 1809, and 
his mother, in Maysville, in 1822. Henry 
Bartlett Banks, who was a farmer by oc- 
cupation, moved with his family from 
Kentucky to Crawford County, Ind., in 
1844, and there engaged in agricuhural 
pursuits. His son, Alexander, attended 
the common schools of Indiana during the 
winter months, until he was thirteen years 
of age, and in the intervals between the 
school terms, assisted his father in the 
work on the farm. At that period he 
started out to work for himself. 

In 1877, when sixteen years old. Mr. 
Banks entered upon his career in the rail- 
way service as a clerk at Evansville, Ind., 
and, in 1879, was appointed contracting 
freight agent of the St. Louis & South- 
western Railway. In 1880, he became con- 
nected with the Continental Fast Freight 
Line, and served in the capacity of Agent 
and General Agent of that company until 
1888. In that year he entered the service 
of the Iowa Central Railway Company, at 
Peoria, 111., as General Agent, afterwards 
serving successively as General Freight 
Agent, General Freight and Passenger 
Agent, and as Traffic Manager. In 1893 
Mr. Banks left the services of the Iowa 
Central Railway Company, in order to be- 
come General Freight Agent of the Elgin, 
Joliet & Eastern Railway Company. He 
was appointed Traffic Manager of that 



company, and also of the Lake Shore & 
Eastern Railway Company, in 1894. In 
1900 he was elected President of both of 
these corporations and still serves in that 
capacity. 

In November, 1883, Mr. Banks was 
united in marriage with Blanche Nichol- 
son, at Evansville, Ind., and of this union 
three children have been born, namely: 
Duke Nicholson, Blanche, and Charles 
Ackert. Mr. Banks has risen, step by 
step, from a lowly grade of railway serv- 
ice, through superior innate ability, to 
his present high and responsible position, 
and is regarded as one of the most thor- 
ough and capable railroad officials in this 
section of the country. 



AUGUST AH LB ERG. 

August Ahlberg, Evanston, 111., was 
born in Sweden, August 5, 1845, the son of 
Johan Gustave and Alargaret Christina 
(Olson) Ahlberg, his ancestors on both 
sides having been natives of Sweden for 
generations. After receiving his educa- 
tion in his native country, he learned the 
cabinet-making trade and, in 1871, came 
to America, arriving in Chicago in July of 
that year. In 1878, he removed to Evanston, 
where he has followed the cabinet busi- 
ness continuously ever since. Mr. Ahl- 
berg was married in 1872 to Margaret C. 
(Jslund, who is also a native of Sweden, 
and they have three children : Theresa. 
Axel Renaldo and Gertrude. In religious 
faith he is a Baptist and a member of the 
Swedish Baptist Church, and in political 
opinions is a Republican, but is not identi- 
fied with any secret fraternal organiza- 
tions. His residence is at 2122 Harrison 
Street. Evanston. 



I 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



621 



DR. STEPHEN V. BALDERSTON. 

Stephen Victor Balderston, a very fav- 
orably known and successful physician, of 
Evanston, 111., was born in Prince Edward 
Island, Canada, November 5, 1868, a son 
of Hon. John and Sarah (Weeks) Bald- 
erston. both natives of Prince Edward Is- 
land. His father was born October 31, 
1831, and his mother, May 3, 1841. The 
occupation of the former was that of a 
farmer and miller and, in his civic career, he 
attained prominence and distinction as a 
statesman. Hon. John Balderston first 
came into public notice at the age of 
twenty-eight years, in connection with the 
movement, in Prince Edward Island, for 
the abolition of landlordism in that col- 
ony. When thirty-two years old, he was 
elected to the Legislati\'e Council, in 
which he served twenty-four years, during 
ten years of this period acting as Presi- 
dent of that body. When Prince Edward 
Island became a Province of the Domin- 
ion of Canada, in 1870, the title of Hon- 
orable was bestowed upon Air. Balderston. 
as a mark of favor, by Queen Victoria. 

The paternal grandfather of Dr. Bald- 
erston was a native of Cornwall. England. 
and a descendant of an old border family 
which lived in the land of the Douglases. 
Grandmother Balderston's people were 
Protestant Irish, born in W'e.xford. One 
brother was condemned to be Isurned by 
Irish insurrectionists in a holocaust of 
some hundreds in a large barn, but was 
rescued at the last moment by a priest, 
who was a personal friend. The Weeks 
family were also Irish Protestants, and 
one member of it was a Captain of foot 
soldiers during the Irish Rebellion. 

Stephen Victor Balderston spent his 
childhood on his father's farm, and was 
a sprightly lad of a somewhat studious 
disposition. In early youth he utilized 
the advantages afforded by the common 



schools in the vicinity of his home, and 
then pursued a course of study in Prince 
of Wales College, at Charlottetown, 
Prince Edward Island. After leaving 
college, he applied himself to teaching 
school for a time. His professional edu- 
cation was subsequently obtained in the 
University of Pennsylvania Medical De- 
partment, at Philadelphia, from which he 
was graduated in 1895. I" the same year 
he took the position of interne in the hos- 
pital of the National Soldiers' Home, in 
Virginia, where he was promoted to be 
First Assistant Surgeon in 1897. This 
position he resigned in December, 1899, 
to take up private practice in Evanston. 
During the period spent in the hospital at 
Hampton, Va., he served through an epi- 
demic of yellow fever. While there he 
became a citizen of the commonwealth of 
Virginia. 

On January 5, 1903, Dr. Balderston was 
united in marriage, in the National Sol- 
diers" Home, in Virginia, with Jessie Eliz- 
abeth Thompson, who was born August 
17- 1873, in the National Military Home 
at Dayton, Ohio. Her father was a vet- 
eran of the Civil War, having served in 
the Third Regiment Kentucky Volunteer 
Infantry and lost an arm on the battle- 
field. He was a member of the staff at 
the National Military Home at Dayton, 
Ohio, and Governor of the National Sol- 
diers' Home in Virginia. Mrs. Balderston 
is a graduate of the Woman's College of 
Baltimore, Md., and a member of the 
Alpha Phi Sorority. 

Dr. Balderston is a member of the John 
Ashhurst, Jr., Surgical Society of the 
University of Pennsylvania, the Chicago 
Pediatric Society, the Chicago Medical 
Society, and the Illinois State Medical 
Society. In politics, he is inclined to 
favor the general policies of the Repub- 
lican party, but is not in accord with high- 



622 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



tariff legislation. He voted for McKinley 
and Roosevelt. In religion, the doctor 
adheres to the faith of the Methodist 
Church. 

Next to his love of good books and his 
partiality for microscopic investigation, 
the subject of this sketch is fond of out- 
door sports, especially golf. Most of all. 
in a practical sense, he likes to be regarded 
as a family doctor who tries to make peo- 
ple physically better and mentally hap- 
pier. He takes an earnest and intelligent 
interest in public affairs, and supports all 
measures tending to promote the welfare 
of the city of his adoption. 



HENRY W. HINSDALE. 

Henry W. Hinsdale, an old and widely 
known resident of Evanston, now living in 
honored retirement, was born in Benning- 
ton, Vt., August 19, 1825, being descended 
from an old New England family. His 
father, Hiram W. Hinsdale, was a farmer 
by occupation. The son attended the public 
schools of Bennington, and later, went to 
school at Grand Rapids, Mich., to which 
place his parents moved at an early date. 
Grand Rapids was then an Indian trading 
post. Henry stayed on the farm until he 
was seventeen years old, and then set out 
alone for Chicago, where he arrived with 
but two dollars in his pocket and having no 
acquaintance to advise him. He looked 
about for something to do, and finally se- 
cured employment with J. H. Dunham, 
then the leading wholesale grocer. His 
wages at first were two dollars per week. 
He was employed as a clerk in this store 
for ten years, his salary for the last five 
years of this period amounting to $2,500 per 
year. He was afterwards a partner in the 
concern for three years, and then bought 



Mr. Dunham's interest and became the head 
of the firm of Hinsdale & Babcock. Later 
he built a block at the corner of South Wa- 
ter and River Streets, which he occupied 
as head of the firm of Hinsdale, Sibley & 
Babcock. He carried on this business until 
the spring of 1867, when he temporarily 
retired. He was the most extensive whole- 
sale grocer of his day in Chicago. 

Just before the great fire of 1871, Mr. 
Hinsdale went to Grand Rapids, where he 
built a beautiful home, intending to live 
there. The fire destroyed property belong- 
ing to him, worth more than $500,000, and 
evidence of his high standing as a merchant 
is found in the fact that two of his New 
York correspondents telegraphed him au- 
thority to draw on them for $50,000 each. 

Mr. Hinsdale has known Chicago since 
it was a small city, and can remember hunt- 
ing deer where the Board of Trade Build- 
ing stands. His business career began in 
Chicago during the 'forties, and continued 
for a period of more than fifty years. His 
first residence was on Wabash Avenue, 
where he built the first house north of 
Twelfth Street. Later he had a house on 
Prairie Avenue. He removed to Evanston 
in the 'sixties, where he lived for three or 
four years before going to Grand Rapids. 
He continued to reside at the latter place 
until 1879, engaged in loaning money for 
Eastern capitalists and in rebuilding Chi- 
cago property. During the years of his 
experience as a pioneer merchant, he had 
formed a wide acquaintance with Western 
business men, who had great confidence in 
his sagacity and foresight. 

In 1879 Ml"- Hinsdale moved from Grand 
Rapids to Evanston, and went into the 
brokerage business, in which he was en- 
gaged for fourteen years. At the end of 
this period he became manager of the 
Chamber of Commerce safety vaults. This 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



623 



position he held until July, 1904, when he 
abandoned an active business life. While 
in the brokerage business he represented 
three of the leading sugar refineries of the 
United States. After the capture of New 
Orleans in the Civil War, he sent north the 
first cargo of sugar, loading three vessels. 

Mr. Hinsdale was one of the early mem- 
bers of the Chicago Board of Trade, and 
one of the first stockholders of the Elgin 
Watch company. The Merchants Loan & 
Trust Company was organized in the office 
of J. H. Dunham & Co., with which Mr. 
Hinsdale was connected. He was a pas- 
senger on the first train that ran west of 
Chicago on the Chicago & Galena Union 
Railroad. In 1866 he made an overland 
journey to California, returning by way of 
the Isthmus of Panama. The beautiful 
town of Hinsdale, on the Chicago. Burling- 
ton & Ouincy Railway, was named after 
Mr. Hinsdale by its founders, who were his 
friends. 

The subject of this sketch was married 
in Chicago, at the home of Mrs. Hinsdale, 
on State Street, opposite Marshall Field's 
present store, wedding Eliza Chatfield, a 
daughter of Judge John Chatfield, of Ba- 
tavia, N, Y. The children born of this 
union are : Henry K. Hinsdale, now of New 
York; Mrs. Charlotte Hinsdale Mosely, 
and Benjamin Hinsdale, of Evanston. 

Religiously Mr. Hinsdale is an Episco- 
palian, and served as Warden of Grace Epis- 
copal Church in Chicago, for many years. 
He is now a communicant of St. Mary's 
Episcopal Church of Evanston. 



THOMAS H. BEEBE. 

Thomas H. Beebe, a venerable and great- 
ly esteemed citizen of Evanston, 111., who 
is passing his declining years in well- 



earned repose, was born in St. Louis, Mo., 
March 31, 1819, the son of Elijah and 
Sarah (Hempstead) Beebe, natives of Con- 
necticut. The Beebe family came to Ameri- 
ca with Gov. Winthrop's colony. John 
Beebe started from Northamptonshire, 
England, with his wife and five sons, in 
1650, but died on shipboard. The remain- 
der of the family settled at New London, 
Conn. From its head, all the Beebes are de- 
scended. At a convention of citizens of 
Columbia County, N. Y., held June 24, 
1776, Martin Beebe was made a member 
of a committee which was instructed to 
draft resolutions declaring for Independ- 
ence. The Hempstead family is also of an- 
cient and honorable origin. 

Elijah Beebe journeyed from New Eng- 
land to St. Louis in 1813, making the trip 
to Pittsburg, Pa., overland. There he pur- 
chased a keel-boat and took a cargo of flour 
down the river. At Louisville, Ky., he 
took aboard John and Benjamin O'Fallon, 
men who afterwards became noted citizens 
of St. Louis. By trade Elijah Beebe was a 
saddler and harness maker, and established 
himself in that line in St. Louis. Subse- 
quently, he took a contract to supply beef 
to the Government forts. On one of his 
excursions in this connection, Indians 
robbed him of a whole herd of cattle, for 
which loss he was reimbursed by Congress 
through the efforts of Col. Thomas H. 
Benton. 

Thomas H. Beebe received his early edu- 
cation in the public schools of St. Louis and 
in the country schools of Belleville, 111., and 
afterwards went to work in the dry goods 
store of his uncle, William Hempstead, in 
St. Louis. He was later employed by 
Hempstead and Beebe. This firm was in 
the river trade, and was interested in steam- 
boats. Mr. Beebe afterwards became a 
clerk at different times on several of these 



624 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



boats, and followed the river for about four 
j-ears. He then went to the Rocky Moun- 
tains with a wagon train, and on this trad- 
ing expedition had an interesting experi- 
ence among the Indians. 

In 1841 Mr. Beebe went to Galena, 111., 
where his uncle, William Hempstead, was 
in business, and was employed by him for 
two years, becoming his uncle's partner, at 
a later period, in smelting and dealing in 
lead. This connection lasted until 1853, 
when he came to Chicago and opened a 
branch house under the name of T. H. 
Beebe & Co., in the forwarding and com- 
mission line. Isaac L. Lyon and E. G. 
Merrick became members of the firm dur- 
ing its first year, and the business was trans- 
acted under the firm name of Beebe, Lyon 
& Co. Mr. Beebe bought his uncle's half- 
interest, and the firm purchased a half-in- 
terest in the lumber firm of Capt. Jesse H. 
Leavenworth, who owned mills and timber 
land at Peshtigo, Wis. The firm of Beebe, 
Lyon & Co. was dissolved in 1855, Mr. 
Beebe retaining his lumber interest with 
Capt. Leavenworth. 

William B. Ogden. the first Mayor of 
Chicago, became a partner of Beebe, in 
1856, and the Peshtigo Lumber Company 
was formed that year. Mr. Beebe after- 
wards became President of this company, 
and filled that office until 1873, when he re- 
signed and disposed of his interest in the 
business. 

In 1873, Mr. Beebe went to California as 
general superintendent of a large lumber 
concern. After a short time he returned 
to Chicago, and was subsequently connect- 
ed with the First National Bank, of that 
city, and the Consolidated Paper Company. 
He was a sufferer from the great fire of 
187 1, after which he moved to Highland 
Park, where he lived six years and served 
as Mayor in 1874. He afterwards returned 



to Chicago, whence, in 1891, he moved to 
Evanston, where he has since resided. He 
was an early member of the Chicago Board 
of Trade, of which he was Vice-President 
for two years. 

Thomas H. Beebe was married in 1844 
to Catherine Eddowes, a daughter of John 
and Lydia Eddowes, of Galena, 111. Mrs. 
Beebe was born in Newcastle County, Dela- 
ware. She died June 3, 1902, after fifty- 
eight years of wifely companionship. The 
children of this union who are living are 
as follows : Edward H., who lives in Cali- 
fornia ; William H., Dr. John E., Christ- 
opher K., of Chicago; Archibald A., and 
Catherine E. ; Mrs. Lydia (Beebe) Van Du- 
sen and Mrs. Mary K. Valentine, of Evans- 
ton. 

Politically, Mr. Beebe was a Whig in his 
early life, but later acted in co-operation 
with the Democratic Party until 1896, and 
since that time has been an Independent Re- 
publican. Religiously, he is classed as a 
Presbyterian. 



JOHN G. BYRNE, M. D. 

John G. Byrne, physician and surgeon, 
who is engaged in the practice of his pro- 
fession at Spokane, Wash., was born in 
Chicago, 111., January 22, 1871. He at- 
tended the Chicago public schools, and was 
a student in Dennison L'niversity, in 1887- 
89, and in Lake Forest Academy in 1890. 
In 1 89 1 he matriculated in Northwestern 
University Medical School, from which he 
was graduated in 1894 with the degree of 
M. D. From April, 1894, to May, 1895, 
he acted in the capacity of interne in Wes- 
ley Hospital, Chicago. He is a member of 
the Phi Rho Sigma Fraternity. 

On March 2, 1887, the subject of this 
sketch enlisted as a private in the Second 
Regiment, Illinois National Guard, and be- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



625 



came Corporal of Company E, May 17, 
1890; Sergeant, December 15, 1890; First 
Sergeant and Hospital Steward in 1896 ; 
Assistant Surgeon, December 22, 1897 ; 
First Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon Il- 
linois Volunteer Infantry, May 16, 1898, 
and resigned September 28, 1898. He was 
appointed Acting Assistant Surgeon U. S. 
Army, November 9, 1899, and served as 
such until March 20, 1903, spending one 
year in the Philippines, where he was 
wounded, June 26, 1900. He was Post 
Surgeon at Fort Wright from December 6, 
1900 to March 20, 1903. 

Dr. Byrne is a member of the Snohomish 
County (Wash.) Medical Society, and a 
life member of Northwestern University 
Alumni Medical Association. Socially, he is 
a member of the Spokane Club, and the M. 
W. A., the Royal Highlanders, and Sur- 
geon to Spanish War Veterans. 

On October 14, 1897, Dr. Byrne was 
united in marriage with Annie S. Hewitt, 
who has held the position of Superintend- 
ent of Wesley Hospital in Chicago, and of 
the West Side Hospital, in the same city. 
Dr. and Mrs. Byrne have one child — Kath- 
erine Anna, born November 7, 1903. 



JOHN J. FLINN. 

John J. Flinn became a resident of the 
village of South Evanston in the summer 
of 1880, when he purchased from General 
Julius White the house which he and his 
family have since occupied at 814 Michigan 
Avenue. The street was then called Con- 
gress Street, but later the name was 
changed to Wheeler Avenue. It became 
Michigan Avenue by adopting the name of 
the extension north of Main Street, which 
was then called Lincoln Avenue. With 
the exception of three years, Mr. Flinn has 
been continuously a resident of Evanston 



from the time of his first removal here. 
He has thus witnessed practically all the 
changes that have occurred here for the 
last twenty-five years, and has taken an ac- 
tive part in connection with some of the 
most important of them. 

Mr. Flinn was born in Clonmel, Ireland, 
December 5, 185 1, his parents being James 
and Margaret (Cunningham) Flinn. Com- 
ing to America with his widowed mother in 
1863, after receiving only an elementary 
education in his native country, he began 
life on this side as a cash boy in Boston. 
Thanks to the fact that the Boston Public 
Library was open to him, his education was 
uninterrupted. He read everything that he 
could lay his hands on, and kept this up 
when his family moved to Missouri. At eigh- 
teen years of age he began to contribute 
matter to the local newspapers, at twenty- 
one became a reporter in St. Joseph, Mo., 
and one year later secured a position under 
Joseph B. McCullagh (inventor of the "In- 
terview"), on the "St. Louis Globe," now 
the "Globe-Democrat." At twenty-two he 
was made night editor of that journal, later 
was entrusted with the Legislative corre- 
spondence, and in 1873 reported the proceed- 
ings of the Missouri State Constitutional 
Convention. His days in St. Louis were 
contemporaneous with those of Eugene 
Field, Stanley Huntly, Stanley Waterloo, 
William Lightfoot Visscher, and others 
who have won celebrity in literature. 

In 1875 Mr. Flinn became associated 
with Melville E. Stone in the editorship of 
the "Chicago Daily News," and was con- 
nected with that newspaper during the first 
seven years of its existence. In 1883 he 
was appointed Consul to Chemnitz, Sax- 
ony. Returning he became associated with 
Frank Hatton, who was Postmaster-Gener- 
al under President Arthur, and Clinton A. 
Snowden, in the publication of the "Chi- 
cago Mail," and later was managing editor 



626 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



of the "Chicago Times." Since 1897 he has 
been an editorial writer on the "Chicago 
Inter Ocean." 

In addition to his newspaper work, Mr. 
FHnn has written numerous essays, lec- 
tures, poems, a novel, etc. In connection 
with John E. Wilkie, now chief of the Unit- 
ed States Secret Service, he compiled a 
"History of the Chicago Pohce." He is 
the compiler, also, of the "Standard Guide 
to Chicago," and was appointed compiler 
of all the authorized Guide Books of the 
World's Columbian Exposition. He is 
a charter member of the Chicago Press 
Club, and was elected to its Presidency in 
1906. He is one of the founders of the 
Twentieth Century Club of Evanston, and 
has been its President. He is serving his 
third term as a member of the Evanston 
City Council. 



FRANK MYER FORREY. 

Frank Myer Forrey, credit man State 
Bank of Chicago, was born in Cambridge 
City, Ind., November i, 1859, the son of 
William Sharpless and Lydia (Myer) For- 
rey, the former a native of Milton, Ind., 
and the latter of Dublin, Ind. The father 
was engaged in the hotel business for many 
years, for ten years was in charge of the 
Hotel Phoenix at Shreveport, La. ; one year 
with the Commercial Hotel at Muscatine, 
Iowa ; five years with the Occidental Hotel 
at Wichita, Kan., and five years with the 
Glen House at Harper, Kan. He died in 
April, 1904. 

Frank M. Forrey came to Chicago in 
1864, acquired his education there and, in 
1875, entered into the employment of the 
Central National Bank, remaining one year, 
when he became a clerk and later Exchange 
Clerk, in the Clearing House for two years. 
He was then offered the position of Assist- 



ant Cashier of the firm of A. T. Stewart i 
Co., where three years later he assumed the 
entire responsibility as Cashier without an 
assistant. In 1881 he became connected 
with the wholesale dry goods firm of James 
H. Walker & Co., as Cashier, remaining 
until the failure of the firm in 1893, when 
he became an employe of the State Bank of 
Chicago, in which, at the present time, he 
holds the position of credit man. 

On November i, 188 1, Mr. Forrey was 
married in the city of Chicago, to Alida 
Churcher, who was born in Chicago in 1862 
and is a granddaughter of Rev. Edward D. 
Wheadon, who was a prominent Methodist 
preacher and one of the early settlers of 
Evanston. Mrs. Forrey 's mother was 
a teacher in the vicinity of Evans- 
ton a half century ago. Mr. and Mrs. 
Forrey have lived at the same location in 
Evanston, No. 2040 Sherman Avenue, since 
1882, a period of nearly twenty-five years. 
They have two children : La Jeune C, born 
in Evanston, November i, 1885, and Rich- 
ard Lindgren, born in the same place, De- 
cember 5, 1 89 1. The daughter. La Jeune, 
won the oratorical contest of Literary So- 
cieties as a student in Northwestern Uni- 
versity in 1904, being the first female 
student to gain that distinction in ten years. 

Mr. Forrey served as Alderman of his 
ward two years (1897-98), is a member of 
the Republican party and in religious faith 
and association a Methodist. He is fra- 
ternally associated with the Royal Arca- 
num, the Royal League, of which he has 
been an officer since 1883 ; the Order of 
Columbian Knights, and formerly a mem- 
ber of the Boat Club, but later of the Evan- 
ston Club. He is also identified with the 
Evanston Musical Club, which includes in 
its membership a large proportion of the 
musical talent of the University city. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



627 



MITCHELL DAVIS FOLLANSBEE. 

Mitchell Davis Follansbee, who is en- 
gaged in the practice of the law in Chicago, 
with offices in the Home Insurance Build- 
ing, and in New York, with offices in the 
Trinity Building, is the son of George A. 
Follansbee, and was born in Chicago Janu- 
ary 23, 1870. He obtained his education in 
the public schools, the South Division High 
School, Harvard School, and Harvard 
University, from' which he was graduated 
in i8q2, with the degree of A. B. He then 
entered the Northwestern Lhiiversity Law 
School, being graduated therefrom in 1894, 
with the degree of LL. B. He was on the 
first Board of the Northwestern Law Re- 
view, and a member of the Phi Delta Phi 
Legal Fraternity. He now holds the posi- 
tion of lecturer on Legal Ethics in the 
Northwestern LTniversity Law School and 
is Professor of Illinois Practice in that 
institution. He is a member of the Univer- 
sity, Midday, Onwentsia, Forty, Saddle & 
Cycle, and Harvard clubs of Chicago, and 
belongs to the Legal Club, Law Club, the 
Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State 
Bar Association, the Harvard Club and the 
Lawyers' Club of New York, and the Har- 
vard Union of Cambridge, Mass. He is 
President of the District Council of the 
Lower North District of the Bureau of 
Charities, and is President of the North- 
western University Law Publishing Asso- 
ciation, publishers of the new Illinois Law 
Review. 

On April 14, 1903, Mr. Follansbee was 
married at Seabreeze, Fla., to Miss Julia 
Rogers McConnell. They have two chil- 
dren: Eleanor, born January 27, 1904, and 
Mitchell Davis Follansbee, Jr., born March 
6, 1906. Their home is at 52 Bellevue 
Place, Chicago. 



ROLLIX CURTIS WINSLOW, M. D. 

Dr. Rollin Curtis Winslow, physician and 
surgeon, who is engaged in the prac- 
tice of his profession at Sault Ste. Marie, 
Mich., was born at Laporte, Mich., August 
II, 1873. He received his primary mental 
training in the public school, and afterward 
became a pupil in the Laporte (Mich.) 
High School. He then studied languages 
in a private school, for two years. His 
first course of medical study was pursued in 
the Saginaw Valley Medical College, from 
which he was graduated in 1899, with the 
degree of M. D. He matriculated in 
Northwestern University Medical School in 
the summer of 1901, and graduated there- 
from with the class of 1902. 

Previous to taking the university course, 
Dr. Winslow was engaged in the practice 
of medicine at West Branch, Mich., from 
June, 1899, to September, 1901. On grad- 
uating from the medical department of the 
university he entered upon practice in his 
present location. 

He is a member of the American Medi- 
cal Association ; the Michigan State Medi- 
cal Society; the Copper Peninsula (Mich.) 
Medical Society; and the Chippewa County 
(Mich.) Medical Society, of which he was 
elected Secretary in 1905. 

On September 21, 1898, at Saginaw, 
Mich., Dr. Winslow was united in mar- 
riage with Edith May McAlpine. This 
union has resulted in one child, Madeline 
Eloise, born January 22, 1905. 



WILLIAM HUDSON DAMSEL. 

William H. Damsel, a well known and 
highly respected citizen of Evanston, 111., 
was born in Westchester, Chester County, 
Pa., February 7, 1844, the son of L^riah and 
Catherine (Phipps) Damsel, natives of 



628 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



Pennsylvania, the former born in Lancaster 
County and the latter in Chester County. 
The occupation of L^riah Damsel was that 
of a manufacturer. In early youth William 
H. Damsel obtained his education in the 
schools of his native town, and after his 
studies were completed, secured a position 
in the employ of the Central Ohio Rail- 
road Company. April 17, 1861, he enlisted 
as a private in the Third Regular Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry, for a service of three 
months, being mustered out August 19, 
1861, at the expiration of his term of enlist- 
ment. On May i, 1864, he entered the 
service of the Adams Express Company, 
with which he has ever since been con- 
nected. 

On September 15, 1870. Mr. Damsel was 
united in marriage, at Columbus, Ohio, 
with Susan R. Nace, who was born at 
Morristown, in that State, March 7, 1845. 
Five children were born of this union, 
namely : William Wynkoop, born December 
27, 1871 ; Edna Murray, born January 14, 
1873; Jessamine Phipps, born April i, 
1877; Ethel Birch, born June 20, 1879; and 
Percy, born June 10, 1882. 

In politics Mr. Damsel is a supporter of 
the Republican party, and fraternally is 
•identified with the Royal Arcanum and the 
Knights of Honor. 



GEORGE OSMAN IDE. 

George Osman Ide (deceased), formerly 
a well known attorney of Evanston, 111., 
and a highly respected citizen, was born at 
Passumpsic, Vt., November 25, 1831. His 
father. Rev. George Barton Ide, a clergy- 
man of the Baptist Qiurch, was born in 
Coventry, Vt.. February 17, 1804, and his 
mother, Harriet (Walker) Ide, was born 
December 21, 1807. The ancestry of the 



Ide family dates back to an early period in 
New England history. John Ide, the great- 
grandfather of George O., born in 1742, 
and deceased in 181 5, was a soldier in the 
Revolutionary army. Timothy Ide, another 
ancestor, whose life covered the period be- 
tween 1660 and 1735, was an early settler 
of Bristol County. Massachusetts. He took 
an active part in the wars against the In- 
dians, and was an ensign to the General 
Court of ^lassachusetts. .Still another an- 
cestor, Nicholas Ide, came from England to 
Massachusetts in 1643. He was one of the 
original settlers of Bristol County, and one 
of the first landowners there. He was ac- 
tive in the early settlements ; was one of a 
committee appointed to settle disputes with 
King F'hilip, the Indian Chief, in 1689, and 
was the first of his name in America. 

Rev. George B. Ide, father of George O., 
was pastor of the First Baptist Church of 
Philadelphia, Pa., from 1838 to 1852, and 
of the first Baptist Church of Springfield, 
Mass., from 1852 to 1872. He died in the 
city last named, April 16, 1872. 

George O. Ide attended the public schools 
of Philadelphia, to which place the family 
had moved, and completed his education at 
Hamilton College, N. Y., where he gradu- 
ated. He studied law under Rufus Choate, 
in Springfield, Mass., where he was ad- 
mitted to the bar. Soon ' afterwards he 
came to Illinois and, about 1855, settled in 
Princeton, where he began the practice of 
law. In this he continued successfully un- 
til 1 87 1, when he came to Chicago and 
formed a partnership with George L. Pad- 
dock, formerly of Princeton, under the firm 
name of Paddock & Ide, during the same 
year taking up his residence in Evanston, 
where he lived during the remainder of his 
life. About three years before his death 
the firm of Paddock & Ide was dissolved, 
and Mr. Ide thereafter practiced alone. 
He was Village Attorney of Evanston from 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



629 



1874 to 1880, and attained a prominent po- 
sition at the Chicago bar. 

Mr. Ide was married at Princeton, 111., 
January 29, 1862, to Helen M. Ide, a 
daughter of Cassander Ide, of that place. 
Mrs. Ide was born at Essex, Vt., and be- 
longed to the same general lineage as her 
husband. The children born of this union 
who are still living are : William K. Ide, 
of the First National Bank, Chicago; 
Charles B. Ide, of the Corn Exchange Na- 
tional Bank, Chicago; Arthur C. Ide, an 
attorney of Chicago ; and Airs. Henry W. 
Dakin, of Detroit, Mich. The eldest of the 
sons of Mr. and Mrs. Ide, died in Evans- 
ton, August 6, 1894. 

In politics, George O. Ide was a Demo- 
crat, and fraternally, was a member of the 
Masonic order, and in religious belief, a 
Baptist. His death occurred at his home 
in Evanston, February 7, 1885. The home 
at No. 1425 Maple Avenue, where the fam- 
ily have resided since 1881, is still occupied 
by his widow and three surviving sons. 



ORRIN T. MAXSON, M. D. 

Orrin T. Maxson, M. D. (deceased), 
formerly a prominent physician in Evans- 
ton, 111., was born in the State of New 
York in 1825, being descended from an old 
New England family. In his early child- 
hood he went to Wisconsin with his parents, 
who were among the earliest settlers in the 
northwestern part of that State. There he 
attended the public schools and received 
his early mental training. His professional 
education was obtained in Rush Medical 
College, Chicago. Dr. Maxson began the 
practice of medicine in Prescott, Wis., 
where he remained several years, when he 
removed to Chicago, and where he con- 
tinued in practice. He subsequently lived 
and practiced for a time in Waukegan, 111. 



In the early 'eighties he moved to Evans- 
ton, 111., where he devoted himself to his 
profession until his death, which occurred 
at Pasadena, Cal., in 1895. Dr. Maxson 
recruited Company A, Twelfth Regiment 
Wisconsin \'olunteer Infantry for service in 
the Civil War, and served as its Captain 
(hiring the entire war. 

Dr. Maxson was married to Eunice Mc- 
Cray, of New York State. Those of their 
children who are living are : Dr. O. P. Max- 
son, of Waukegan; and Amelia (Ma.xson) 
Knox, who resides in Evanston. In 1882 
the daughter, Amelia, became the wife of 
Laverne L. Knox, of Waukegan, who was 
engaged in business in Chicago, and died 
in Evanston in 1889. 

Dr. Maxson was a physician of high 
standing in his profession and of superior 
accomplishments, and was a valued member 
of the leading medical societies. Politically 
he was an active Republican and took a 
good citizen's interest in public affairs. 
While living in Wisconsin he served as a 
member of the Legislature of that State. 
Fraternally, he was a Knight Templar, and 
in religious belief a Congregationalist. 



FRANK WHEELOCK GEROULD. 

Among the most prominent men in the 
social, political and religious circles of 
Evanston, 111., whose business interests are 
in Chicago, is the gentleman whose name 
heads this brief personal record. Mr. Ge- 
rould was born in Smithfield, Pa., January 
13, 1854, the son of Marcus B. and Mary 
E. (Bingham) Gerould, of whom the for- 
mer was born in Smithfield, Pa., October 
28, 1818, and the latter, in Towanda County, 
in the same State, January 2, 1827. Mar- 
cus B. Gerould was a merchant by occupa- 
tion. In 1857 he moved from Pennsylvania 
to Rockford, 111., where, with the exception 



630 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



of a few years spent in Byron, 111., the 
family made their permanent home. 

In youth the subject of this sketch dili- 
gently utilized the opportunities afforded 
by the public schools of Rockford, and, af- 
ter completing his studies, secured employ- 
ment as clerk in a shoe store in that city. 
In 1878 he located in Chicago and entered 
the employ of A. G. Spaulding & Bros., 
extensive dealers in athletic goods, in 
which connection he has remained until the 
present time. Mr. Gerould now occupies 
the position of managing director of the 
western department of that widely known 
establishment. He maintains a high repu- 
tation for executive ability in the commer- 
cial circles of Chicago, and is very popular 
among the employes and patrons of the con- 
cern with which he has been so long identi- 
fied. 

On September i, 1881, Mr. Gerould was 
united in marriage, in the city of Chicago, 
with Mary S. Avery, who was born in Bel- 
videre. 111., on February 9, i860. Three 
children have been born to them : Helen 
Louise, born January 9, 1890; Frank Avery, 
born August 15, 1893, and Walter Blakes- 
ley, born August 18, 1898. The mother of 
this family passed away in Evanston, March 
II, 1901. 

Mr. Gerould is connected with the First 
Presbyterian Church, of Evanston, and is 
a member of its Board of Trustees. In 
politics he is a supporter ot the Republican 
party, and has represented his ward in 
Evanston, as Alderman, for the last eight 
years. Socially he is a member of the 
Evanston Club, of which he is President 
and director ; a member of the Chicago 
Athletic Club, and of the Glen View Golf 
Club. He is one of the Directors of the 
State Bank of Evanston. In earlier life he 
belonged to the Illinois National Guard for 
six vears. He is highly regarded through- 
out the communitv. 



WILLIAM BECKLEY PARKES. 

William B. Parkes (deceased), formerly 
a prominent citizen of Evanston, 111., and a 
man of lovable and great force of charac- 
ter, was born in Saugerties, N. Y., March 
19, 1838. He was a son of Joseph and 
Mary (Dunn) Parkes, who came from 
Dudlev, England, five or six years before 
his birth, and a brother of the noted sur- 
geon. Dr. Charles T. Parkes, of Chicago. 
Joseph Parkes was an iron master, with 
interests in Wheeling, W. \a.., and St. 
Louis, Mo. He prepared his son, William, 
for a commercial career, the latter having 
graduated from a business college in Wheel- 
ing at the age of thirteen years. From that 
period he worked in his father's foundry 
and made himself independent, paying his 
own board and other expenses. 

In the panic of 1857, the failure of his 
father's works at St. Louis, with which he 
was connected, together with his marriage 
at the same time, made it necessary for him 
to seek other employment. He accordingly 
went from St. Louis to Southern Illinois, 
and worked on farms in order to secure 
means to engage in business on -his own 
account. In 1864, he bought a farm in 
Will County, 111., which he operated for 
three years, and then, commg to Chicago, 
secured employment in connection with the 
North Chicago Rolling Mill Company. 

In 1868, Capt. E. B. Ward, of Detroit, 
founded the Milwaukee Iron Works, and 
among other skilled workmen who were 
taken there from Chicago, was Mr. Parkes. 
He was soon promoted to the superinten- 
dency of a department in the plant, and 
subsequently, when the North Chicago Roll- 
ing Mill Company acquired possession of 
the works, he was made General Superin- 
tendent. This position he held for ten 
vears or more, having an average of 2,000 
men under his direction. He was especially 



I 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



631 



happy in his method of deaHng with his 
employes, and was successful in building 
up an industrious and prosperous communi- 
ty. In this connection he became widely 
known as a practical iron-master of ripe 
experience and broad general knowledge 
of all phases of the business. Besides his 
rolling mill connection, he was interested 
in iron mines and transportation companies 
to a considerable extent. 

At this period ill health compelled Mr. 
Parkes to retire from active business, and 
he severed his connection with the concern 
in 1890. Disposing of his Milwaukee in- 
terests he purchased a home in Evanston, 
where he lived in retirement until 1899. 
He died August 4, 1899, in Milwaukee, 
where he had gone to visit his daughter. 

Mr. Parkes was married at St. Louis, in 
1857, to Mary Jane McNickle, a daughter 
of George and Jane (McCoy) McNickle, 
of that city. Mrs. Parkes, who is still liv- 
ing, was born in Pennsylvania and reared 
in Virginia. The children of this union are 
as follows : Ida Virginia Parkes, Mrs. Mary 
(Parkes) Llewellyn. Mrs. Jennie (Parkes^ 
Grier, Mrs. Annie (Parkes) Phillips, and 
Dr. William Ross Parkes, all of Evanston, 
and Mrs. Sarah (Parkes) Treat, of Apple- 
ton, Wis. 

]\Ir. Parkes became a member of the 
]\Iethodist Episcopal Church when he was 
fourteen years of age, and when he re- 
moved to his farm in Will County, he 
helped to found a church at Monee. He 
was afterwards one of the founders of the 
Dixon Street M. E. Church in Chicago, and 
of Trinity M. E. Church in Milwaukee, 
where he served as Sunday-school Super- 
intendent for twenty years. After coming 
to Evanston he was one of the builders of 
Emmanuel M. E. Church. For several 
vears he was a member of the Board of 
Trustees and of the official board of the last 
named church. "Though dead he yet 
speaketh," and "his works do follow him." 



JOSEPH WATERS WORK. 

Joseph W. Work, who is successfully 
engaged in the real estate business in Evan- 
ston, 111., was born in Dewitt, Carroll Coun- 
ty. Mo., September 18, 1871. His father, 
Andrew Jackson Work, was a native of 
Charlestown, Ind., where he was born Oc- 
tober 17, 1819, and his mother, Elizabeth 
(Waters) Work, was born in Lincoln 
County, Ky., October 15, 1835. Andrew 
Jackson Work was a farmer by occupation 
and his whole active life was devoted to 
agricultural pursuits. 

The early education of Joseph W. 
was obtained in the public schools and 
the high school at North Salem, Ind., 
and Bunker Hill, III, and, after com- 
pleting his studies, he became a traveling 
salesman. This occupation he followed for 
nine years previous to making his home in 
Evanston, where he located in 1894. In 
that year he established himself in the real 
estate business in partnership with his fa- 
ther-in-law, Lewis M. Perry, succeeding to 
the latter's interest in the firm, in 1897 and 
establishing at that time the firm known as 
The J. W. Work Agency. 

On December 27. 1893, Mr. Work was 
united in marriage at Evanston, with Flora 
Perrv, who was born in Murdock, 111., De- 
cember 10, 1 87 1. 

In politics, Mr. Work pursues an inde- 
pendent course, ignoring party lines. His 
religious' connection is with the Evanston 
Christian Church, of which he is a charter 
member. Socially he is identified with the 
Evanston Club. 



SUSAN LEONHARDT. 

Mrs. Susan Leonhardt, one of the oldest 
living natives of Cook County, 111., was born 
at Grosse Point, September 18, 1840, and 
enjoys the distinction of being the first 
white child born within the present city of 



632 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



Evanston. She is a daughter of Paul 
and CaroHne (Adams) Pratt, who were 
natives of Massachusetts ; her mother 
CaroHne Adams, being a daughter of Rev. 
Ephraim Adams, who was a member of the 
same family which furnished two Presi- 
dents of the United States — John Adams 
and John Quincy Adams. Her father was 
born in Weston, Middlesex County, Mass., 
September 11, 1807, and her mother, in Ox- 
ford, Worcester County, March 10, 1816. 
Paul Pratt was the owner of considerable 
landed property, for those times, and was 
engaged in agricultural pursuits. His 
father, also Paul Pratt, was one of the his- 
torical "Minute Alen" of Massachusetts 
Colony, who sprang to arms from every 
village and farm in Middlesex Comity, when 
Paul Revere sounded the summons on his 
celebrated ride in 1775. Paul Pratt, Jr., 
the father of Mrs. Leonhardt, moved to Il- 
linois at an early period, locating on the site 
of the present city of Evanston. On his 
land in that locality, he hewed timber and 
rafted it to the mouth of the Chicago River, 
to be used in building the first Government 
pier at Chicago in 1839. He had two sons 
who took part in the Civil War, Charles E. 
and Willard I. The former served three 
years in the Eighth Regiment Illinois Vol- 
unteer Cavalry ; the latter was a member of 
Company C, Eighty-ninth Regiment Illinois 
Volunteer Infantry, and was taken prison- 
er at Dallas, Ga., and incarcerate in An- 
dersonville prison, where he languished for 
seven months. He died at home in 1865. 
From their log cabin on Leon Avenue, the 
family moved in 1848, to a frame house, 
built that year, and which was one of the 
first frame dwellings constructed in Evan- 
ston. 

Mrs. Leonhardt spent her childhood years 
in the way customary for farmers' daugh- 
ters in a new settlement. Her early mental 
training was obtained in the country school 



at Ridgeville, now a part of Evanston, and 
she grew to maturity on the paternal farm. 
On September 30, 1857, she was united in 
marriage at Evanston, with Louis Leon- 
hardt, and twelve children were born of 
this union: Charles E., born April 29, 1859; 
Arthur D., born November 3, 1861 ; Frank 
W., born November 29, 1863 ; Carrie E. 
(Mrs. Stiles) born February 4, 1865; Ella, 
who was born August 29, 1866, and died in 
1867; George P., born March 7, 1868; 
Louis, born November 25, 1870, and died in 
1880; Eva May, born January 21, 1873, and 
died in 1880; Paul, born February 10,' 1875, 
and died in 1880 ; Fred. L., born July 30, 
1877, and died in 1880; Richard J.,' born 
November 17, 1880; and Willard I., born 
January 7, 1882. Seven of this family still 
survive. 

In religious faith, Mrs. Leonhardt is a 
Baptist, and a zealous member of the Mis- 
sionary Society of the First Baptist Church 
of Evanston. She is an object of affec- 
tionate interest to her children, and of cor- 
dial esteem by a large circle of friends. 



LEWIS TABOR BRISTOL. 

Lewis Tabor Bristol, who is engaged in 
the practice of dentistry in Nogales, Ariz., 
was born in Cairo, 111., September i, 1872, 
the son of Walter L. and Louisa S. Bristol, 
natives of Illinois. In early boyhood. Dr. 
Bristol received his primary mental train- 
ing in the public schools of his native town, 
where he spent the remainder of his youth- 
ful 3'ears. He entered the Dental School of 
Northwestern University in 1894, graduat- 
ing therefrom in 1897, with the degree of 
D. D. S. He is a member of the Delta Sig- 
ma Delta Fraternity. Shortly after his 
graduation he entered upon the practice of 
his profession, in which he has continued 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



633 



successfully ever since. In politics, Dr. 
Bristol is an earnest supporter of the Repub- 
lican party. In 1905, he served as a Repre- 
sentative of Santa Cruz County in the Leg- 
islature of Arizona. 



VERNELLE FREELAND BROWNE. 

Vernelle F. Browne, attorney-at-lavv, 
Farmer City, 111., was born at De Witt, 
De Witt County, 111., January 8, 1873. 
He acquired his primary education in the 
local high school and by home study, took 
a law course in the Northwestern Uni- 
\ersity Law School at Evanston, 111., with 
one semester in the Law Department of 
the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor 
in that State. While in the University 
he was much interested in athletics, and 
a member of the Masonic Club at the 
University of Michigan. He worked his 
way through the University, was admitted 
to the bar in October, 1899, and, starting 
in debt, since entering upon his profes- 
sion has been very successful, having 
accumulated, in less than seven years' 
practice, an estate valued at $15,000. The 
official positions held by Mr. Browne 
since locating at Farmer City, 111., include 
those of City Clerk for two years (May 
I, 1901, to May I, 1903) ; City Attorney 
since May i, 1903, in which he is now 
serving his second term, which will expire 
May I, 1907. He has been solicited at dif 
ferent times to become the candidate of 
the Republican party for County Judge, 
State's Attorney and Representative in 
the State Legislature, but believing that 
his best interests would be subserved by 
adhering to his profession, has declined. 
He is a member of the Knights of Pythias 
Modern Woodmen, Red Men, a Thirty- 
second Degree Mason, the Order of the 
Eastern Star, the Rathbon Sisters and the 
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. 



On December 6, 1899, Mr. Browne was 
married to Miss Daisy Gertrude Reeser, 
of Farmer City, 111., and they have one 
daughter, Theresa Gertrude Browne, born 
February 5, 1903. 



WALTER LAURANCE HERDIEN. 

\\'alter Laurance Herdien, wh'o is a 
successful representative of the younger 
element of rising lawyers who are becom- 
ing favorably known at the bar of Chi- 
cago, was born in Galva, 111. August 8, 
1874. He is a son of Peter and Martha 
(Johnson) Herdien, natives of Sweden, 
In early youth he made diligent use of 
the opportunities for an education afforded 
by the public schools of his native place, 
and in September, 1894, matriculated in 
the Liberal Arts Department of North- 
western University, from which he was 
graduated in June, 1898, with the degree 
of A. B. He entered Northwestern Uni- 
versity Law School in September, 1898, 
graduating therefrom in June, 1900, with 
the degree of LL. B. During his collegi- 
ate course, he was a member of the Beta 
Theta Pi Fraternity and the Deru Society. 
Shortly after graduating he was admitted 
to the bar, and at once entered upon the 
practice of his profession, in which he has 
since continued. In social circles, he is 
affiliated with the B. P. O. E. 

On October 25, 1903, Mr. Herdien was 
united in marriage with Mabel Geneva 
Sharp, of Kewanee, 111. . Politically, he is 
a Republican. 



ELMER FORREST HERDIEN, M. D. 

Elmer Forrest Herdien, physician, Chi- 
cago. 111., was born in Galva, 111., May 22, 
1876, the son of Peter and Martha (John- 
son) Herdien, both natives of Sweden, 



634 



BIOGR-\PHICAL 



and a brother of ^^'alter L. Herdien, a 
lawyer of Chicago. Ehiier F. spent most 
of his early life in Chicago, was a graduate 
from the Lake View High School and 
from the Northwestern University, later 
taking a course in the Medical Depart- 
ment of the University, from which he 
was graduated in 1901. After gradua- 
tion he served for a time as interne in 
hospital work, after which he was en- 
gaged in practice at Baker City, Oregon. 
On June 6, 1906, Dr. Herdien was mar- 
ried at Kewanee, 111., to ^liss Xelle John- 
son, of that city, the event exciting much 
interest among society people, and being 
celebrated with much eclat in the pres- 
ence of a large circle of friends of the 
bride and groom. Dr. Herdien's address 
is at 1317 Foster Avenue (Edgewater). 
Chicagfo. 



HENRY BUTLER. 

Henry Butler, a well-known and highl}- 
esteemed citizen of Evanston, Cook 
County, 111., where he has lived for nearly 
twenty-six years — during a considerable 
portion of this period being e.xtensively 
and successfully engaged in the livery and 
teaming business — was born in Kenosha. 
\Ms., April 7. i8fio. the son of Cornelius 
and Barbara ( Blanknheim) Butler, of 
whom the former was born in Richmond 
\'a.. in July. 1822, and the latter in Prue, 
a small town in The Netherlands, on Feb- 
ruary 17, 1 83 1. Cornelius Butler was a 
carpenter by occupation, and followed that 
trade in Kenosha, Wis., of which place he 
became a resident in 1840. Early in the 
Civil \\'ar he enlisted in the Thirty-ninth 
Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, 
with which he served until the end of the 
conflict, when he returned to Kenosha, 
and resumed his customary work. Shortly 
afterward he moved to Evanston, where 



he spent the remainder of his life. The 
mother of the subject of this sketch came 
to the United States when she was about 
sixteen years of age. Her marriage to 
i\Ir. Butler took place at Kenosha on 
March 13, 1851, and their union resulted 
in eleven children. 

The early mental training of Henr\- 
Butler was obtained in the district schools 
in the \icinity of Kenosha, and in the 
public schools of that city, \\hen not 
engaged in study, he applied himself to 
farm work. He was about seventeen 
years old when he came to Evanston., 
where he was employed for several years 
in various kinds of labor by prominent 
citizens of the place. In 1893 he started 
out on his own responsibility, establish- 
ing himself in the livery and teaming 
business, in which he has ever since been 
very successful. He now conducts two 
extensive livery barns, has about seventy 
teams in use, and employs forty men, 
besides an office force of four girls. He 
also operates large blacksmith and repair 
shops. His entire time is occupied in 
superintending this business, and his 
energy, diligence, close application and 
honorable methods have made the enter- 
prise a pronounced and signal success. 
With the exception of a tour of inspection 
which he made through the Western 
States, he has not been absent from home 
to any extent since coming to Evanston. 

On January 5, 1883, Mr. Butler was 
united in marriage, at Evanston, 111., with 
Mary Hager, who was born July 4, 1864, 
at Florence, Ala., where, in girlhood, she 
enjoyed the advantages of the public 
schools. Mrs. Butler is a daughter of 
William Hager, a native of Pennsylvania, 
and a soldier in the Civil \\'ar, near the 
close of which he lost his life. Her mother 
is also deceased. 

In religious faith Mr. Butler is a Bap- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



635 



tist, being a consistent member of the 
Second Baptist Church, of Evanston. 
PoHtically lie has always been a firm 
RepubUcan, but never an aspirant for pub- 
Uc office. To all charitable and benev- 
olent enterprises in Evanston, he has al- 
ways been a liberal contributor. He has 
led a life of exceptional personal purity, 
having never made use of tobacco or in- 
toxicants, nor indulged in profane lan- 
guage. His strict observance of correct 
rules of living have enabled him to endure 
the strain of long and strenuous exertion 
in building up his extensive business, with 
no impairment of mental or physical fac- 
ulties, and his upright and honorable deal- 
ings have gained for him. in an especial 
degree, the confidence and esteem of his 
fellow citizens. Mr. Butler is regarded as 
one of the most useful and exemplary 
members of the community. 



JOHN T. BARKER. 

John T. Barker, la\\'\ er and Mayor of 
Evanston, was born in Derbyshire, Eng- 
land, October 27, i860, the son of John 
and Mary (Shimwell) Barker. John Bar- 
ker, Sr., was a blacksmith by trade, and 
his death occurred in England. This 
bereavement necessitated his son's finding 
a position at the age of eleven in a rolling 
mill, in order to help support his mother. 
When the lad was thirteen years old, with 
his surviving parent he took passage 
for. America, locating in the city of Chi- 
cago. The boy enjoyed less than two 
years' schooling before he went to work 
in earnest for the North Chicago Rolling 
Mills. A little later he secured a posi- 
tion with the Chicago Steel Works, where, 
for fifteen years, he found steady employ- 
ment; first as a common laborer, at fifty 
cents per day, spending his earnings at a 



night school, being gradually promoted 
through the positions of stenographer, 
bookkeeper, cashier, etc., until he received 
the sum of $1,500 per annum. Here he 
paused long enough to take a course of 
lessons at the Chicago Athenaeum. In 
1890 he launched out in the real estate 
business, his evenings again being occu- 
pied with the study of law in the night 
schools of the great city. In 1893, h's 
studiousness was rewarded by his admit- 
tance to the bar. 

On December 14, 1881, Mr. Barker was 
united in marriage to Anna Laura Blanch- 
ard, and of this union two children have 
been born: John Lawrence, born August 
27, 1884, and Marion Ethel, born July 22, 
1888. In 1897, Mr. Barker removed with 
his family to the city of Evanston 111., 
with the history of whose growth the 
present Mayor has been and is still inti- 
mately connected. In the year 1900, Mr. 
Barker was elected Alderman for the 
Third Ward, thus becoming an active 
member of the City Council. In 1901 he 
took an extended vacation, making a tour 
through England, Scotland, France and 
Belgium, and other European countries. 
LIpon his return to Evanston in 1902, he 
was re-elected Alderman, which position 
he resigned in the spring of 1903, when 
he was made Mayor of the city as suc- 
cessor of James A. Patten. During his 
official connection with the city. Mayor 
Barker has been greatly interested in 
much legislation of an important nature, 
such as the annexing of the North Shore 
territory to the Drainage District, the 
consolidation of the towns included in 
the present city of Evanston, the amend- 
ment of the Library Act, and other meas- 
ures pertaining to public improvement. 
In the year 1905, he was re-elected Mayor 
of the city whose interests he has served 
so disinterestedly and well. In his polit- 



636 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



ical affiliations, Mayor Barker is a Repub- 
lican. He was one of the originators of 
the organization of the first Park District 
of the city of Evanston, an improvement 
recognized by all. He is a member of the 
A. F. & A. M., the National Union, and 
Royal League Fraternities, and also of the 
local Evanston Club, Hamilton and Golf 
Clubs. He belongs to the Episcopalian 
Church. 



GEORGE E. GOOCH. 

George E. Gooch, a well-known resident 
of Evanston, 111., who has been prom- 
inent in the business circles of Chicago 
for many years, was born in Norwich, 
Norfolk, England, September 24, 1847, the 
son of George C. and Margaret (Brewer) 
Gooch. The son received his early edu- 
cation in the common schools of his native 
land, and came to Chicago in 1867. He 
became connected with the commission 
firm of Sherman, Hall & Pope, and soon 
afterwards engaged in the same line of 
business on South Water Street, under 
the firm name of Richards & Gooch. Sub- 
sequently, he identified himself with 
Charles Counselman & Co., and still re- 
mains in that connection. Since 1869 he 
has been a member of the Chicago Board 
of Trade. Mr. Gooch established his res- 
idence in Evanston in 1877, and is con- 
sidered one of its intelligent and sub- 
stantial citizens. 

Mr. Gooch was married in November, 
1874, to Miss Rhoda England, a daughter 
of William England, and they have seven 
children, all of whom were born in Evans- 
ton, and all are still living. 

In his political views, Mr. Gooch is in- 
dependent, and his action is untrammeled 
by party ties. He has served as Alder- 
man of the Second Ward in the City 
Council. Socially, he belongs to the A. 



F. & A. M. Royal Arcanum, of which he 
is Regent ; Royal League, of which he is 
Orator ; Modern Woodmen of America, 
and Sons of St. George. He is a charter 
member of the Evanston Club and the 
Evanston Boat Club. Mr. Gooch is a 
communicant in St. Mark's Episcopal 
Church, in which he officiates as vestry- 
man. 



JOHN W. GIBSON. 

John W. Gibson (deceased), formerly 
a well-known resident of Evanston, 111., 
was born in Batesville, Noble County, 
Ohio, October 20, 1853. His parents were 
William and Christine (Stattler) Gibson, 
the former being a merchant by occupa- 
tion. The early childhood of Mr. Gibson 
was passed in Batesville, and his educa- 
tion was received in the schools of New- 
ark, Ohio. He was trained to merchan- 
dising by his father, and on the death of 
the latter, succeeded to the business and 
conducted it for two or three years. 
About 1881 he came West and became 
identified with the nursery business, es- 
tablishing his home in Davenport, Iowa. 
In this connection he traveled extensively, 
his transactions covering the States of 
Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. He con- 
tinued to reside at Davenport until 1890, 
when he moved to Evanston, where he 
remained until his death, which occurred 
September 13, 1904. 

Mr. Gibson was married at Monroe 
Center, 111., December 26, 1882, to Ella 
Tyler, a daughter of Mrs. H. C. Tyler, 
of that place. Mrs. Gibson, who survives 
her husband, was born there and grew up 
in Illinois. The only child of Mr. and 
Mrs. Gibson is Harry W. Gibson, who has 
succeeded to the conduct and manage- 
ment of his father's business interests. 
Mr. Gibson was an attendant upon the 
services at the Baptist Church. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



637 



JOHN C. MURPHY. 

John C. Murphy (deceased), who served 
as Justice of the Peace in Evanston. 111., 
for nearly twenty-three years, was born 
in Evanston July 31. 1841, the first white 
child born in that place. His parents 
were Edward and Ann (Mack) Murphy, 
natives of Ireland, the father born at Ken- 
more, County Kerry, in 1805, and the 
mother at Castletown Bearhaven, County 
Cork. Edward Murphy was a teacher 
and mathematician by profession. 
Through the influence of the Marquis of 
Lansdowne, while still a young man, he 
was appointed to the position of Govern- 
ment teacher at London, Upper Canada, 
where he first located on his arrival in 
America. In the spring of 1837 he set- 
tled in Chicago, where he taught in the 
public schools, and was otherwise inter- 
ested in educational affairs. In 1839 he 
was appointed Deputy Sheriff, under 
Sheriff Isaac R. Gavenfirst, was elected 
Coroner of Cook County in 1840, and re- 
elected in 1842. He was the first Super- 
visor for Evanston, having been elected 
to that office in 1850, the year of the adop- 
tion of township organization, and served 
in this capacity until 1856. His death 
occurred January 25, 1875. Eugene ]\Iack 
a brother of Mrs. Edward Murphy, served 
in the United States Xavy for forty years, 
and was an officer on board the Frigate 
"Cumberland"' when that vessel was sunk. 
Six of Edward Murphy's children sur- 
vived him — two sons and four daughters, 
namely: John C, the subject of this 
sketch: Edward, Mary A. (Mrs. Samp- 
son), Anna E., Louisa D., and Eliza- 
beth C. 

John C. Murphy received his early edu- 
cation in the public schools of Chicago, 
where he subsequently pursued a course 
of study in a business college. His father 



owned a farm in the vicinity of Evans- 
ton, and upon this John C. lived until 
1875. From that year until 1881, he was 
in the employ of Cook County. He al- 
ways made his home in Evanston, and in 
his reminiscences of early times often re- 
calls the rush of gold seekers, with their 
prairie schooners to California in 1849-50. 

On July 19, 1877, Mr. Murphy was 
united in marriage, in Chicago, with Eliz- 
abeth M. Carroll, who was born at 
Ogdensburg, N. Y., August 4, 1857. Four 
children were born of this union, namely : 
Edward J., born April 30, 1879; J. Francis, 
born November 13, 1881 ; Joseph N., born 
January 7, 1891 and Nannie A., born 
August 23, 1886. 

In politics. Mr. Murphy was an un- 
swerving adherent of the Republican 
];arty. He was elected Justice of the 
Peace for Evanston Township in April, 
1881, and held that office without inter- 
mission until the time of his death. In 
fraternal circles, he was identified with 
the K. of P. and the Catholic Order of 
Foresters. He belonged to the Histor- 
ical Society of Evanston. In religion, he 
was a devout member of the Catholic 
Church, and as a citizen, was ever on the 
alert in his efforts to promote the best 
interests of the community. He was a 
member of the Evanston Historical Soci- 
ety. 

Mr. Murphy departed this life on Feb- 
ruary 21, 1904, and his death was deeply 
lamented by all who knew him. He was 
a man of invariable good nature and, as 
a public official, was easily accessible. 
On account of the numerous wedding 
ceremonies which he performed, he was 
sometimes called "Bishop" Murphy. 
The dwelling in which he was born is 
still standing, in a slightly altered condi- 
tion, on the northwest corner of Clark 
Street and Rogers Avenue. 



r 



638 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



EDWARD J. MURPHY. 

Edward J. Murphy, Justice of the 
Peace, Evanston, 111., is a native of Evans- 
ton, where he was born April 30, 1879, 
the son of John C. and Elizabeth M. (Car- 
roll) Murphy, the father born in Evans- 
ton, 111., July 31, 1841, and the mother in 
Ogdensburg, N. Y., August 4, 1S57. John 
C. Murphy was the first white male child 
born in Evanston, and died in that city 
February 21, 1904. The grandparents, 
Edward and Ann (Mack) Murphy, were 
natives of Ireland (see sketch of John C. 
Murphy). Grandfather Edward Murphy 
was a teacher and mathematician, who 
came to Chicago from London, Canada, 
in the spring of 1837, and taught in the 
public schools. He was the owner of a 
farm situated where the City of Evanston 
now stands, and served as Deputy Sheriff 
and Coroner of Cook County, and as the 
first Supervisor of Evanston, to which 
office he was elected in 1850. 

The gentleman to whom this record re- 
fers received his rudimentar}- mental 
training in the public schools of Evans- 
ton, and subsequently graduated from the 
De La Salle Institute, in Chicago. He 
then pursued courses of study in Canisius 
College, at Buffalo, N. Y., and Northwest- 
ern University, Evanston, graduating 
from the Law School of the latter in 1903. 

In politics Edward J. Murphy is an ear- 
nest supporter of the Republican party. 
In 1904 he was elected to succeed his 
father as Justice of the Peace, and enjoys 
the distinction of being the youngest in- 
cumbent of that office ever elected in 
Cook County. Socially, he is identified 
with the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, the 
Alpha Chi Law Fraternity, the Modern 
Woodmen of America, and the Knights 
of Columbus. He is regarded as one of 
the most promising young men in the 
community, and seems fully assured of a 
bright and useful future. 



GEORGE HENRY MOORE. 

George Henry Moore, Manager Insur- 
ance Company, Chicago, with residence in 
Evanston, was born in North Hartland, 
Vermont, January 20, 1848, the son of 
Reuben and Ann Maria (Hunt) Moore, 
the former born in Salem, Mass., Novem- 
ber 18, 1808, and the latter in Concord 
Mass., December 6, 1812. The father's 
occupation was that of a railroad con- 
tractor and builder. On the maternal side 
Air. Moore is the eighth in descent from 
Captain Thomas Brooks, seventh from 
Captain Timothy Wheeler and Captain 
John Prescott, and sixth from Ensign 
Humphrey Barrett, Captain James Min- 
ott. Captain Jonathan Prescott, Hon. 
Peter Bulkley, Simon Lynde and Francis 
Willoughby — all of whom were soldiers 
of the Colonial and Revolutionary Wars, 
and direct descendants of the famous 
Hunt family, whose progenitors settled in 
New England in 1635. 

George Henry Moore commenced busi- 
ness for himself at Plattsburgh, New 
York, as clerk in a general merchandise 
store in 1864, in which he remained two 
years, when (in 1866) he engaged in the 
forwarding and shipping business and 
lumber trade at Detroit, Michigan. 
Twelve years later (1878) he entered into 
the fire insurance business, which he has 
followed continuously ever since. Hav- 
ing received an appointment as one of the 
managers of the Liverpool, London & 
Globe Insurance Company for the West, 
on January i, 1893, he moved to Evans- 
ton. Pie still retains this position with 
office in the Home Insurance Building at 
205 La Salle Street, Chicago. He was 
elected President for 1896-7 of the Fire 
Insurance Association of the Northwest, 
which is the largest insurance organiza- 
tion in the world. 

December 16, 1870, Mr. Moore was 
married at Detroit, Mich., to Emma E. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



639 



Smith, and they have had six children: 
Carlton Ward, Ella Florine, George 
Albert, Louise Hurd and Irene Hunt 
(twins), and William Warren. 

In his political sentiments Mr. Moore 
has always been a sturdy Republican, is 
an attendant upon religious services at 
the First Presbyterian Church of Evans- 
ton, and is identified with the following 
clubs and social organizations: Union 
League Club, Chicago ; Sons of the Rev- 
olution, Colonial War Society, Evanston 
Club, Evanston, and Glen View Golf 
Club. 



CHARLES CLARENCE POOLE. 

Charles Clarence Poole, patent lawyer, 
Evanston, 111., was born at Benicia, Cal., 
November 27, 1856, the son of Charles 
Henry and Mary A. (Daniels) Poole, was 
educated in the public schools at Wash- 
ington, D. C, and fitted for practice in 
civil engineering by private instruction. 
During 1874-75 he served as Assistant 
Engineer in connection with surveys car- 
ried on by the Engineering Department 
of the United States Army. In 1882 he 
graduated from the Law Department of 
the Columbian University, Washington,, 
with the prize for an essay on Trade- 
marks. During the same year he came to 
Chicago and, in partnership with Taylor 
E. Brown, engaged in practice as a law- 
yer, confining his attention chiefly to 
patents, copyright and trade mark laws, 
which he still continues, with offices 
in the Marquette Building. He is also a 
member of the bar of the United States 
Supreme Court, the Chicago Bar Associa- 
tion, and the Patent Law Association. 
In 1884 Mr. Poole was married in the 
city of Chicago to Miss Anna Poole, 
daughter of the late Dr. William Fred- 
erick Poole, at that time Librarian of 



the Chicago Public Library, but later 
occupying a similar position in connection 
with the Newberry Library. Mr. and 
Mrs. Poole have four children: Frances, 
Charles H., Clarence F. and Dorothy, 
their residence being at 939 Forest Ave- 
nue, Evanston. Mr. Poole's fraternal as- 
sociations are with the Illinois Athletic 
and the Chicago Literary Clubs. 



CHARLES S. RADDIN. 

Charles S. Raddin, a prominent citizen 
of Evanston, 111., where he has resided for 
twenty-five years, was born in Lynn, 
Mass., January 29, 1864, the son of 
Charles E. and Harriet Augusta (Rhodes) 
Raddin, natives of New England. Charles 
E. Raddin, who carried on the business of 
shoe manufacturing in Lynn, Mass.. 
moved with his family from that city to 
Chicago in 1879, and thence to Evanston 
in 1881. The subject of this sketch ob- 
tained his early education in Chauncy 
Hall, Boston, Mass., and when the family 
located in Evanston, pursued a course of 
study in Northwestern University, from 
which he received the degrees of B. S. 
and M. S. During his undergraduate 
period he identified himself with the Phi 
Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Mr. Raddin's 
business interests are in Chicago, where 
he acts in the capacity of manager of the 
American Bank Equipment Company. 

On June 28, 1892, Mr. Raddin was 
united in marriage, at Evanston, 111., with 
Belle Elmira Ailing, a native of that city, 
and the daughter of a well known Meth- 
odist clergyman. This union resulted in 
one child, Louise, born January 4, 1898. 
Politically Mr. Raddin is a supporter of 
the Republican party. Religiously he 
adheres to the faith of the Methodist 
Church. In fraternal circles he is affili- 



640 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



ated with the National Union. He is 
a member and Vice-President of the 
Board of Trustees of the Chicago Acad- 
emy of Sciences, Secretary of the Natural 
History Survey of Chicago, and a mem- 
ber of the Board of Directors of the 
Evanston Historical Society. He is the 
author of publications entitled, "Flora of 
Evanston and V'icinity," and "Flora of 
Chicago and Vicinity," issued as bulletins 
of the Chicago Academy of Sciences. 
Aside from his business relations, he is a 
man of studious habits and wide informa- 
tion, and is a useful and highly esteemed 
member of the community. 



WALTER LEE BROWN. 

Walter Lee Brown (deceased), for- 
merly a chemist of high repute and for 
some time President of the Northwestern 
Gas Company, of Evanston, 111., was born 
in Melrose, Mass., August 24, 1853. He 
was a son of Edwin Lee and Mary (Bab- 
cock) Brown. His father was a man of 
high attainments whose reputation ex- 
tended beyond the limits of his State. The 
family came to Chicago about 1861. As 
a boy, Walter Brown attended the old 
Ogden School in Chicago. When seven- 
teen years of age he returned to the East 
and entered the Pennsylvania Military 
Academy, at Chester, Pa., which he at- 
tended for three years. He completed his 
academic studies at Northwestern Univer 
sity, giving special attention to chemistry 
while there. From that institution he re- 
ceived the degree of Bachelor of Science. 
After CQmpletinghis studies in Eyanston, he 
entered the Columbia College School of 
Mines, from which he was also graduated 
at the end of a course of study in which 
he devoted much time to metallurgy. For 
two or three years thereafter he was a 



lecturer at Columbia College, and acted 
as assistant to Dr. Charles F. Chandler, 
then, as now, at the head of the scientific 
department of that institution. About 
1879, J\lr. Brown returned to Chicago, 
where he purchased the pioneer labora- 
tory, the oldest in the city — established at 
an early date by the late Dr. James G. 
Blaney. He conducted this laboratory five 
years, and became widely known as achem- 
ist, assayer and metallurgist. In 1885 he dis- 
posed of the laboratory in order to organ- 
ize a "test department" for the Chicago. 
Burlington & Quincy Railway Company, 
which then set on foot a plan to test all 
materials used in its railroad construc- 
tion. et|uipment, etc. From 1885 to 1888, 
while conducting these experiments, he 
resided at Aurora, 111. Business interests 
then compelled him to remove to Evans- 
ton, where he succeeded his father as 
President of the Northwestern Gas Com- 
pany. 

Witli the duties imposed on him by this 
relation he was occupied for the next five 
years. He disposed of his interest in this 
company in 1893, and virtually retired 
from business, devoting his attention to 
his books and the arts and sciences dur- 
ing the remainder of his life, which ended 
April 6, 1904. He bestowed much time 
on the collection of rare books and lit- 
erary relics, and gathered together numer- 
ous first editions of American authors. 
Among his intimate associates in this occu- 
pation was James Fennimore Cooper, a 
grandson of the famous novelist. In the 
science of metallurgy he was eminent, and 
was the author of "A Manual of Assay- 
ing," which reached its eleventh edition, 
and has been adopted as a text-book by 
Harvard University and other higher in- 
stitutions of learning in America and 
abroad. He traveled extensively through- 
out the mining regions of the United 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



641 



States in connection with his work as met- 
allurgist and mineralogist. He was a 
charter member of the National Society 
of Chemists, and was long an oflScial of 
that organization. From June, 1894, to 
August, 1901, he was a member of the 
Board of Directors of the Evanston Free 
Public Library. 

Mr. Brown was married October 16, 
1884, at Boone, Iowa, to Ida B. Cosgrove, 
a daughter of Thomas A. Cosgrove, of 
Evanston. Mr. Cosgrove was an early 
resident of Evanston, having moved 
there from Champaign, 111., in 1868. 
He was one of the prime movers in 
securing the location of the Illinois 
State University at Urbana. The chil- 
dren of ^Ir. and Mrs. Brown are: 
Lathrop Lee, who pursued a course of 
study at the Manner School in Stamford. 
Conn. : Lois Virginia, and Delight. Mrs. 
Brown is still living in Evanston. 

The subject of this sketch was a man 
of undeviating rectitude of character. In 
religious views he was broadly liberal. 



EDWARD H. WEBSTER. 

Edward H. Webster, a prominent citizen 
of Evanston, Cook County, 111., was born 
at Wells River, Vt., November 17, 1851. 
He is a son of Caleb Williams and Persis 
T. Webster. The father, Caleb William 
Webster, was a merchant by occupation. 

The subject of this brief personal rec- 
ord received his early mental training in 
the public schools of his native State, 
and graduated from Northwestern Uni- 
versity. Mr. Webster was united in mar- 
riage with Emily Roneyn Winne, and 
one child, Helen Christine, is the result of 
this union. 



GEORGE P. K. VOLZ. 

George P. K. Volz, of Arlington 
Heights, Cook County, 111., Manager of 
the firm of Peter & Volz, manufacturers 
of sewing machines, opera chairs, and 
school desks, was born in Arlington 
Heights, April 7, 1878. From 1884 until 
1891 he attended the public school in his 
native place, and from 1891 until 1895 was 
a -pupil in the Jefferson High School in 
Chicago. In the last mentioned year he 
matriculated in Northwestern L^niversity, 
from which he was graduated in 1899, 
with the degree of A. B. He was a 
teacher in the Chicago public schools 
from 1899 until 1903, when he assumed 
the management of the Peter & Volz 
manufactory. 

Mr. Volz is a member of the Arlington 
.\thletic and Social Club, of which he 
was secretary 1901-1906. In 1902 he was 
appointed assistant chief of the Arlington 
Heights Volunteer Fire Department, and 
was appointed Chief in 1905. In fraternal 
circles, he is affiliated with the M. W. A., 
and was clerk of the Arlington Camp of 
that order, 1900-1906. He is also identi- 
fied with the A. F. & A. M., being a 
member of Palatine Lodge No. 314, and 
of Lincoln Park Chapter, R. A. AI., No. 
177. 

On June 29, 1904. at Aurora, 111., the 
subject of this sketch was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Sallie Anderson, of Chi- 
cago, and they have one daughter. Donna 
Marie, born July 8 1905. 



EZRA MARCH BORING. D. D. 

The Boring family name was first 
known in .America in Maryland. -The pro- 
genitor of the American branch of this 
family was a sailor, who was separated 



642 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



from his family at Liverpool, England, 
when a lad. Together with companions, 
he was enticed upon a ship which sailed 
and carried them to sea. Because the 
boys were unable to pay their fare they 
were sold into servitude. Young Boring, 
on account of his vivacity, became a fa- 
vorite of the captain and was made cabin 
boy. From this position he rose to that 
of mate and finally to be captain of a 
privateer. While commanding this ves- 
sel, he lost a limb in an engagement in 
the Mediterranean Sea, and after this in- 
cident determined to retire from the sea 
service. He returned to England and, 
unaljle to find his family, sailed for 
America and settled in Baltimore, Mary- 
land. His business was that of a shoe- 
maker. He was one of the early converts 
to Methodism, and the Boring family, 
which spread over the South and West, 
has been generally prominently identified 
with that denomination. 

Some of the immediate ancestors of 
the family of a later period removed from 
Maryland to Kentucky, and early in the 
last century to Claremont, Ohio, where 
Ezra Marsh Boring was born near the vil- 
lage of Felicity, June 12, 1813. General L'. 
S. Grant was also born in this village and 
was a boyhood friend. Temperance Bor- 
ing, the mother of Ezra Marsh Boring, 
was a strong character, an ardent Metho- 
dist, and her home was one of the best 
known of the fraternity in Southern 
Ohio. 

In 1832 Mr. Boring was soundly con- 
verted, and this change of heart turned 
his life into a new channel and he became 
an earnest student. Previous to this time 
he had learned the saddler's trade, and 
this fact, together with the assistance of 
his warm friend, William I. Fee, made it 
possible for him to attend the Methodist 



school in Augusta, Kentucky. He gradu- 
ated from this college in 1842, and, while 
the college curriculum was limited, he 
became reasonably proficient in Latin, 
Greek and Hebrew, which languages he 
continued to study and use until his clos- 
ing years. 

At the close of his school life, Mr. Bor- 
ing married Rebecca Ann Barnes, and 
became Principal of Franklin Seminary in 
Washington County, Kentucky. This was 
a well known Southern Seminary of the 
M. E. Church, situated in the heart of the 
slave district. Ezra Marsh Boring re- 
ceived a liberal salary for his services 
for that day, and enjoyed great popularity 
among the planters, because of his great 
ability as an orator and his genial and 
happy nature. He was an ardent cham- 
pion of the"Divine Right of Slavery"until 
he was suddenly converted to Abolition- 
ism, which made it necessary for him to 
cross the Ohio River and separate him- 
self from his friends. From that day he 
was an ardent friend of the black man. 
and his home was one of the stations of 
the "underground railroad." In 1843, he 
joined the Southern Ohio M. E. Confer- 
ence and was stationed at Gallipolis. This 
was an old French town with marked in- 
fidel tendencies among its citizens. Here 
Mr. Boring's fearlessness, joined with his 
tact, made him many warm friends, so 
that the meager salary, customary in that 
day. was generously supplemented by fees 
and presents. He afterwards preached 
at Marietta, Newark and Lancaster, Ohio, 
and was made a Presiding Elder, at which 
time he resided at Athens, the seat of 
the Ohio State University. He was then 
a very young man for so responsible a 
position. In 1857 he was transferred to 
the Rock River Conference in Illinois, be- 
inp- stationed at Galena, where he re- 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



643 



mained for two years and made many 
warm friends. He also here renewed his 
acquaintance with U. S. Grant, his boy- 
hood friend, which friendship continued 
through Hfe. After a brief pastorate in 
Waukegan, he removed to Chicago and 
became Presiding Elder of the Chicago 
District, serving, in all, two terms in 
this position. He was pastor at Grant 
Place (now Wesley), Dixon Street and 
State Street, Chicago ; also at Arlington 
Heights, Park Ridge, Crystal Lake, 
Woodstock and Wheaton, Illinois. 

For many years he was Secretary of 
the Home for the Friendless in Chicago, 
giving to this Institution the best service 
of his life, and, as the result of his labors, 
leaving it well endowed for the future. 
The closing years of this long life in 
public service was spent as Correspond- 
ing Secretary of The Superannuates' Re- 
lief Association of the Rock River Con- 
ference, and here he also succeeded to a 
remarkable extent. The degree of Doctor 
of Divinity was conferred upon him by 
the Theological Institute of Greensburg, 
Ind. Dr. Boring will be especially re- 
membered by many as the founder of the 
Desplaines Camp Meeting, established in 
i860, which he conducted or attended for 
twenty-eight consecutive years. 

As a preacher, Elder Boring (as he was 
often called) spoke extemporaneously, 
and often with great power. He was an 
earnest but wise evangelist, an educator 
of great ability, and managed business 
affairs with remarkable sagacity. He was 
greatly beloved bj- many of all demoni- 
nations for his broad and tolerant spirit, 
and no man in Chicago was probably bet- 
ter known by those of every rank of life. 
He passed away November 21. 1892, hav- 
ing survived his wife about two years. 



ERNEST HAMMOND EVERSZ. 

Ernest H. Eversz, senior member of 
the firm of Eversz & Company, bankers, 
located at No. 220 La Salle Street, Chi- 
cago, was born August 3, 1872. His 
primary education was obtained in the 
Milwaukee public school, where he gradu- 
ated in 1888. He subsequently pursued 
a course of study in Evanston Town- 
ship High School, Cook County, 111., 
graduating therefrom in 1891. In that 
year he matriculated in Northwestern 
University, from which institution he was 
graduated in 1895 with the degree of A. 
B. While taking the university course, 
he was identified with the Beta Theta Pi 
and Theta Nu Epsilon fraternities, and 
from 1891 to 1894, was a member of the 
Northwestern University Glee and Banjo 
Clubs. In 1895 he took the Harris Prize 
in the political economy contest. 

From 1895 until 1901, Mr. Eversz was 
in the employ of N. W. Harris & Com- 
pany, bankers, in Chicago. From 1901 
to 1904 he was manager of the Chicago 
office of Redmond, Kerr & Company, 
bankers, and since 1904 has been engaged 
in his present connection. Mr. Eversz is 
a member of the Union League and 
\\'ashington Park Clubs, of Chicago : the 
Chicago Yacht Club, and the Illinois Ath- 
letic Club. 

On November 5, 1902, Mr. Eversz was 
united in marriage with Ruth Swift, a 
daughter of the late Gustavus F. Swift. 
One child, Barbara, has resulted from this 
union, born October 9, 1904. Mr. Eversz, 
resides at No. 3323 Michigan Avenue, 
Chicago. 



WILBUR J. ANDREWS. 

Wilbur J. Andrews, of Berwyn, Cook 
County, 111., engaged in the real estate 
business, was born in Rockford, 111., 



644 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



March 24, 1859. In boyhood he received his 
rudimentary education in the public 
schools of his native place, and otherwise 
pursued his preparatory studies until he 
entered Northwestern University, from 
which institution he received the degree 
of A. B. in 1887, and that of A. M., in 
1890. While in the university, he was a 
member of the Hinman Literary Society 
and the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. The 
subject of this sketch was united in mar- 
riage with Ada C. Redfield, of Evanston, 
111., in 1881 and they became the parents 
of three children, namely: Elliot Red- 
field, Jerome Edson and Kathryn Louise. 



CHARLES EDWARD PIPER. 

Charles Edward Piper, lawyer and real 
estate operator, Berwyn, 111., was born in 
Chicago, 111., June 12, 1858, the son of Otis 
and Margaret Piper — the former born at 
Sackett's Harbor, N. Y., in October, 1830, 
and the latter at Prescott, Canada, in 1837. 
Mr. Piper's father was a merchant, and one 
branch of his family was descended from 
old Massachusetts stock extending back to 
New Salem, I\Iass.. in 1632. 

Mr. Piper was educated in the Chicago 
public schools, the High School and North- 
western LTniversity, and after completing his 
literary course, served as Postmaster at the 
Union Stock Yards, Chicago, while pur- 
suing the study of law in the Law Depart- 
ment of the Northwestern L'niversity. 
After his graduation from the Law 
School in 1887, he turned his attention to 
the real estate business and general practice 
of his profession. During 1894-95 he served 
as President of the Town Board of Cicero 
Township, and has also been a member of 
the School Board. Some vears since he 



started the movement for the establishment 
of Sanatoria in different States tor the bene- 
fit of tubercidous members of various fra- 
ternal organizations participating in the 
same, the first institution being located at 
Black Mountain, N. C. 

In political views, Mr. Piper was born 
and bred a Republican, and in religious be- 
lief is identified with the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. He was one of the organizers 
of the Epworth League, serving as the first 
President for the Chicago District, and later 
as President of the State organization, and 
for eight years as Treasurer of the National 
organization. He has also been Supreme 
Secretary and General Manager of the 
Royal League, a member of the Phi Kappa 
Psi and Phi Delta Phi Fraternities, of the 
Royal Arcanum, Knights of Pythias, va- 
rious Masonic bodies. Ancient Order of 
United Workman, Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows, Independent Order of For- 
esters, North American Union, and various 
other secret and benevolent orders. 

At Indianola, Iowa, on August 15, 1882, 
Mr. Piper was married to Carrie Gregory, 
who was a native of Nauvoo, 111., and whose 
great-grandfather was associated with Rob- 
ert Morris in the manufacture of gunpow- 
der for use of the American soldiers during 
the Revolutionary War period. ]Mr. and 
Mrs. Piper's children are: Carolyn E., born 
January 17, 1884, and now a member of the 
Senior Class in Northwestern University ; 
Lulu Lane, born May 29, 1887, a sophomore 
in Macalester College, St. Paul, Minn ; Rob- 
ert G., born December 7, i88g, a graduate 
of Clyde High School, now entered Fresh- 
man in Northwestern ; Margaret, born Feb- 
ruary 27, 1892, died September 16, 1894; 
and Charles E., Jr.. born March 6, 1898. 
Mr. Piper's office as Supreme Scribe of the 
Royal League is located in Room 1601, Ma- 
sonic Temple Building, Chicago. 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



645 



CHARLES LYFORD LOGAN. 

Charles Lyford Logan, clergyman, who 
is a minister of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church at Elizabeth, 111., was born in .At- 
kinson, Maine, June 10, 1850. When he 
was four years old his parents removed 
to Illinois and two years later to Minne- 
sota. Here he received his primary edu- 
cation in the public schools and, after 
preparing for college at home, in the fall 
of 1873 entered the Freshman Class of 
Northwestern University, graduating 
therefrom in 1877. In that year he became 
Principal of Public Schools in Caledonia, 
Houston County, Minn., for one term. He 
joined the Wisconsin M. E. Conference 
in 1878. and in 1880, entered Garrett 
Biblical Institute, at Evanston, 111., from 
which he was graduated in 1882. He re- 
ceived the degree of A. B. in 1877; that of 
A. M., in 1880; and that of B. D.. in 
1882. During his college course, he was 
a member of the Adelphic Literary So- 
ciety and of the Owl Club. In the Junior 
year, he was one of those who took part 
in the "Junior Ex.," and was a contestant 
in debate between the Adelphic and a Chi- 
cago literary society. He was editor of 
the "Tripod," representing the .Adelphic 
Literary Society, and was one of the ora- 
tors in the commencement exercises, at 
the time of his graduation. In 1883 he 
transferred to the Rock River Conference. 
From 1886 to 1889, and from 1892 to 1895, 
a period of seven years, inclusive, he was 
principal of Inyo Academy, at Bishop, Inyo 
County, Cal. 

On May 8. 1884, Mr. Logan was united 
in marriage with Grace Boehm W^ood, and 
they have become the parents of the fol- 
lowing children, namely: Mary Lois, born 
in 1885 ; Grace Sarah, born in 1887 : Laura 
Louise, born in 1889; Helen Irene, born 
in 1891 ; Edith Evangeline, born in 1893; 



Frances Willard, born in 1896; Charles 
Lyford, Jr., born in 1898; and Ruth, born 
in 1904. 

In fraternal circles, the subject of this 
sketch is identified with the I. O. O. F. 
and the A. O. U. A. M. 



JEROME J. CERMAK. 

Jerome J. Cermak, attorney-at-law, Chi- 
cago, was born in the city where he now re- 
sides, September 30, 1880. In boyhood he 
made diligent use of the opportunities af- 
forded by the Chicago public schools, 
graduating from the Joseph Medill High 
School in June, 1898. In September, 1899, 
he matriculated in Northwestern Univer- 
sity Law School, from which he was 
graduated in June, 1902, with the degree 
of LL. B. From 1902 to 1906 he has been 
Secretary of the Law Alumni Association 
of that institution. He was a member of 
the LIniversity Baseball Club in the spring 
of 1901, and of the Law School baseball 
team in 1901 and 1902. He belongs to 
the Plii Alpha Delta Law fraternity, and 
socialh'. is identified with the Royal 
League and the "Ceska Beseda." He is 
also a member of the Y. M. C. A. 



GEORGE THOMAS FOX, D. D. S. 

Dr. George Thomas Fox, who is en- 
gaged in the practice of dentistry at No. 
5101 South Halsted Street, Chicago, 111., 
was born in Chicago February 19, 1881, 
and received his rudimentary education in 
the Chicago public schools. He after- 
wards pursued a course of study in 
Wheaton College at Wheaton, 111., and, 
in the fall of 1900, entered Northwestern 
University Dental College, from which he 
was graduated in 1903, with the degree of 



646 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



D. D. S. In November, 1903, he com- 
menced the practice of dentistry at the 
location above mentioned, where he has 
since continued with good results. 



FHILIP E. ELTINO. 

Philip E. Elting, attorney-at-law, Ma- 
comb, McDonough County, 111., was born 
in the vicinity of that city and spent his 
boyhood and early youth in his native 
place, where he enjoyed the advantages of 
the public schools. After completing his 
primary education, he pursued a course of 
study in the Law Department of North- 
western University at Evanston, 111., from 
which he was graduated with the Class of 
1892, receiving the degree of LL. B. He 
was immediately admitted to the bar 
(June 14, 1892), and at once entered upon 
the practice of his profession at Macomb, 
in which he has since continued with suc- 
cessful results. Although he has not 
sought political preferment, he has been 
endorsed by his county as a candidate for 
Circuit Judge in the Ninth Judicial Circuit 
of Illinois. 

In fraternal circles, Mr. Elting is identi- 
fied with the A. F. & A. M., in which he is 
a Knight Templar; and is also afifiliateid 
with Military Tract Lodge, No. 145, Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and with 
the Knights of Pythias. 



SIDNEY G. McCALLIN, D. D. S. 

Sidney Gilmore McCallin, who is en- 
gaged in the practice of dentistry at No. 
830 West Sixty-Third Street, Chicago, 
111., was born in Rochester, Minn., Sep- 
tember 7, 1878. In boyhood he made dili- 
gent use of the opportunities afforded by 
the public schools, and afterwards entered 
the Waukesha (Wis.) High School, from 



which he was graduated in 1896. On Oc- 
tober, 5, 1898, he matriculated in North- 
western University Dental School, gradu- 
ating therefrom in May, 1900, with the 
degree of D. D. S. During his dental 
course he was a member of the Psi Omega 
Fraternity, and was on the Dental School 
football team in 1898-1899. 

Dr. McCallin began the practice of his 
profession at No. 1124 West Sixty- 
third Street, Chicago, on July 7, 1901, and 
on June 7, 1904, moved to his present lo- 
cation. In 1904, he became a member of 
the Englewood Dental Society, of which 
he was elected President in 1905. He is 
also a member of the Englewood Men's 
Clulj and of the Jackson Park Yacht Cluli. 



LOUIS GRANT HOTCH. 

Louis Grant Hotch, dentist, who is lo- 
cated at No. 334 East Division Street, 
Chicago, 111., was born in Carthage, 111., 
March 15 1868. In early youth he at- 
tended the puljlic schools of his native 
place, and afterwards graduated from the 
High School, subsequently taking a course 
in a Kansas City (Mo.) business college. 
In 1901, he graduated form Northwestern 
L'uiversity Dental School. Dr. Hotch 
worked his way through schopl by indus- 
trious application to other pursuits, during 
his vacations and other periods of leisure. 
On June 30, 1900, he was united in marriage 
with Miss Tillie Nelson, and one child 
Marion Sophia, has been the result of this 
union.- 



SAMUEL CRAIG PLUMMER. 

Samuel Craig Plummer, surgeon, who 
is located at No. 156 East Forty-second 
Place, Chicago, 111., was born in Rock 
Island, 111., April 22, 1865. In early youth 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



647 



he utilized the advantages of the pubhc 
schools and, after finishing his primary 
studies, pursued a course in Augustana 
College, at Rock Island, from which he 
was graduated in June, 1883, with the 
degree of A. B. In the same year he ma- 
triculated in the Chicago Medical College, 
of Northwestern University, graduating 
therefrom i\Iarch 2;},, 1886, with the de- 
gree of M. D. He is a member of the Phi 
Rho Sigma fraternity. In 1886-87, Dr. 
Plummer occupied the position of interne 
in the Cook County Hospital, Chicago. In 
1891 he was appointed Assistant Demon- 
strator of Anatomy in the Northwestern 
University ]\Iedical School ; in 1892 be- 
came Lecturer on Anatomy ; in 1893, Pro- 
fessor of Anatomy, and in 1894, Demon- 
strator of Operative Surgery. Since 1899 
he has been Professor of Operative Sur- 
gery in that institution, and from 1900 
until the present time, has served in the 
capacity of Surgeon to Wesley Hospital. 
Chicago, and since 1902 has held the po- 
sition of Chief Surgeon of the Chicago, 
Rock Island & Pacific Railway system. 
He has also been secretary of the North- 
western L'ni\ersity Medical School since 
1904. 

Dr. Plummer is a member of the Ameri- 
can Medical Association ; the American 
Association of Railway Surgeons; the 
Illinois State Medical Society, the Chi- 
cago Medical Society, of which he was 
Secretary in 1900-1901 : the Chicago Sur- 
gical Society; and the Chicago Pathologi- 
cal Society. Socially Dr. Plummer is a 
member of the Kenwood and Washing- 
ton Park Clubs of Chicago, and fraternally 
of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion. 
He was united in marriage with Mary 
Louise Middleton. on March 18, 1902, and 
one child, Susan Middleton Plummer, has 
been born of this union. 



ALBERT D. PERSONS, D. D. S., M.D.S. 

Dr. Albert Dodge Persons, dentist, of 
Des Plaines, Cook County, 111., was born 
in Chicago, 111., July 20, 1879. His early 
mental training was obtained in the Chi- 
cago public schools and, in October, 1897, 
he entered the Northwestern College of 
Dental Surgery and matriculated in 
Northwestern University Dental School 
in October, 1898, graduating therefrom 
April 30, 1900, with the degree of D. D. 
S. He has also received the degree of 
M. D. S. Dr. Persons was a member of 
Northwestern University Dental School 
football team in 1898-1899. 

The subject of this sketch is Professor 
of Oral Surgery in the American Post- 
Graduate School ; Professor of Oral Sur- 
gery in the National Medical L'niversity ; 
was formerly Professor of Orthodon- 
tia in the Illinois Medical School Dental 
Department, and is now Assistant Professor 
of Orthodontia in the Northwestern Uni- 
versity Dental School. 

Dr. Persons was united in marriage 
with Grace Bennett, of Des Plaines, 111., 
on August 16, 1904. 



WALTER B. HELM, M. D. 

\Valter B. Helm, physician and sur- 
geon, of Rockford, 111., was born at But- 
lerville, Iowa, October 12, 1859, and his 
primary education was received in the 
public schools of his native place. Sub- 
sequently he became a pupil in the Beaver 
Dam (Wis.) High School, finishing his 
studies there in 1876. He then matricu- 
lated in Northwestern University, and. 
after completing the literary course, in 
1881 entered the Medical Department of 
that institution, from which he was gradu- 
ated with the degree of M. D., in 1884. 



648 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



He had previously received the degree of 
B. S. In 1884-85, he attended the clinics 
of Cook County Hospital, Chicago, and 
in 1895, took a course in the New York 
Post Graduate School of Medicine. Dur- 
ing his undergraduate period, he was a 
member of the Hinman Literary Society, 
and from 1879 to 1883, was connected with 
the United States Life-Saving Service. 

Dr. Helm acted as Attending Physician 
and Surgeon in connection with the Rock- 
ford City Hospital from 1886 to 1904, and. 
since the last named year, has occupied 
the position of Consulting Surgeon in that 
institution. He was local surgeon of the 
Illinois Central Railroad Company at Ra- 
cine, Wis., in 1897. Dr. Helm is a mem- 
ber of the American Medical .Association: 
the Illinois State Medical Society ; the 
Central Wisconsin Medical Society ; and 
the Winnebago (111.) Medical Society. 
Socially he is connected with the Rock- 
ford Country Club, and, in fraternal cir- 
cles, is identified with the B. P. C). E. 

Dr. Helm was married on October 26, 
1887, to Mary C. Gibson, and two children 
are the offspring of this union, namely : 
Allan G., born November 8, 1888, and 
Elizabeth, born January 27, 1902. 



can Medical Association; the Illinois 
State Medical Society ; the DeKalb 
County (111.) Medical Society; and the 
Mississippi Valley Medical Society. He 
was united in marriage with Cora Whitte- 
more, of Sycamore, 111., on August 16, 
1894. 



PAUL SYNNESTVEDT. 

Paul Synnestvedt, who is engaged in 
the practice of law, in Pittsburgh, Pa., 
where his office is located at No. 518 Frick 
Building, was born in Chicago, 111., April 
14, 1870. In his youth he enjoyed the ad- 
vantages afforded by the public schools of 
Chicago, and, after finishing his literary 
studies, entered the Law School of North- 
western University at Chicago, from which 
he was graduated in 1897, with the 
degree of LL. B. The marriage of Mr. 
Synnestvedt took place in 1893, when 
he was wedded to Anna E. Lechner of 
Pittsburgh. Pa., their union resulting in 
eight children, namely : Arthur, Hubert, 
Elsa, George, Evan, Raymond, Kenneth 
and Virginia. 



GEORGE W. NESBITT. 

George W. Nesbitt, physician and 
surgeon, of Sycamore, 111., was born in 
that town March 13, 1869. His early edu- 
cation was obtained in the public schools 
of his native place, and from 1887 to 1889. 
he was a student in the Illinois State Uni- 
versity at Urbana. In the fall of the lat- 
ter year he matriculated in the Chicago 
Medical College of Northwestern Uni- 
versity, from which he was graduated 
April 22. 1892, with the degree of M. D. 

Dr. Nesbitt is a member of the Ameri- 



WILLIAM LEON STEVENS, D. D. S. 

Dr. William Leon Stevens, who is en- 
gaged in the practice of dentistry at No. 
1012 West Lake Street, Chicago, 111., and 
resides at Clyde, Cook County, 111., was 
born at Eaton Rapids, Mich., December 
II, 1867. In early youth he utilized the 
opportunities afforded by the public 
schools, and on September 25, 1887, ma- 
triculated in the .\merican College of 
Dental Surgery, from which he was grad- 
uated with the degree of D. D. S., March 
25. 1889. In fraternal circles. Dr. Ste- 
vens is identified with the A. F. & A. M., 



HISTORY OF EVANSTON 



649 



having joined Lodge No. 610, August 14, 

1893. 

On June 17, 1897, Dr. Stevens was uni- 
ted in marriage with Anna Maude Stevens, 
and they have become the parents of two 
children, namely: Morton Leon, born Oc- 
tober 27, 1898, and Ethel Grace, born May 
17, 1891. 



OLE HANSEN TUTTLE. 

Ole Hansen Tuttle, dentist, Chicago, 111., 
was born at Eaton, Ohio, April 17, 1867. 
In early youth he utilized the opportuni- 
ties afforded by the public schools of his 
native town and graduated there in 1886. 
In 1891 he entered Northwestern Univer- 
sity Dental College, and was graduated 
therefrom in 1894, with the degree of D. 
D. S. He was class treasurer in that in- 
stitution during the last mentioned year, 
and special clinic in operative dentistry 
there in 1895-96. From 1893 to 1900, he 
served as secretary and treasurer of the 
Miami Club. Fraternally he is identified 
with the A. F. & A. M., being a thirty- 
s'econd degree Mason, and a member of 
the Mystic Shrine. 

On November 24, 1902, Dr. Tuttle was 
united in marriage with Grace M. Goss, 
a daughter of the inventor of the Goss 
Printing Press. One child, Genevieve 
Harriet, has been the offspring of their 
imion. Dr. Tuttle is located at No. 1046 
Jackson Boulevard, Chicago. 



BENJAMIN WALDBERG. 

Benjamin Waldberg, who is engaged in 
the practice of dentistry at No. 66 North 
State Street, Chicago, 111., was born in 
Lemberg, Austria, December 25. 1851. In 
boyhood he received his primary mental 
training in the public schools of his native 



country, and graduated from the Classic 
Gymnasium in the city of his birth. He 
matriculated in Northwestern University 
Dental School for the term of 1897-8, and 
was graduated in 1901, with the degree of 
D. D. S. Dr. Waldberg was appointed 
Demonstrator in Prosthetic Technics, Oc- 
tober I, 1899, and in May, 1901, received 
the appointment of Demonstrator and 
Superintendent of Prosthetic Laborator- 
ies, a position which he still holds. He 
is a member of the Odontographic So- 
ciety ; the Psi Omega Dental Fraternity, 
and the A. F. & A. M. 

Dr. Waldberg was married in 1869, but 
has been a widower since 1886. He has 
two sons, Bernard and Joseph. 



AMOS R. SOLENBERGER, M. D. 

Amos Rufus Solenberger, physician, 
and a resident of Colorado Springs, Colo., 
was born in 1853, at Canton, Ohio. After 
finishing his primary studies in the public 
schools of his native State, his parents 
removed to Illinois, where he pursued 
preparatory courses in Rock River Sem- 
inary and Northwestern University 
Academy, and in 1879 matriculated in the 
College of Liberal Arts of Northwestern 
University, Evanston, graduating there- 
from in 1883, with the degree of Ph. B. 
In 1883 he entered the Northwestern Uni- 
versity Medical School, from which he 
was graduated in 1885, with the degree of 
M. D. During his undergraduate course, 
he was a member of the Euphronean and 
Adelphic societies, and of the Phi Kappa 
Psi Fraternity, and was contestant for the 
Adelphic and Hinman prizes in oratory. 
He acted in the capacity of Field Marshal 
on Field Day in 1883. 

Dr. Solenberger took special courses in 
Medicine, Laryngology, Rhinology and 



6.SO 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



Otology, in Berlin, Paris and London, and 
is the author of "Lectures on Hygiene of 
the Vocal Organs," and on the "Principles 
and Practice of Diseases of the Upper 
Respiratory Tract." From 1896 to 1899 
he was Instructor in Laryngology and 
Rhinology in the Northwestern Univer- 
sity Medical School. He is a member of 
the American Medical Association ; the 
Chicago Academy of Medicine; the Am- 
erican Laryngological, Otological and 
Rhinological Societies, and of the Colorado 
State Medical Association. 

He was united in marriage with Pris- 
cilla H. Staufifer, at Denver, Colo., on 
April 8, 1885. 



JOHN RAYMOND HOFFMAN, M. D. 
Dr. John Raymond Hoffman, who is 
engaged in the practice of medicine at No. 
206 East Washington Street, Chicago, 
111., and resides in Ottawa, 111., was born 
in the latter city, June 18, 1865. In boy- 
hood he attended public school in Ottawa, 
and graduated from the High School 
there in 1885. He matriculated in Chi- 
cago Medical College of Northwestern 
University in 1888, and was graduated 
therefrom in 1891 with the degree of M. 



D. Dr. Hoffman entered upon the gen- 
eral practice of his profession in Ottawa, 
during the year of his graduation from 
the University, and continued therein un- 
til 1895, when he devoted his attention 
mainly to affections of the eye, ear, nose 
and throat. In 1897, he began this special 
line of practice in Chicago, on the estab- 
lishment of the Eye, Ear, Nose and 
Throat College, of which he is secretary. 
In this institution, Dr. Hoffman has also 
filled the chair of Professor of Ophthal- 
mology since the year of its establish- 
ment. From 1896 to 1898, Dr. Hoffman 
was Assistant Surgeon of the Illinois 
National Guard, and from 1897 to 1903 
was Assistant Surgeon of the Illinois 
Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary. He is 
a member of the Chicago Medical Society, 
the Chicago Ophthalmological and Otolo- 
gical Society, and the American Academy 
of Ophthalmology, Otology and Rhinol- 
ogy- 

On June 2, 1891, the subject of this 
sketch was united in marriage with Mary 
T. Hapeman, of Ottawa, 111., and their 
union has resulted in three children 
namely : Douglas T., Phoebe Ella, and 
Frances. 



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